Client Case Study: Acoustic Upgrade Project at an International School in Guangzhou

—Creating a Quieter Growing Space for the Next Generation

Project Background
In 2020, a renowned international school in Guangzhou launched a comprehensive upgrade plan for its campus environment. Founded in 2005, the school has nearly 1,500 students from over 30 countries and regions, covering all levels from kindergarten to high school, and is a highly influential international education institution in South China.

The school adheres to the philosophy of "holistic education," focusing not only on students' academic achievements but also on their physical and mental well-being and campus experience. In recent years, campus environmental assessments revealed that with the increase in student numbers and the diversification of teaching methods, the campus acoustic environment is facing increasingly severe challenges.

The school decided to upgrade the acoustics of key areas such as the teaching buildings, library, and music classrooms to create a quieter, more focused, and healthier learning environment for teachers and students. After multiple rounds of evaluation and on-site visits, they ultimately chose us—a professional polyester fiber sound-absorbing panel manufacturer based in Guangdong—as their partner for this acoustic renovation project.

Challenges: Multiple Acoustic Issues in Diverse Spaces
International school campuses have complex functions, with different spaces having drastically different acoustic requirements. Our technical team, in collaboration with the school and design teams, identified the following core issues:

**Classroom Corridors and Public Areas:** The school uses an open corridor design connecting all classrooms. While this design facilitates student activities and interaction during breaks, it also creates significant noise problems—during breaks, children's laughter and running echo repeatedly in the corridors, creating a continuous, noisy background. More problematic is that this noise can penetrate classrooms through doors and windows, severely disrupting teaching.

A middle school teacher commented: "Sometimes the discussions in the next class and the footsteps in the corridor are louder than the students in my own class. Students' attention is easily distracted, and I need to raise my voice to teach, leaving my voice very tired after a class."

**Music Classrooms and Rehearsal Halls:** As an international school specializing in arts education, it boasts multiple music classrooms, band rehearsal halls, and choir rooms. However, these spaces were not adequately designed with acoustic requirements in mind—the walls are mostly made of hard materials, and the floors are tiled, resulting in severe sound reflection.

During instrumental lessons and choir rehearsals, the excessive reverberation time makes the music muddy and unclear, making it difficult for students to accurately judge their own performance. The sound of piano lessons and drum practice also travels through the walls to adjacent classrooms, creating cross-spatial interference.

Library and Learning Center
The library, which should be the quietest place on campus, suffers from an open design and high ceilings, amplifying even the slightest sounds of turning pages or footsteps. Even when students are engrossed in reading, the ambient noise level remains around 40-45 decibels, slightly higher than the ideal reading environment (30-35 decibels).

More concerning is the small group discussion area in one corner of the library, where students can converse quietly. However, due to the lack of effective acoustic zoning, the discussion noise often disturbs students in the main reading area, creating a functional conflict.

Dining Hall and Multi-purpose Hall
The school's dining hall serves multiple functions, including assemblies and events. During peak lunch hours, nearly a thousand students eat in the cafeteria simultaneously, creating a noisy environment with ambient noise levels reaching 75-80 decibels, approaching the levels of a busy street. This not only affects the dining experience for teachers and students but also makes it difficult to use the cafeteria as an activity space during non-meal times.

Solution: Zonal Customization, Precise Implementation Faced with the complex needs of diverse spaces, our technical team conducted multiple rounds of in-depth communication with the school and architectural design team, ultimately developing a "zonal customization, precise implementation" acoustic solution.

Teaching Building Corridor: Grille Sound-Absorbing Panels Create a Sense of Order To address the noise problem in the teaching building corridors, we installed dark gray grille sound-absorbing panels on parts of the corridor ceiling and walls. The vertical lines of the grilles visually echo the longitudinal space of the corridor, being both aesthetically pleasing and effectively absorbing sound energy.

Technical Highlights:

12mm thick grille panels with 15mm slot spacing were selected to balance sound absorption and design.

A set of grille sound-absorbing modules was installed every 3 meters on the ceiling to create a rhythmic acoustic treatment.

Partial wall installations were also implemented, with the height controlled below 1.2 meters to match the students' height range, effectively absorbing noise from recess activities.

After installation, actual measurements showed that the reverberation time in the corridor decreased from 2.1 seconds to 1.2 seconds, the noise propagation range during peak recess periods was significantly reduced, and the level of interference in the classrooms was greatly reduced.

Music Classroom: Professional Acoustic Solution
The music classroom was the focus of this renovation and also the area that most tested professional capabilities. We offer differentiated solutions for different types of music spaces:

Band Rehearsal Room:

Walls are constructed using a combination of 18mm thick polyester fiber acoustic panels and grille acoustic panels.

The grille panels achieve separate control of mid-high and low frequencies by adjusting the slot spacing (15mm on the front, 8mm on the sides) and the rear cavity design (50mm).

Low-frequency traps (made of high-density polyester fiberboard) are installed in the corners to enhance low-frequency absorption.

Piano/Vocal Classroom:

Walls are fully covered with 12mm polyester fiber acoustic panels, providing balanced basic sound absorption.

