The WOOL Book One | Page 20

The acoustic advantage
Absorbing noise

The Importance of Peace and Quiet�

The acoustic advantage

Let ’ s take a moment to consider the way noise impacts our lives — the draining feeling of exhaustion by the excessive sounds of traffic , people and movement . We live in a noisy world where the buffering of harsh sound is highly important but undervalued . Wool offers levels of insulation from noise that are prized in many industries — even those where noise is fundamental to its existence ; one example is music , which will use wool in pianos and speaker systems .

Absorbing noise

Absorbing escaping noise and vibration and dulling the intrusion of everyday background ‘ white ’ noise is not just a practicality but a sensory necessity . A building insulated with wool benefits from the complex cortex of the fibre , which dulls sound , limiting its transfer through the floor , doors and the walls .
Noticeably , a hard floor will not absorb sound , but enhance it . However , wool carpets and furnishings will absorb it — instantly transforming the personal experience within the space . Wool carpet has a higher pile density and weight than synthetics , and it will dissipate sound waves more effectively .
A hotel or a home will benefit from less room-to room-intrusion , and an apartment block will gain from the prevention of floor-to-floor noise . Even open-plan offices can use wool room dividers to create two sound-friendly spaces out of one .
Did You Know …? Wool carpet is used in aircraft , cinemas , office buildings , casinos , cruise liners and hotels because of its acoustical properties — in particular the ability to reduce airborne sound and isolate impact sound
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