Worked Example: Hospital Ward — BS 8233 Patient Recovery
RT60 calculation for a 4-bed hospital ward under BS 8233:2014. Vinyl flooring is essential for infection control, so the ceiling and wall treatment must compensate to achieve the target supporting patient rest and recovery.
A 129.6 m³ hospital ward designed to BS-8233 requires RT60 ≤ 1s. With Rockfon Sonar 25mm on the ceiling and Fabric-wrapped panel 50mm on walls, the calculated RT60 is 0.33s — PASS.
Room Setup
Total surface area: 181.2 m². Calculation method: Sabine equation (ISO 3382-2:2008 Annex A).
Surface Materials
| Surface | Material | Area (m²) | NRC |
|---|---|---|---|
| ceiling | Rockfon Sonar 25mm | 48.0 | 0.85 |
| walls-main | Painted plaster | 55.8 | 0.04 |
| walls-treatment | Fabric-wrapped panel 50mm | 19.8 | 0.80 |
| floor | Vinyl/linoleum floor | 48.0 | 0.03 |
| windows | Double glazing 6mm | 6.0 | 0.04 |
| door | Solid timber door | 3.6 | 0.08 |
Absorption coefficients sourced from manufacturer datasheets and ISO 354 test reports. Browse the full acoustic materials database.
Step-by-Step Calculation
- 1
Room Volume
V = L × W × H = 8 × 6 × 2.7 = 129.6 m³
- 2
Total Surface Area
Stotal = 48.0 + 55.8 + 19.8 + 48.0 + 6.0 + 3.6 = 181.2 m²
- 3
Absorption per Surface at 500 Hz
ceiling: 48.0 m² × 0.82 = 39.36 Sabins
walls-main: 55.8 m² × 0.04 = 2.23 Sabins
walls-treatment: 19.8 m² × 0.78 = 15.44 Sabins
floor: 48.0 m² × 0.03 = 1.44 Sabins
windows: 6.0 m² × 0.04 = 0.24 Sabins
door: 3.6 m² × 0.08 = 0.29 Sabins
- 4
Total Absorption at 500 Hz
Atotal = 39.36 + 2.23 + 15.44 + 1.44 + 0.24 + 0.29 = 59.00 Sabins
- 5
Sabine RT60 at 500 Hz
RT60 = 0.161 × V / A = 0.161 × 129.6 / 59.00 = 0.35s
- 6
Compare to Target
Mid-frequency RT60 (avg of 500, 1k, 2k Hz) = 0.33s. Target: ≤ 1s per BS-8233. Verdict: PASS
Octave Band Results
| Frequency | 125Hz | 250Hz | 500Hz | 1kHz | 2kHz | 4kHz |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Total Absorption (Sabins) | 20.3 | 46.3 | 59.0 | 66.2 | 65.2 | 63.2 |
| RT60 (s) | 1.03 | 0.45 | 0.35 | 0.32 | 0.32 | 0.33 |
| Target (s) | — | — | 1.00 | 1.00 | 1.00 | — |
| Verdict | — | — | PASS | PASS | PASS | — |
Compliance Verdict
Reference: BS 8233:2014 Table 4; HTM 08-01
Hospital wards require RT60 ≤ 1.0s under BS 8233. Infection control mandates vinyl flooring and washable wall surfaces, restricting absorption to ceiling and upper wall areas. HTM 08-01 provides supplementary healthcare acoustic guidance.
STI result: 0.72 (per IEC 60268-16:2020)
Cost Estimate
Costs are indicative and vary by region, supplier, and installation complexity. For a detailed cost breakdown, use the AcousPlan calculator.
Open the AcousPlan calculator pre-loaded with the exact room dimensions (8m × 6m × 2.7m) and RT60 target (1s).
Open CalculatorField Story
Night-time noise levels in a UK hospital ward consistently exceed World Health Organisation guidelines, disrupting patient sleep and slowing recovery. Research shows that patients in noisy wards require 20% longer hospital stays on average. The ward's hard plaster ceiling and vinyl floor create an RT60 of 1.4 seconds, amplifying every equipment alarm, footstep, and conversation. The NHS trust funds an acoustic retrofit: Rockfon Sonar ceiling tiles rated for healthcare cleanroom environments and washable fabric panels above bed height on the walls between patient bays. Post-installation monitoring shows a 6 dB reduction in peak noise levels and measurably improved patient satisfaction scores.
Frequently Asked Questions
What RT60 does a Hospital Ward — BS 8233 Patient Recovery achieve?
With the specified materials and dimensions (8m x 6m x 2.7m, volume 129.6m3), the calculated mid-frequency RT60 is 0.33s using the Sabine equation. The target under BS-8233 is 1s or less. The result is a PASS.
What materials are used in this healthcare acoustic example?
This example uses Rockfon Sonar 25mm on the ceiling (NRC 0.85), Painted plaster on the walls-main (NRC 0.04), Fabric-wrapped panel 50mm on the walls-treatment (NRC 0.8), Vinyl/linoleum floor on the floor (NRC 0.03), Double glazing 6mm on the windows (NRC 0.04), Solid timber door on the door (NRC 0.08). The total absorption at 500 Hz is 59.0 Sabins.
How much does acoustic treatment cost for this room?
The estimated treatment cost is £3,526 for 68 m2 of absorptive material at approximately £52/m2. Actual costs vary by region, supplier, and installation complexity.
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All calculations are advisory and based on the Sabine equation (ISO 3382-2:2008 Annex A). Results require professional verification for compliance submissions. Absorption coefficients are sourced from manufacturer datasheets and ISO 354 test reports.