Custom acoustic panels by Pyrotek Soundguard for St Augustine's
College, Brookvale

An added décor element was a bonus in the solution of noise problems at St Augustine's College of Brookvale, where attractive customised acoustic panels by Pyrotek Soundguard have been installed in the art and music rooms of the school's Lecceto Arts Centre.

The move sets an example for all those charged with spending Prime Minister Rudd's promised $14.7 billion school upgrades in the quality of the learning environment as part of his fiscal stimulus package.

"Noise in the Ensemble Room when a thirty piece band was playing topped 110 decibels, enough to pose OHS concerns," says the school's OHS manager, Philippa Sherwood.

Because the school's art rooms had previously benefited from the use of acoustic panels recommended by Soundguard's James Gifford, the school relied on the same idea for the Ensemble Room.

The panels were constructed by James using design principles developed in Pyrotek's laboratory in Melbourne. Sorberfoam acoustic foam is mounted within a timber frame before laminating with an acoustic membrane of Sorbertex P52. This boosts the absorber's efficiency, enabling a relative small area in the room to achieve outstanding performance, lab tests show.

From an extensive colour range, St Augustine's College chose beige for the Ensemble Room panels. Only certain special fabrics allow the sound to pass freely through to the absorbent layers. Most fabrics reflect the sound and degrade the panel's performance accordingly.

"This morning we measured the decibel levels in the Ensemble Room and there was a definite improvement with the acoustic panels," Philippa Sherwood reports. "We are going to swing the band around so they face the panels, and we are sure this will have an even better effect.

"Originally the problem with the art rooms was reverberation during class. Options were to carpet the floor - which is not advisable in an art room - carpet the ceiling, or install the acoustic panels. The decision to fit the acoustic panels has been successful, with the Head of Visual Art reporting that noise is now more muffled and not so grating."

The improvements in the learning environment at St Augustine's College through smart acoustic insulation balances an overemphasis on calls for spending on thermal insulation in the Rudd plan prompted by media horror stories of children in cold classrooms. The case reminds us that our nation's students, warm or otherwise, won't learn if they can't hear their lessons clearly, without distortion and to OHS standards.

Pyrotek Soundguard offers a "Kill noise in schools" info pack by calling 1300 136 662 or via www.soundguard.com.au/pack.htm.