Sculpted acoustic panels with abstract sound wave patterns are added at sound reflection points (behind the piano, opposite the teacher's position), combining functionality and aesthetics.

Choir Room:

The ceiling uses a grille acoustic panel suspension system, with adjustable angle and height for flexible acoustic control.

Partial installation of Eco-friendly acoustic panels on the walls. Fiber natural fiber sound-absorbing panels (made from coconut fiber) enrich the warmth of the sound.

After the renovation, the reverberation time in the band rehearsal room decreased from 2.5 seconds to an ideal 1.2 seconds (suitable for ensemble practice), and the sound clarity in the piano classroom significantly improved. Music teachers exclaimed, "We can finally hear the details of every note clearly!"

Library: Invisible Acoustics, Zonal Control
The acoustic design principle of the library is "invisible treatment"—solving acoustic problems without compromising the library's purity and aesthetic design.

Main Reading Area:

The ceiling uses white polyester fiber acoustic panels, matching the original ceiling color, forming an "invisible" sound-absorbing layer.

The panels are 9mm thick, lightweight, and do not affect the original structure.

Matching-colored grid acoustic panels are embedded in the walls between the bookshelves, echoing the bookshelf lines.

Group Discussion Area:

Suspended acoustic modules are installed in the ceiling, creating a visual zoning effect.

The partition uses double-sided polyester fiber acoustic panels, effectively blocking discussion noise from spreading to the main reading area.

A carpet matching the acoustic panels is laid on the floor to further absorb footsteps and low-frequency noise.

Post-renovation measurements show that the ambient noise in the main reading area has been reduced to 32-35 decibels, and the sound from the group discussion area has virtually no impact on the main reading area, achieving ideal acoustic zoning.

Cafeteria and Multi-functional Hall: Three-Dimensional Treatment of Ceiling, Floor, and Walls

The cafeteria presented the most complex acoustic challenges, requiring a comprehensive, three-dimensional solution:

Ceiling:

Large-area installation of grille-style sound-absorbing panels with a 20mm grille spacing ensures sufficient sound absorption area.

The grille panels are made of dark wood to blend seamlessly with the cafeteria's warm-toned decor.

Walls:

1.2-meter-high wainscoting-style sound-absorbing panels, made of wear-resistant and stain-resistant polyester fiber, were installed on the walls of the dining area.

Carved sound-absorbing panels with abstract food elements were installed on the walls above the food serving area to add visual interest.

Partial Partitions:

Movable sound-absorbing partitions were installed between tables, which can be flexibly adjusted according to the number of diners, providing both visual and acoustic zoning.

After the renovation, the average noise level during peak lunch hours dropped from 78 decibels to 65 decibels. While still moderately lively, it is no longer uncomfortably noisy. The acoustic performance of the cafeteria also significantly improved when used as an activity space during non-dining hours.

Student and Teacher Feedback

Teacher Feedback:

"Now I don't need to shout in class anymore. A normal volume is enough for the whole class to hear me clearly, and my throat feels much better after a long day." — Elementary School Chinese Teacher

"The band rehearsals have improved significantly. Students can hear each other clearly, and their ensemble coordination is much better than before." — Head of Music Department

Student Feedback:

"The library is so quiet now. I can concentrate on reading for a long time without being disturbed." — Eighth Grade Student

"The cafeteria isn't as noisy anymore. I can eat and chat normally with friends without having to shout in their ears." — Eleventh Grade Student

School Evaluation: School Facilities The department head stated, “This acoustic renovation exceeded our expectations. It wasn't just about improved data, but more importantly, a tangible improvement in the experience for teachers and students. Special thanks to the local Guangdong team for their full cooperation, from initial measurements and design to construction and installation; their response was swift and their professionalism meticulous. As an international school, we have hosted many overseas inspection teams, who have also praised the improved acoustic environment.”

Special Significance of the Project
This project holds special significance for us:

Acoustic Value of Educational Spaces: Children spend nearly 8 hours a day on campus, and the acoustic environment directly impacts their learning efficiency, physical and mental health, and overall growth experience. We are deeply honored to create a better growth space for the next generation.

Efficiency Advantage of Local Service: As a local Guangdong company, we completed the design from receiving the request in just 5 days, and the construction and full acceptance in just 28 days. This efficient response is a localized advantage that international brands cannot match.

Validation of Solutions for Diverse Spaces: This project covers nearly 10 functional spaces, including classrooms, corridors, music rooms, libraries, and cafeterias, providing a comprehensive test of our product line and acoustic design capabilities. The project's success validates our comprehensive capabilities in handling complex scenarios.

Conclusion: Education is a process of patiently waiting for flowers to bloom. A quiet environment is essential soil for the healthy growth of these flowers.

This case study of an international school in Guangzhou has given us a deeper understanding of the significance of acoustic environments for the growth of the next generation. As an acoustic materials manufacturer rooted in Guangdong, we will continue to provide professional products and efficient localized services to create quieter, more focused, and healthier learning spaces for more schools and more children.

If you are also concerned about the acoustic environment of your school or are looking for solutions to your school's acoustic problems, please contact us. Let's work together to create a better learning environment for the next generation.