AR363-A 


LIGHTING AND
ACOUSTICS
 Course description

• This course deals with acoustics and lighting systems in

buildings, their design, equipment, installations and
maintenance.
 Course objectives

• The course aims to introduce the students, the

fundamentals principles and concepts important to
acoustics, and lighting systems and comfort in buildings
 Course intended learning outcomes

• To gain adequate knowledge on the different aspects of

acoustics and lighting- principles, design and application.

• To inculcate in their minds the importance of acoustics and

lighting in the design of buildings or structures.

• To acquire considerable knowledge on the practical

application of the concepts and principles in acoustics and
lighting relative to designing space and building envelope.

• To gain fundamental knowledge on the psychological and

physiological effects of sound and light on building occupants.
 Prelim topics

Acoustics
•Introduction
•Definition of Acoustic-related terms
•Sound Theory
•Longitudinal and Transverse Waves
•Frequency
•Velocity of Sound Wave propagation
•Speed of Longitudinal and
•Transverse Sound Waves
 Prelim topics

• Wavelength, Sound Intensity (Free Field propagation

Inverse Square Law (Free Field Condition)
• Sound Pressure and Sound Pressure Level
• Intensity Level changes
 Prelim topics

• Sound Absorption, Reflection and Transmission,

Mechanism of Absorption
• Sound Absorption Coefficient (SAC)
• Noise Reduction and Noise Reduction Coefficient
(NRC)
• Sound Absorption and Treatment
• Absorptive Materials and its Application
• Relative Efficiency of Sound Absorbers
 Midterm topics

Reverberation Time

Room Acoustics

Directivity Contour for Speech

Sight Line

Ray Diagram and Sound Paths

Echoes and its control

Auditorium Acoustics - Calculation and Design (Application

 Finals topic

• Lighting Fundamentals

• Quantity of Light

• High Intensity Discharge (HID) Lamp

• Illumination Calculation
INTRODUCTION

DEFINITION

HISTORY
 Definition of Acoustics

• The science of sound phenomena in buildings dealing

with the production, transmission, and absorption of
sound in order to secure the distinct conditions in every
part of the building or room.

• The science of sound and vibration which refers to the

stress fluctuations as well as waves in a material
medium.
 Definition of Acoustics

• An environmental technology on sound and noise

control in a man made surrounding conducive to a
clear understanding of speech, better appreciation of
music, and minimal noise interference.

• The art and science of designing a room or building

which insures both comfort and communication, and
provides special features as the purpose and use of the
structure requires.
• 3 parts (elements):

1. Sound Source ( e.g. human speech, HVAC
equipment)

2. Transmission Path (e.g. air, earth, building
materials)

3. Receiver (e.g. humans, animals, sensitive medical
equipment)
 Types of Acoustics

Psycho Acoustics – deals with the reaction of human

beings to audible sound

Environmental Acoustics – deals with the effects of the

environment upon audible sound waves; may be broken
down to Architectural Acoustics and Landscape
Acoustics
 Types of Acoustics

Electro Acoustics – deals with the generation and

detection of audible sound waves

Sonics – deals with the technical application of

mechanical waves in basic scientific research, industry,
and medicine.
 History of Acoustics

• GREEK

• ROMAN
COMPONENTS OF ACOUSTICS

(SOUND)
 Definition of Sound

• Any vibratory motion of bodies, the transmission of

these vibrations in a medium, ad the sensation
produced on the human auditory mechanism.

• An alteration in pressure (particle displacement in

velocity) projected and propagated in an elastic
material.

• Form of energy propagated in waves which continue to

subsist until filtered through a material turning into
heat by friction.
 Definition of Sound

• physical wave in an elastic medium, usually air

• the sensation stimulated in the organs of hearing by

mechanical radiant energy transmitted as longitudinal
pressure waves through the air or other medium

• a vibration in an elastic medium such as air, water, most

building materials, and the earth

• physically, sound is a rapid fluctuation of air pressure

 Sources of Sound

• Speech – produced by the human voice

• Music – produced by an instrument

• Noise – produced by impact, by vibrating bodies, even

by speech or music
 Architectural Acoustics

• technology of designing spaces, structures and mechanical

systems to meet hearing needs

• effect of building design on the control of sound in buildings

3 Aspects of Acoustical Design in Buildings

1. Planning to keep noise sources as far as possible from quiet

area

2. Internal acoustics of rooms

3. Structural precautions to reduce noise penetrations

 Types of Sound

• Wanted – sound heard as perfectly as possible at the

right level or loudness without pain or strain

• Unwanted – sound which entails an annoyance factor

Characteristics of Sound:

• Audible

• Inaudible
 Properties of Sound

1. Sound must always have a source, a path, and a

receiver.

2. Speed – sound travels at 1130 ft. per second or 344

m. per second at normal room temperature (68°F);
sound travels faster in denser media.

3. Intensity – rate at which sound energy is being

transmitted, measured at any point in the medium;
intensity diminishes inversely as the square of the
distance.
 Properties of Sound

4. Decibel – the unit in which sound intensity is defined

for architectural purposes

5. Decibel-meter – instrument by which sound intensity

is measured

6. Threshold of Audibility – minimum intensity that is

capable of evoking an auditory sensation in the ear.
 Properties of Sound

7. Threshold of Pain – minimum sound pressure level

which stimulates the ear to a point which is painful

8. Frequency – the number of displacements or

oscillations that a particle undergoes in 1 second.

hertz – unit of frequency; numerically equal to

cycles per second
 Properties of Sound

9. Pitch – the attribute of an auditory system which

enables us to pinpoint sounds on a scale extending from
high to low frequency.

