ACOUSTICAL GUIDE -GLOSSARY

Which is better, increasing mass, air space thickness for improving the Transmission Loss (TL) of windows?
In the case of monolithic glass 1/4" or thicker, the first most cost-effective step is usuany to add a damping inter1ayer and then incr ease glass thickness.
Hov1ever, the cost of glass thicknesses over 1/2" rapidly becomes prohibitive, in which case the use of double or insulating glass configurations may be
more feasible.

What is the difference between quiet and privacy? (It's so quiet that it's noisy!)
The generaJ pl.lbi c, understandably, finds it's very confusing the difference between "qujef' and "'privacy"'. This is largely because when "quiet" is pursued,
by reducing background sound levels. For example: Sound levels produ ced by building HVAC svstems. Soeech between oersons in an adiacent space
transmitted through a demising wall often become s aucfb&e thus diminishing the "ouiet" attribute souaht In this case, elim inating the intrusion o f back-
ground sound resuHs in the intrusion of unwant ed speech.

This is easiy e xplained by viewilg this problem as a signal-to-noise issue. The higher the speech signal transmitted from an adjacent room relative to the
background noise, the better the speech iltelfigibllity. Good speech intelligibility means poor speech privacy; conversely, poor speech intelltgibiity mean s
good speech privacy. "Speech privacy" and "speech inteliglbility"' are opposites. Therefore, achieving "quiet" must take into consideration both sound level
and speech privacy.

To achieve "quier requires redu cing both background sound and intrusive speedl level. Typically this would ilvof've methods tor redu cing background
sound levels in rooms, plus methods tor increasing the TL of walls to reduce transmitted speedl sounds between rooms.

The above considerations when accompanied by attention to w indow frames, to ensure that windows are properly constructed to minimize air leakage,
also to ensure that the frame components are heavy, and th at frame voids are kept small or packed with dense loose fill.

ACOUSTICAL GUIDE -SOUND TRANSMISSION LOSS DATA

Arcadia Window Systems
Arcadia projected windows are available glazed with a variety of glass 70
configurations. These include 1" insulating glass (1/4" glass - 1/2" air space
- 114• glass) with an STC rating of 34. When 1• double laminated insula1ing
-
glass (1/4" laminated glass - 1/2" air space- 114• laminated glass) is used 60
instead, the S TC rating increases to 38. The four-point increase in STC
rating is the resuH of dampilg provided by the PVB intedayer used in the - STC38

l~-~
laminated glass.

Figure 3.6a presents one-third octave band sound transmission loss da ta for
the Arcadia p rojected windows glazed with these two glass configurations.
The sound transmission loss data show that damping has its greatest benefit
L
r;---, / C34

~\ ,_,;'
in the mid- and high- frequency ranges.
-
Similarly, the A rcadia TSOO curtain wall system exhibits similar improvements
in sound transmission k>ss resuiOOg from the use of laminated glass.
~~
\ IJ
70 \..!.
'it
-
60 10
STC37
-
y
0

/J~32
I I I I I I I I I I I I I I
63 125 250 500 1,000 2,000 4,000 8,000
....-.... frequency (Hz)

~ ""\v
Figure J.6a. Areacta proje&.ed w1noow glazed
\llutl1 " mncwo ln&Uiatfrlg glass and 1"'
·, OOI.Ible 1am1nateG ln5lfa!lng gJa&&.

~;;-< ~:;
x-
Figure 3.6b compares one-third octave sound transmiission loss da ta for the
TSOO curtain wall system glazed with 1• standard insulating glass and with 1•

-
v double laminated insulating glass.

Arcadia storefront framing systems also exhibit similar improvements in

10 sound transmission loss resutting from the use of laminated glass. A test o f a
Arcadia storefront framing glazed with 1" standard insulating glass indicates
an STC rating of 33. When 1• double laminated insulaOOg
glass is used instead, the STC rating improves to 38.
0 I I I I I I I I I I I I I I
63 125 250 500 1,000 2.000 4.000 8.000
frequency (Hz)

F~re J .6D Atcaala TS(IO ct.Wtaln wan t.)l;:em gtaze<J

\llutl 1" 61an<Wd ln&Uiattn9 91as5 and 1" CIOUtlle
lamlna leelln611a'tlng gla&fo.
ACOUSTICAL GUIDE -PRINCIPLES OF ACOUSTICS
Acoustical Storm Sash
Acoustical storm sash requires thicker glass, often laminated glass. It must be weUsealed and must be generously spaced away from the prime window
glass. These i nstaJiation requirements are usually more easily satisfied inside the prime window, hence the term interior acoustical storm sash.

Many of the features tor improving glass sound isolation discussed in this section are also true tor acoustical storm sash. For example, the greater the
storm sash gl-ass surface weight, the higher the insertion loss. Sinilarty, the greater the distance between the prime wildow glass and the storm sash
glass, the higher the insertion loss. In addition, the use of laminated glass il acoustical storm sash further increases insertion loss, particularly at
critical frequ..,cy (2,500 Hz for 1/4' glass).

