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Coworking & Flexible Workspaces Acoustic Design Guide

Coworking spaces present unique acoustic challenges because diverse tenants with different noise tolerances share open environments. Phone pods, event spaces, quiet zones, and social areas must coexis...

WELL v2 Feature 74BS 8233:2014LEED v4.1 EQ CreditISO 3382-3:2012

Key Challenge

Providing acoustic privacy between diverse tenants who may be conducting confidential video calls ad...

Typical Budget

1.0–2.0% of fit-out cost

Primary Standard

WELL v2 Feature 74

Room-by-Room Requirements

Acoustic targets for each room type within coworking & flexible workspaces buildings.

RoomRT60 TargetKey Metric
Hot Desk ArearD < 5 mLp,A,S,4m ≤48 dBDetails →
Phone Pod≤0.3sDw ≥30 dBDetails →
Event Space≤0.8sSTC 45+ to officeDetails →
Quiet Zone≤0.5sNR 30Details →
Café Area≤1.0sLAeq ≤65 dBDetails →

Applicable Standards

The following standards govern acoustic performance for coworking & flexible workspaces buildings.

1.

WELL v2 Feature 74

2.

BS 8233:2014

3.

LEED v4.1 EQ Credit

4.

ISO 3382-3:2012

Green Certifications

Voluntary certifications that include acoustic performance credits for coworking & flexible workspaces projects.

WELL v2 Sound

Fitwel

LEED v4.1 EQ

BREEAM In-Use

Frequently Asked Questions: Coworking & Flexible Workspaces

How do you achieve speech privacy in a coworking space?▾
Speech privacy in coworking requires a three-pronged approach: absorptive ceilings and furnishings to reduce reflected speech energy (ABC), barriers such as screens and booths to block direct paths (Block), and calibrated sound masking at 42–45 dBA to raise the noise floor and reduce intelligibility (Cover). WELL v2 Feature 74 provides specific metrics for each element.
What acoustic specifications should phone pods meet?▾
Phone pods should achieve a weighted sound reduction of Dw ≥30 dB, internal RT60 ≤0.3 seconds, and adequate ventilation without fan noise exceeding NR 30. Pods should be tested to ISO 23351-1 for speech level reduction. Many commercial pods achieve only Dw 20–25 dB, which provides insufficient privacy in open-plan environments with background noise below 40 dBA.
Is sound masking effective in coworking spaces?▾
Sound masking is highly effective in coworking spaces, raising the background noise floor to 42–45 dBA with a spectrum shaped to mask speech frequencies. This reduces the distraction distance (rD) by 40–60% and dramatically improves speech privacy without being consciously perceived by occupants. The system must be professionally calibrated and zoned to avoid over-masking in quiet zones.
How should coworking acoustic zones be planned?▾
Coworking spaces should be zoned from active to quiet areas, with café and event spaces forming a buffer between the entrance and focused work areas. Quiet zones should be located away from circulation routes and social spaces, separated by STC 40+ partitions or acoustic buffer zones. The acoustic gradient should be visible to members through visual cues such as signage and flooring material changes.

Design Your Coworking & Flexible Workspaces Acoustics

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