10. Tone – sound sensation having pitch.

11. Wavelength – the distance a sound wave travels

during each complete cycle of vibration measured
in meters or feet.
 Properties of sound

12. Directionality of Sound Sources – sound sources

radiate sound waves in all directions; radiation pattern
varies with the frequency; high frequency sounds are more
pronounced along the longitudinal axis of the sound
source.
 Natural elements that affect sound

• Temperature – particles of sound tend to follow cold air

• Clouds – if heavy, clouds can act as a reflecting surface

• Wind – may change the direction of sound

• Bodies of Water – can also act as a reflecting surface

 Characteristics of sound

• Sound Reflection – sound reflected off a surface,

usually one which is hard, rigid and/or flat.
 Characteristics of Sound

2. Sound Absorption – sound waves absorbed into a material

upon contact; change of sound energy into some other form

• Sound Absorption Coefficient (α) – fraction of energy of the

incident sound absorbed by the surface; rates the efficiency
of sound absorption of a material at a specified frequency
(0-1)

• Noise Reduction Coefficient (NRC) – arithmetic average of

sound absorption coefficients at the frequencies 250, 500,
1000 and 2000 Hz, expressed to the nearest multiple of 0.05
 Characteristics of Sound

• Surface Absorption – sound absorption of a surface

obtained by multiplying the area of the surface by its
sound absorption coefficient

Sabins – unit for surface absorption

1 person = 4-5 sabins

3. Sound Diffusion – occurs when sound waves are

dispersed equally in a room
 Characteristics of Sound

4. Sound Diffraction – acoustical phenomenon which

causes sound waves to be bent or scattered around such
obstacles as corners, columns, walls, beams, etc.
Characteristics of Sound
 Characteristics of Sound

5. Sound Refraction – change of sound wave direction as

it moves from one medium to another of different
density
 Characteristics of sound

6. Sound Transmission – sound which penetrates

through a surface

7. Reverberation – the prolongation of sound as a result

of successive reflections in an enclosed space after the
source of sound is turned off

• Reverberant – usually places which are large or have

few people
 Characteristics of sound

• Reverberation Time (RT) – time for the sound pressure

in a room to decrease 60 db after the sound is stopped

Opt. RT = 0.3log (V/10)

RT = (0.16 V)/A (For Metric System)

= (0.05 V)/A (For English System

where V = room volume

A = total room absorption

Discrepancy = (100 x (Opt. RT – RT))/higher value
between Opt. RT and RT

Note: maximum allowable discrepancy is ± 10%

 Terminologies

• Generation - sound is generated when an object

vibrates, causing the adjacent air to move, resulting in a
series of pressure waves radiating out from the moving
object

• Wave – a disturbance or oscillation that transfers energy

progressively from point to point in a medium or space
without advance by the points themselves, as in the
transmission of sound or light

• Sound Wave – a longitudinal pressure wave in air or an

elastic medium esp. one producing an audible sensation
• Frequency

• the no. of times the cycle of compression and

rarefaction of air occurs in a given unit of time (e.g.
1000 cycles in the period of 1 second = 1000 cps =
1000 Hertz)

• the no. of cycles per unit time of a wave or oscillation

• the no. of complete cycles per second (frequency of

vibration)

• the rate of oscillation of molecules by sound

(frequency of vibration) measured in cycles per
second (Hertz)
• Pitch – frequency of sound vibration; the
predominant frequency of a sound as perceived by
the human ear

• Vibration – the back and forth motion of a

complete cycle

• Cycle – full circuit by a displaced particle

• Period – the time required for one complete cycle

• Frequency

• 20 – 20,000 Hz – approx. audio frequency range of

human hearing;

• 600 – 40,000 Hz – critical frequency for speech

communication

• Tone – composed of a fundamental frequency with

multiples of the fundamental, called Harmonics
• Pure Tone – sound composed only of 1 frequency

• Musical sounds are combination of many pure

tones

• Frequency bands – used to express division of

sounds into sections (Octave bands are the most
common)

• 9 Octave Bands – 31.5, 63, 125, 250, 500, 1000,

2000, 4000, 8000 Hz
• Velocity- varies according to the medium of transmission;
approx. 1100 fps in air at normal temperature and
pressure

• Wavelength- Distance between similar points on successive

waves; the distance the sound travels in one cycle

• Relationship between wavelength, frequency, and velocity:

• Λ = c/f

• Λ = wavelength, ft.2

• c = velocity of sound, fps

• f = frequency of sound, Hz (cps)

• Low frequency sounds: characterized by long
wavelengths

• High frequency sounds: characterized by short

wavelengths

• Sounds with wavelengths ranging from ½” – 50’

can be heard by humans, 1000, 2000, 4000, 8000
Hz
• Magnitude

• Sound power (watts) – amount of energy produced by a

source

• Intensity – describes the energy level; unit is watts/cm2

• Loudness (what is perceived) – related to the Intensity Level

(IL) or Sound Pressure Level (SPL)

• The Sound Pressure Level (SPL) is equivalent to the Sound

Intensity Level (IL)

• Intensity Level is expressed in decibels

• Decibel – dimensionless unit used to express the ratio of

two numerical values of a logarithmic scale
• Sound Absorption - some absorb low frequency
energy; some absorb high frequency energy

• Noise Reduction by Absorption

• Noise levels in a room are highest for a given

source if the room’s surfaces are primarily sound
reflecting; lowest if there are large areas of sound
absorbing materials (e.g. sound absorbing ceilings

• Reflections – sound foci/diffused

• Reverberation – prolongation of sound; persistence

COMPUTATION
Sound Absorption and Noise Reduction