Turku University of Applied Sciences was developing a new international standard ISO 23351-1 for the testing of acoustic attenuation of furniture ensembles and enclosures. 

Noise caused by other colleagues’ speech and lack of speech privacy are very usual problems in offices. 

Problems can be mitigated by sound attenuating furniture ensembles, such as

•    Mobile phone booths,
•    Mobile work and meeting rooms, and
•    Sound attenuating workstations.

Until June 2020, there was no standardized method to measure or declare the attenuation properties of abovementioned products. 

ISO started a new project group on 10th April 2018 under ISO TC 43/SC 2 /WG 35. The task of the project group was to prepare a standard proposal  describing a laboratory test for the measurement of sound attenuation of abovementioned products. The project group was convened by Valtteri Hongisto from Turku University of Applied Sciences.

The creation of an ISO standard required three international ballots: CD, DIS and FDIS ballots. CD version was accepted in Autumn 2018, DIS version in September 2019, and the final FDIS version in 8th June 2020. 

Standard commercially available here (since 1st July 2020).

The method of the standard is based on two international scientific articles ( here and here ). 

The standard also involves a voluntary classification method. Class A+, A, B, C, and D is reached with speech level reduction values (DS,A) of 33, 30, 25, 20, and 15 dB, respectively. 

Turku University of Applied Sciences has provided test services according to ISO 23351-1 already 5 years. Further information about the test service can be found here .