Open-Plan Office Acoustics
Create quieter, more productive workspaces
Open-plan office acoustics
Hard, reflective surfaces and minimal partitioning lead to excessive noise levels, negatively impacting productivity and employee well-being.
Studies show that noise in open-plan offices can reduce productivity by up to 66%, affecting focus, morale and overall performance. Designed to foster teamwork and effective communication, these environments can become noisy and disruptive without proper acoustic treatments.
Office Acoustic Solutions
Ceiling Treatment
As the largest surface area, the ceiling is the most important area for acoustic treatments. Covering 50–60% of the ceiling with Class A absorbers significantly reduces noise; additional coverage is recommended for larger or particularly noisy environments.
Wall
Treatment
Wall treatments play an essential role in sound control, particularly in corners where sound waves can reflect, creating disruptive echoes. We recommend Class A or Class B absorbers, depending on your ceiling treatment.
Sound Masking
Sound masking introduces a subtle background sound, similar to gentle airflow, that blends seamlessly into the environment. By doing so, it minimises the intelligibility of speech, making conversations less intrusive.
FREE acoustic services
Our acoustic surveys provide precise analysis of any space — from small meeting rooms to large open-plan environments. Using advanced measurement techniques, our team assesses your acoustic needs and delivers tailored recommendations. Most surveys are completed within 30 minutes to a full day, depending on scale.
Our acoustic design service includes detailed CAD drawings with wall elevation renderings, precise product placements, specifications, and verified performance ratings — all provided with every quotation.
We provide remote acoustic proposals using client drawings and photographs. Each proposal includes accurate product recommendations and detailed quotations for supply and installation, saving time without compromising precision.
We provide complimentary NTI RT60 testing to measure reverberation times and assess acoustic performance before and after treatment. This service ensures precise product specification and demonstrates measurable improvements in clarity and comfort.
We offer complimentary sound masking demonstrations for commercial clients, allowing you to experience the benefits firsthand. Sound masking improves speech privacy, reduces distractions, and enhances workplace productivity.
For projects with complex acoustic requirements, we provide a comprehensive audit package that includes detailed site testing and analysis. This chargeable service is fully credited if Resonics is contracted to deliver the acoustic treatments.
Solving Office Noise
With strategically placed acoustic treatments, workspaces can strike the perfect balance between collaboration and focus.
Our tailored solutions integrate seamlessly with your office design, whether you prefer a subtle approach or a bold, architectural statement. We’ve been trusted by over 2,000 offices across the UK, transforming workspaces into quieter, clearer and more productive environments.
Need expert acoustic advice?
Call us on 020 7858 1030 or request a quote below—we’ll contact you.
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Our work in offices
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From start to finish we handle everything
Consultation
Our acoustic consultants assess your space on-site (or remotely) and provide a detailed proposal. Every consultation includes acoustic design recommendations, product specifications, and reverberation analysis to ensure measurable improvements.
Assessment
We don’t just identify noise issues — we provide solutions that are cost-effective, design-conscious, and performance-led. Whether reducing echo, improving clarity, or addressing speech privacy, our expert guidance ensures the right acoustic fit for your space.
Design & Planning
Every project includes a tailored acoustic design with a free CAD proposal, showing product placement, specifications, and performance ratings. Our designs can blend seamlessly into interiors or become bold architectural features — always balancing form with function.
Supply & Installation
With over 5,000 projects completed nationwide, our in-house installation teams handle even the most complex acoustic projects. We work to strict health and safety standards, with IPAF-certified specialists, SSSTS/SMSTS-trained supervisors, and all installers CSCS accredited.
FAQs & tips for selecting the right acoustic products
- Know your goal: Identify whether you need sound absorption, echo control, or noise containment – this will guide your choice of acoustic panels.
- Treat the ceiling first: In open-plan spaces, covering 50–60% of the ceiling with Class A panels makes the biggest impact.
- Placement is key: Position panels near noise sources or reflective surfaces for the best results.
- Get expert advice: Consulting an acoustic specialist will help you strike the right balance for your space.
- Prioritise placement: Position panels near noise sources or reflective surfaces to maximise sound absorption.
- Know the problem: If sound is transferring between rooms, absorption panels won’t help. A site sound test can pinpoint the issue.
