Software tools available from the Department of Acoustics

The software tools from the Department of Acoustics help users, for example, calculate reverberation times in rectangular rooms (reverberate), assess the acoustic situation in work environments (Acoustics Check) or evaluate employee satisfaction in terms of office acoustics (Acoustics Survey). In addition, these tools can be useful when considering individual business cases on the subject of home offices (Home Office Calculator), optimizing the lighting situation in an office or calculating the potential savings achievable through acoustic measures (Monetization Calculator).

Do you want to optimize the acoustics in your music rooms, sports halls, classrooms, offices or living rooms quickly, easily and according to the respective requirements? Then “reverberate” is what you need. The online-based software developed by the Working Group “Room Acoustics” enables you to calculate the reverberation time in rectangular rooms with non-uniform absorber distribution based on a new calculation method by Zhou et al. (2021). For this purpose, the geometry of a rectangular space can be entered, and the required values can be selected from DIN 18041, among others. All room surfaces can be divided into sections and covered with different absorbent and scattering materials.

Further information about the online tool can be found in the short message “reverberate - New software for calculating reverberation times”, in our reverberate flyer or directly at www.reverberate.de

Are you dissatisfied with the acoustics in your working environment? Our researchers have developed a tool for assessing the acoustic situation in work environments - the Office Acoustics Check. This is a quick and uncomplicated test in which acoustic measurements are made via the microphone of a standard device (laptop, smartphone) in order to identify a disturbance caused by impulsive sound (primarily speech). Not only the noise level, but also the quality of the acoustics at the workplace are recorded. Users thus learn how to evaluate the acoustic quality of their workplace with regard to concentration problems and long-term health. Measurement results are classified qualitatively on the basis of extensive data sets from listening tests.

Click here to go directly to the online tool: www.akustik-check.de

The acoustics in offices are crucial to the concentration levels and performance of employees. “Low-frequency noise” is one of the reasons why psychological stress in offices is on the increase. With our newly-developed survey tools, we help you identify acoustics problems in the office quickly and easily. Start a survey with your employees on the acoustic situation of their working environment - professionally and free of charge.

Click here to go directly to the online tool: www.akustik-befragung.de

How much money do employers save by offering home office options? When discussing hybrid working models, costs are always taken into consideration. To obtain measurable and comprehensible key financial figures, our Office Initiative researchers together with Home Office Total GmbH have developed the Home Office Calculator. This asks questions about company-specific factors that can be translated into costs. By inquiring about expected changes, an annual savings potential can be determined, which, with value creation in mind, can be invested in equipment and in making employees’ home office workplaces more professional. This turns a singular cost discussion into a consideration of costs from all aspects, with the result that money can be meaningfully invested in the health and productivity of employees. For employees, there is also the option of calculating time and CO₂ savings by reducing commuting times.

Click here to go directly to the online tool: www.homeoffice-rechner.de

You don't want to leave your employees in the dark, but do you still want to save energy? The Fraunhofer IBP Lighting Tool can help. The tool enables you to check how you can optimize the lighting in your office in a people-oriented yet energy-efficient way. To do this, you first have to describe the current lighting conditions in your offices in addition to company-specific factors. You are then shown improvement options and practical recommendations for action. This is followed by a classification into standards and requirements as well as a reference to scientific studies in the relevant field.

Click here to go directly to the online tool: www.beleuchtungstool.de

People who feel comfortable at their workplace are not only less likely to become ill due to work-related illnesses but are also usually much more productive. Among other things, it therefore makes sense for employers to strive to prevent or counteract acoustic disturbances. But how much money can be saved through acoustic measures? To answer this question, the Office Initiative has developed the Fraunhofer IBP Monetization Calculator. With the online tool, you can calculate how quickly an investment in acoustic measures pays for itself as a result of improved employee performance. This is evident by the decrease in the number of days of sick leave and in acoustic disturbances based on several scientific studies.

Click here to go directly to the online tool: www.monetarisierungsrechner.ibp.fraunhofer.de