SUPPORTED BY ROOM

Propmodo Technology

By Franco Faraudo · May 8, 2024

Greetings!

This week’s email is supported by ROOM. Explore how innovative flex office providers like Industrious and The Malin have embarked on a mission to redefine the workplace experience, employing ROOM’s innovative modular architecture.

Hybrid work models often concentrate employees in the office on certain days, leading to increased noise from collaboration, lounge areas, and constant Zoom calls. Noise-canceling headphones aren't the only way to solve this problem. In today’s email we are looking a innovations in soundproofing solutions – from traditional panels to cutting-edge materials to strike a balance within the hybrid model and create a more inviting workspace.

Be sure to check out our other flex space tech articles. Plug-and-play solutions like modular phone booths and meeting rooms offer adaptability to changing work needs. Large office owners are embracing tech-enabled flex spaces to support hybrid work models. And we'll investigate why an on-demand 'Class Pass' model for office access hasn't gained widespread popularity yet.

Now, let’s go!

The Rise of Hybrid Work Drives Innovation in Office Soundproofing

When it comes to the impact of hybrid work on offices, most of the focus has been on the days when workers are absent. While offices sitting empty on certain days (usually Monday and Friday) create challenges, it isn't the only issue posed by hybrid work schedules. Concentrating everyone in the office on the same days, generally at the same time, can lead to overcrowding and a significantly noisier environment. Increased lounge seating, informal meetings, and non-stop Zoom calls all contribute to a more disruptive hybrid office.

Office designers have tried to mitigate noise through design solutions, but the burden often falls on employees to use noise-canceling headphones. But, recent reports raise concerns about the potential dangers of these headphones, including tinnitus. David McAlpine, academic director of Macquarie University Hearing in Australia, explains, 'If you stop putting sound into your ears... your brain overcompensates by turning up its internal gain.'"

Phone booths offer a more flexible solution for calls and meetings compared to private offices. But, large collaborative spaces remain essential for many offices – a major reason for being there in the first place. Plus, research suggests complete silence isn't always optimal for productivity. A JLL study found some workers struggle in overly quiet environments, with some offices even using soundscapes and white noise to create a background level of sound.

Offices are turning to innovative soundproofing solutions to combat excessive noise levels. An entire industry dedicated to acoustic materials has emerged, with the global acoustic panel market projected to surge from $11.7 billion in 2022 to over $21.9 billion by 2032. Even Starbucks recognizes the trend, investing in noise reduction by installing acoustic dampening baffles or foams in the ceilings of all new U.S. locations and over 1,000 existing stores.

Cutting-edge technology offers exciting new possibilities for quieter offices. MIT researchers have developed a revolutionary fabric that actively cancels out noise. This incredibly thin fabric contains a specialized fiber that vibrates when a voltage is applied. By precisely controlling these vibrations, the fabric emits sound waves that counteract and effectively 'erase' unwanted ambient noise. Scientists have already demonstrated impressive results, achieving up to 70% sound reduction with this innovative material.

Offices are increasingly hubs for collaboration, and with collaboration comes a natural increase in noise. Instead of shunning the office or relying solely on noise-canceling headphones, office designers and facilities managers should invest in noise-isolating and dampening technologies. While a busy office is inherently noisy, we can significantly reduce the negative impact of that noise, potentially encouraging employees to return to the office more frequently.

PRESENTED BY ROOM
Adaptive Architecture Is the New Buzzword in Flex Office Design

The call to return to the office continues to sound, but that 'office' looks different. It is no longer just a corporate hub in a major city; it is a flex office provider, a third workspace, or even a coffee shop with WiFi. Explore how innovative flex office providers like Industrious and The Malin have embarked on a mission to redefine the workplace experience, employing innovative modular architecture that’s scalable and sustainable, creating environments that inspire both productivity and collaboration.

Featured Articles

Bytes

⛺️ Decamped: Storable, a supplier of various products and services for the self-storage industry, has acquired Newbook, a provider of property-management software for the hospitality industry, including RV parks and campgrounds.

🤖 Power hungry: JLL CEO Christian Ulbrich said demand is soaring for data centers as corporate America embraces AI, creating a rare bright spot in a commercial property market faced with rising office vacancies.

More Propmodo Technology

Propmodo Technology is edited by Franco Faraudo with contributions from readers like you and the Propmodo team.

📧 Forward it to a friend and suggest they check it out.

🔗 Share a link to this post on social media.

🗣 Have ideas for future topics (or just want to say hello)? Share your feedback and tips at [email protected] or connect with us on X through @propmodo.

✅ Not subscribed yet? Sign up for this newsletter here.

📣 Want to share your marketing message with over 65,000 commercial real estate professionals? Email [email protected] to learn how to sponsor this newsletter.

📫️ Please add our newsletter email, [email protected], to your contacts to make sure you don’t miss any updates.