- Consider sound masking: In many cases, it’s an effective solution for controlling sound spill between spaces.
- Get a room assessment: An expert evaluation will ensure the right products are used to create a balanced acoustic environment.
Not usually. While it’s tempting to think “the more panels the better”, effective acoustic design is about strategic placement rather than full coverage. The goal is to control reverberation time and echo — once you reach the optimal level, adding more panels won’t improve performance and can make a room sound “dead”.
Our consultants calculate exactly how much treatment is needed based on room size, materials, and usage. Dependent on the existing room surfaces, often 15–25% of the wall and ceiling surfaces is enough. This allows you to integrate acoustic treatment without compromising aesthetics, using panels as design features, artwork, or ceiling elements.
These terms are often confused, but they do very different jobs.
- Soundproofing means stopping sound from leaving or entering a room. This requires heavy, dense construction methods such as insulated walls, double glazing, and specialist membranes.
- Sound absorption (acoustic treatment) means reducing echo and improving sound quality inside a room. This is what acoustic panels, baffles and rafts achieve — they don’t block sound, they control it.
If you want privacy between rooms, you need soundproofing, or sound masking. If you want better speech clarity and comfort within a room, you need sound absorption. Often the best acoustic designs use a combination of both, depending on the space and its use.
Almost anywhere. We install acoustic solutions in:
- Offices and boardrooms
- Classrooms and lecture halls
- Restaurants and cafés
- Village halls and community centres
- Recording studios and performance spaces
- Homes and residential developments
- Swimming pools
Any space with hard, reflective surfaces can benefit. We’ve delivered over 5,000 installations across the UK and Europe — proving there’s no environment where good acoustics don’t matter.
The number of panels required depends on the size, shape, and materials in the room, as well as the intended use. A small meeting room might need as few as 6–8 wall panels to one wall, while an open-plan office could require dozens of ceiling baffles or rafts. The aim is to reduce the reverberation time to a comfortable level, not to cover every surface.
Walls: Good practise is to apply panelling from skirting to ceiling to 2no. perpendicular walls to reduce flutter echoes.
Ceilings: In accordance with new BS ISO 22955:2021 guidelines, the ceiling is the most important treatment area, and should feature approximately 50-60% Class A coverage in open plan office spaces.
Resonics provides a free acoustic survey and CAD layout to determine exactly how many panels you need and where they should go. This ensures you invest only in what’s necessary to achieve measurable results.
It depends on the type of panel and the space. Wall panels can often be bonded directly with adhesives or mounted using concealed clips, making them relatively straightforward. Where full coverage is needed, panels will require cutting/trimming which is where experience and skill is required. Ceiling rafts and baffles require suspension kits and safe access equipment — meaning professional installation is recommended.
At Resonics, our in-house fitting teams have completed over 5,000 installations, ranging from single-room projects to large corporate offices. All staff carry CSCS cards, and our supervisors are SSSTS/SMSTS certified. We also have IPAF specialists for high-level access. While DIY installation is possible for small projects, professional fitting ensures safety, compliance, and the best acoustic results.
Yes. Acoustic panels are proven to work — they absorb sound energy, reducing echo and controlling reverberation in a room. Without acoustic treatment, sound bounces around hard surfaces such as glass, plaster, concrete, or wood, creating a noisy and tiring environment. Panels are made from sound-absorbent materials that trap and dissipate this energy. The result is speech clarity, calmer background noise levels, and a more productive atmosphere. At Resonics, we only use panels tested in independent acoustic laboratories, ensuring their performance is certified and measurable. With more than 5,000 completed projects across the UK and Europe, we’ve seen first-hand how transformative they can be in offices, schools, restaurants, and community spaces.
Prices vary depending on size, material, and finish, but as a very rough guide:
- Wall panels: from £80–£200 each
- Ceiling rafts: from £150–£400 each
- Baffles: from £60–£120 each
Installation costs are additional and depend on project complexity. The best way to get an accurate price is through our free site survey and quotation.
While acoustic treatment is an investment, it quickly pays back in improved productivity, wellbeing, and customer satisfaction. In offices, better acoustics reduce distractions and boost concentration. In restaurants, they improve ambience and encourage repeat visits.
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