Open Plan Office Acoustics 2025


Why Open Plan Office Acoustics Matter

Open plan offices have become the preferred layout for modern businesses, promoting collaboration, communication, and team culture. However, without proper office acoustic treatment, noise levels can quickly become unmanageable — especially when 20+ employees share the same space.

To help designers, architects, and contractors optimise open plan workspaces, the British Standard BS ISO 22955:2021 outlines best practices for reducing office noise and improving speech privacy.

This guide breaks down the effects of noise in open offices, the acoustic treatment methods recommended in the standard, and how Ultraviolet can help you create a productive, comfortable workspace.

The Impact of Noise in Open Plan Offices

In open plan workspaces, noise distractions are unavoidable — phone calls, conversations, footsteps, and equipment all contribute. The most disruptive sounds are those that are:

  • Uncontrollable

  • Clearly intelligible

  • Irrelevant to the listener’s task

Excessive noise reduces concentration, increases stress, and lowers productivity. By applying sound-absorbing treatments and following BS ISO 22955:2021 guidelines, you can significantly improve your office environment.

BS ISO 22955:2021 – The Approach

The standard’s goal is to:

  • Reduce sound transfer between desks and workstations

  • Maintain high-quality short-distance conversations

  • Match acoustic design to the tasks being performed

It identifies six types of workspace environments, each with different challenges, but here we focus on the main three general acoustic treatment methods that you can employ when you contact Ultraviolet.

1. Ceiling Acoustic Treatment

  • Most important treatment area according to BS ISO 22955:2021

  • Recommended 50–60% ceiling coverage in open plan offices

  • Use Class A absorbers (absorption coefficient close to 1) such as:

  • Acoustic baffles can also be used in certain layouts

2. Wall Acoustic Treatment

  • Less surface area than ceilings but still beneficial

  • Ideal for corner areas to reduce flutter echo

  • Recommended height: at least 1.2m

  • Options include acoustic wall panels or stretched fabric systems

  • Works best alongside ceiling treatment, not as a replacement

3. Floor Acoustic Treatment

  • Provides limited acoustic absorption

  • Best for reducing impact noise from footsteps

  • Acoustic interlayer flooring can help, but surface treatments (ceilings & walls) are more effective

Additional Acoustic Solutions for Open Plan Offices

Acoustic Furniture

  • Can improve reverberation if ceilings are already treated

  • Not a primary solution — use as a supplement

Acoustic Desk Screens & Partitions

  • Helps block direct speech paths between workstations

  • More effective when higher than mouth level

  • Should complement ceiling/wall treatments

Sound Masking Systems

  • Adds low-level background noise to cover unwanted sounds

  • Systems like SoftdB adjust to existing ambient noise

  • More effective than relying on ventilation or HVAC noise

How Ultraviolet Can Help

We design and install acoustic treatments that meet BS ISO 22955:2021 standards, ensuring:

  • Lower noise levels

  • Better speech privacy

  • Improved focus and productivity

From acoustic ceiling rafts to wall panels and sound masking, Ultraviolet provides complete solutions for open plan office acoustics.

Get Expert Advice on Open Plan Office Acoustics

Contact Ultraviolet today to discuss your project and ensure your open plan office meets the latest British Standards for workplace acoustics.