ACOUSTICAL GUIDE -SOUND TRANSMISSION LOSS DATA

mcreases in TL of Awning, Single Glazed Prime Windows Produced by Acoustical Storm Sash

" -II
·-lli:i
Figure 3.3a
m
/'r- ,Je.
Aluminum 10
\. "'i..
~
I
l: ;;;;.i-1 j
-
~
vmn
1 14"1Mn~

_,
tll.$lbf ll,l)fm S$(1\ I.. ~/
(J llblmas.o.
~
,,
II
IF
•
o ne-third octave band fre quency (Hz)
31.$ $) ~

- ...
:M0 .!(!) !.O:IU.ca,._t!OO&OOO'IIU:otl

1 UU11 ~ l ~U, I I I I 1 :'111 n~~lll l ':i iJ IJ f-. 'U HIIII l 1111111 1 :'1111 f.llll !. 111111 !. :'IIIII <( ]:'ill~ l illll 5 l ll l ll "'iTI
Prime W 1n doo,o; 22 17 20 20 21 22 24 27 27 29 30 32 33 34 34 31 25 27 29
1. 5" AS zz 18 20 20 29 28 35 39 43 46 49 52 52 52 54 56 53 54 39
3 .o·· AS 22 19 23 23 30 31 36 4 1 45 48 49 52 51 49 4'9 45 43 46 40

mcreases in TL of Awning, Double Glazed Prime Windows Produced by Acoustical Storm Sash

Aluminum ~~
j f?
r :><
'*~ #

~-t.~~- ~ ~
~ / \ ,!,.
~~ ~ "
~
1"
"
0 " ... '""
,;; oo ~Iala kO~ .
o ne-t hird octavo band f requency (Hz)

lC10 1 1 5 t of.,J 2(l(l 2 50~15~00 5 Dn ~~O SOOt 000 t 1 50 t ~00 2 000 2 500 ~ 1"i0 ~ (]00 5 (l(l (l 'ST-.
Dl'imo V/ in do10 27 22 2.::1 23 2 4 23 20 2 4 27 30 33 36 39 41 39 36 31 34 29
1. 5 " AS 2b 21 26 2 7 33 33 3 7 3:S 4 3 4~ 4B 51 51 51 52 54 54 54 .::t'J
3 . 0 " AS 2 9 23 2929 3 4 37 37 4 3 " "' 4 8 52 55 55 54 54 53 so so .::15

Fenestration improvements and challenges

Since there ar e no commonly used computer modeling tools available for estimating performance of untested combinations, manufacturers rely on their.
past experience. Due to variations, specifiers should accept existing test reports as proof of compliance to acoustical performance specifications
for previously tested frame/glass combinations, even if results or exact compositions nominalty vary. (One should consult a quai fied acoustical consultant
for acceptance aiteria when necessary.) Manufacturers should make no acoustical performance guarantees relative to future job-specific tesUlg results,
or regarding acoustical performance of untested frame/glass combinations.
WHAT IS STC AND OITC?
STC stands for "Sound Transmission a ass: a measure of the extent to which sound is prevented from being transferred from one area to another. The
higher the S TC value. the less that sound can be transferred from one space to another.

OITC stands for "Outdoor /hdoor Transmission O ass: a rating system developed in ASTM E -1332. was f ormed in the late 1980s to respond to the per-
ceived need for a more robust classification system that addresses more of the low frequency incident sounds. OJTC measures the ability of a product to
reduce the overall noise of ground and air transportation.
....
no. - - - - - - - - - - - - - -.......

.. no.._,.llAHGEII ZOE
..,___.,._
."'... -
I ....,. I l
.... )' I j1
---r dt f
STC Value
SFl-Sc:uxl ~~~ ~

Ratmg
EXCELLENT
Oescnpt10n
....
.. •

Loud speech heard faintly or not at an

- -- _
I ~ I'
I I I l iI-i I
.H J J i.....
j!

50-60
40-49 VERY GOOD Loud speech heard faintly, but not understood
35-39 GOOD Loud speech heard but hardly intelligible
30-34 FAIR Loud speech heard and understood fairly weU
25-29 POOR Normal speech heard and understood easity and disOOctty
20-24 VERY POOR Loud speech aud l>le

G) ARCADIA ACOUSTIC PRODUCTS

AG451T STC SERES AG451 STC SERIES AFG451 STC SERIES TC470 STC SERES TC570 STC SERIES

CSJ~ce

TC470 STC

TC570 STC 1"

"A.S (Air Space}

9 100 STC SERIES

0 ARCADIA ACOUSTIC PRODUCTS
T237 STC 80 STC
PROJECTED SERIES CV200STC 52 STCHUNG SUDER SERIES
200STC PROJECTED SERIES SERIES 77STC

SERIES OITC
n
WINDOWS
8
GLASS MAKE UP (Outboard) (A" Space) (Inboard)
GLASS SIZE STC
200 STC Projected
-
1 1/8 40 32 318 ( 030 181111) 1/2" A S 1/4
1-1/2" 43 32 318" 1.030 lami\ 314" *AS 5116" .030 lami\
1-1/2" 41 33 1/2" (.030 lami) 314" *AS 1/4"
T237 STC Projec ted
1-1/2"Wann Edge 43 34 1/2" (.030 lami) 314" *AS 1/4"
34 28 1/4" 112" *AS 1/4"
T200 STC P rojected 1" 36 30 1/4" (.030 lami) 112" *AS 1/4"
38 31 1/4" 1.030 lami 112" *AS 1/4" .030 lami\
CV200 STC Pro jected 1" 34 27 1/4" 112" *AS 1/4"
52 STC Hung 1" 37 30 1/4" (.030 lami) 112" *AS 1/4" (.030 lami)
n STC Fixed 1/2"taminated 52 - 112" lami 4-318" *A.S 1/4"
80 STC Slide< 1"1arnilated 39 - 1/4" (.030 lami) 112" *AS 1/4" (.030 lami)

OPG31075 STC SERIES

OPG6000 STC SERIES OPG19n5 STC SERI ES

OPG3000 STC SERIES

1-1/2" 51 42 1/4" 1/2" (.090 lami)

Cle&I!Jl.