Open Plan Office Acoustic Standards 2026

BS ISO 22955:2021 is the British and International Standard for acoustic quality in open-plan offices. Published in 2021, it builds on existing measurement standards such as ISO 3382-3, turning them into practical design targets for different office spaces.

The standard doesn’t just set vague performance targets. It defines six open-plan space types, each with its own acoustic requirements based on how the space is used:

1. Activity not yet known: A vacant floor plate, such as an office before fit-out, where the future use hasn’t been decided.
2. Remote communication: Teams who spend much of their day on phone or video calls.
3. Collaborative work: People working closely with colleagues at nearby workstations.
4. Mostly individual work: Spaces with only a small amount of collaboration, where connection is the priority.
5. Public-facing: Areas that may receive visitors, such as reception.
6. Mixed activity: Spaces that combine several activities in one area.

For each space type, the standard sets measurable acoustic targets. The most important is DA,S, the spatial attenuation of speech. It measures how much speech drops in level between a lively area, such as a collaboration zone, and a more sensitive spot, such as a focus desk. The bigger the drop, the less distracting nearby conversations become. It also uses measures such as D2,S, the rate at which speech fades with distance, giving designers and specifiers clear, testable targets to work towards.

Most open-plan offices contain a mix of these activity types. The standard’s value is in helping teams understand which acoustic conditions apply where and design accordingly.

Most offices have several space types on one floor, and each zone needs to be treated to its own targets. A sales team on back-to-back calls is a Type 2 space and needs controlled background noise. A reception area is Type 5, where visitors’ conversations shouldn’t carry into nearby desks.

Mapping your floor plan against these types is the first step in any treatment plan. It shows where the strongest absorption, screening or separation is needed and where a livelier sound environment is fine.

BS ISO 22955:2021 is clear about where acoustic treatment has the most impact, and in what order:

Ceiling — the most important surface

The standard identifies the ceiling as the most important surface to treat and the more absorptive it is the better. To meet its targets, we typically recommend Class A absorption products covering at least 50-60% of the ceiling area, with exact coverage confirmed by survey.

Walls — targeted but valuable

Wall surfaces in open plan offices are often partially covered by partitions and furniture, which limits its contribution compared to ceilings. However, strategic wall treatment still plays a meaningful role, particularly for workstations positioned close to walls or in corners, where flutter echo and sound reflection are most pronounced.

For best results, we recommend installing wall panels at seated and standing ear height. Treating two perpendicular walls is a good practice for reducing flutter echo across the space.

Flooring — limited impact

Soft flooring, such as carpet, provides some absorption and reduces impact noise from footsteps and furniture movement. However, the standard is clear that floor treatment alone has no significant effect on overall room acoustics. It should be considered a minor supporting measure rather than a primary solution.

Choosing the right ceiling product depends on the space. Ceiling height, exposed services, lighting requirements and aesthetic brief all influence the decision. The products below are the solutions Resonics specifies most frequently for open plan office environments.

Wall treatment in an open plan office does two jobs: it improves the acoustic environment, and in most cases, it’s on show. The products Resonics specifies most often strike a balance between proven performance and considered design.

Acoustic furniture

Acoustic furniture has grown significantly as a product category, with manufacturers offering everything from phone booths to soft seating with integrated absorption. In isolation, most furniture provides minimal measurable acoustic benefit. Paired with a properly treated ceiling, however, it can reinforce acoustic separation between zones and help create semi-private working areas.

Acoustic screens and desk screens

Screens interrupt the direct path of speech between workstations. They need to sit above mouth height to be effective. Well-specified screens provide localised speech reduction, visual privacy and sound attenuation between neighbouring desks. Like furniture, they work as part of a wider strategy, not as a substitute for absorption.

Sound masking

Sound masking introduces a controlled, unobtrusive background noise that reduces speech intelligibility across a space. When properly designed and calibrated, as with systems from Soft dB, which adapt to real-time ambient conditions, it’s a genuinely effective complement to an acoustic treatment programme. Our surveying team can advise on whether sound masking is appropriate for your space and specify the right system.

As a guide, open-plan spaces should typically sit at 0.5-0.8 seconds reverberation time depending on the activity it supports. For a full breakdown, see our ultimate guide to office acoustics.

The most reliable way to understand whether your office meets the requirements of BS ISO 22955:2021 is an acoustic survey. At Resonics, our surveys include on-site measurement, reverberation analysis and a full treatment specification with CAD layout. This means you know exactly what’s needed, where and at what coverage, before any products are specified or installed.

If you’re working towards WELL or BREEAM certification, acoustic performance also counts towards both schemes.

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