East Doncaster Secondary College

The Challenge

Art rooms are some of the most vibrant spaces in a school—but they can also be the noisiest. At East Doncaster Secondary College, Art Room was a hive of creativity, with students collaborating, moving between activities and working with a variety of tools. Unfortunately, the acoustics of the room were working against the teachers and students. With hard walls, a tall ceiling and minimal soft furnishings, the room had a high reverberation time of 0.89 seconds. For a normal person, a 0.89-second reverberation time means that sound hangs in the air for almost a full second after the source stops — which is a lot in a classroom. Here’s how to imagine it: If you clap your hands, instead of the sound stopping right away, you’d hear it linger and bounce around the room for almost a second. When someone speaks, each word overlaps slightly with the next, making speech less clear — especially for students at the back of the room or anyone with hearing difficulties.I n a busy classroom, all those little echoes stack up, creating a “wash” of background noise that forces everyone to raise their voices to be heard. This meant sounds bounced around long after they were made, making instructions harder to hear, conversations difficult to follow and overall noise levels uncomfortably high. Before contacting SoundFix Acoustics, the school had already tried to solve the problem themselves. They installed off-the-shelf Acoustic Foam Eggshell Style panels, while these products are marketed as “acoustic solutions,” they are often produce no noticeable improvement in echo or noise levels. Speech clarity remained poor and teachers still found themselves raising their voices over the din. It became clear that a professional acoustic assessment and a data-driven solution were required.

The Solution

After a detailed on-site inspection and acoustic testing, SoundFix Acoustics proposed a targeted ceiling treatment using high-performance acoustic panels.

Key features of the solution: Ceiling coverage half of the total area, strategically placed to intercept the main reflection points. High-density core designed for maximum absorption in speech-critical frequencies. Preserve the room’s open feel and natural light while delivering measurable echo reduction.

Why ceiling panels? Out of reach of students. Greater sound energy capture across the room. No interference with art displays or wall-mounted equipment.

This approach was chosen because, unlike thin foam tiles, school-grade acoustic panels provide superior sound absorption, particularly in the 500 Hz – 2 kHz range that’s most important for speech intelligibility.

The Installation

Our installation team worked closely with East Doncaster Secondary College to schedule the works during a non-teaching period, ensuring zero disruption to students and staff. Panels were mounted using a secure and discreet fixing system, ensuring long-term durability even in a high-traffic school environment. The team took precise acoustic measurements before and after installation to confirm results—a key part of our data-driven acoustic solutions approach.

If you’ve tried DIY acoustic fixes with no success, it’s time to take the professional route. At SoundFix Acoustics, we deliver acoustic solutions backed by science, data and years of experience in school acoustics and classroom noise reduction.

Duration: Completed in a single day.

The Outcome:

When it comes to school acoustics, the impact of poor sound control on both student performance and teacher wellbeing is well-documented. Excessive reverberation doesn’t just make a room sound “echoey”—it actively reduces comprehension, increases fatigue, and elevates stress levels.

In creative spaces like art rooms, where collaboration and verbal instruction are constant, controlling noise is even more critical. This project demonstrates that targeted noise solutions—like well-placed ceiling acoustic panels—can transform a loud classroom into a productive, enjoyable learning space without requiring a complete room overhaul.

A loud classroom is more than just a nuisance—it impacts learning outcomes, wellbeing, and teacher retention. Excessive echo forces teachers to speak louder, increasing fatigue and stress. For students, it means missed instructions and reduced focus.

Before-and-After Acoustic Results

Before installation:

• Average Reverberation Time (RT60) = 0.89 seconds

• Echo made group work noisy and tiring for both students and staff.

After installation:

• Average Reverberation Time (RT60) = 0.48 seconds

• That’s a 46% reduction—meaning sound now decays almost twice as fast, allowing voices to be heard clearly without strain.

By addressing noise control professionally, East Doncaster Secondary College has created a healthy learning environment in its art room where students can collaborate without clashing voices and teachers can communicate clearly without shouting.

Ready to solve your noise problem?
Contact SoundFix Acoustics today for a free consultation and discover how the right acoustic ceiling  panels can reduce noise and enhance your school, preschool, or childcare centre.