An exploratory study of architectural design and material impact on noise reduction in two surgical intensive care units

This study measures and compares noise levels in two intensive care units (ICUs) with different architectures, focusing on how space size, design and materials affect acoustic reduction. Noise levels were measured at multiple points using a B&K sound level meter to determine averages and frequency variations. Subsequently, both ICUs were simulated and validated using Odeon Combined 2016 software. The results indicate the average sound pressure level ranged from 61.4 to 62.3 dBA, exceeding WHO recommendations. Reverberation times were below the Iranian National Building Research Center standards, ranging from 0.6 seconds at 4 kHz to 2 seconds at 125 and 250 Hz. In conclusion, the findings suggest that incorporating more partitions in ICUs can effectively reduce sound energy. These partitions should utilize materials with high absorption coefficients at mid-to-high frequencies. Furthermore, the results highlight that in smaller wards, a lack of sound-absorbing materials leads to inappropriate acoustic conditions.