HSK Ward Office Echo Reduction

The Challenge

Office spaces are often designed for productivity, communication and daily collaboration, but when the acoustics are poor, even ordinary conversations can become distracting. At HSK Ward, both the back office and front office were experiencing significant reverberation, meaning sound was staying in the rooms for too long before fading away. This created echo, reduced speech clarity and made the offices feel louder than they needed to be. In the back office, the average reverberation time before treatment was 1.06 seconds. In the front office, it was even higher at 1.22 seconds. For working environments where people need to speak clearly, take calls, focus on tasks and communicate without strain, this level of echo can quickly affect comfort and concentration.

This is a common problem in offices and call centres, especially where hard surfaces reflect sound around the room. The issue is not usually the people in the space. It is the room acoustics. Without enough sound absorption, voices, footsteps and office activity continue bouncing between walls, ceilings and floors, creating a noisy and tiring environment.

The Solution

SoundFix Acoustics recommended a targeted office acoustic treatment to reduce reverberation in both the back office and front office. The goal was to make each room feel calmer, clearer and more comfortable for daily work, without interrupting the function of the space. The solution focused on adding acoustic absorption where it would make the greatest difference. In offices, sound often reflects from multiple surfaces at once, so the right acoustic treatment needs to be planned carefully. Acoustic panels work by absorbing sound energy that would otherwise continue bouncing around the room. This helps reduce echo, control background noise and improve speech clarity. For HSK Ward, the acoustic data showed that both office areas needed a strong reverberation reduction strategy. The back office required treatment to bring the sound level under control for focused work and internal communication. The front office required treatment to support clearer conversations and a more professional first impression for anyone entering or using the space.

SoundFix’s approach was practical and measurable: assess the problem, install the right acoustic panels, then confirm the improvement through before-and-after reverberation testing.

The Installation

The acoustic panel installation at HSK Ward was carried out with the needs of a working office in mind. In commercial environments, installation must be clean, professional and carefully planned so the treatment improves the room without making the space feel cluttered or overdone. SoundFix selected and positioned the panels to reduce the strongest sound reflections within both office areas. Placement matters because acoustic panels are most effective when installed where sound is actively reflecting and building up. In office settings, this may include walls, ceilings or other key surfaces depending on the room shape, layout and materials. For projects like this, SoundFix may recommend acoustic wall panels, acoustic ceiling panels or a combination of products from the broader SoundFix acoustic panel range. The aim is always to suit the room, the use of the space and the desired acoustic outcome.

At HSK Ward, the installation was designed to deliver real performance improvements across both spaces. The result was a professional acoustic solution that addressed the cause of the echo, rather than simply masking the problem.

The Outcome

Poor office acoustics can affect the way people work, communicate and feel throughout the day. When reverberation is too high, sound overlaps and speech becomes less clear. This can make phone calls harder, conversations more distracting and focused work more difficult. In front office environments, poor acoustics can also affect the customer or visitor experience because the space may feel louder and less comfortable than intended. It is important to understand that this type of solution is acoustic treatment, not soundproofing. Acoustic panels and soundproofing solve different problems. Soundproofing blocks sound from travelling between rooms. Acoustic panels improve the sound inside the room by reducing echo and reverberation. For HSK Ward, the issue was internal sound build-up. By treating the back and front offices with the right acoustic panels, SoundFix helped create spaces that support clearer communication and better comfort. The result shows that even standard office spaces can be dramatically improved when the acoustic problem is measured properly and treated with the right products.

In practical terms, this means voices no longer remain in the room for as long. Conversations become clearer, background noise feels more controlled, and the office environment becomes easier to work in. For staff, this can support better focus, less listening fatigue and a more comfortable day-to-day experience.

Before & After

The before-and-after acoustic data showed a strong improvement across both HSK Ward office spaces. In the back office, reverberation reduced from 1.06 seconds to 0.30 seconds, achieving an approximate 72% reduction. In the front office, reverberation reduced from 1.22 seconds to 0.32 seconds, achieving an approximate 74% reduction

Across both rooms, the average reverberation time dropped from approximately 1.14 seconds to 0.31 seconds, representing an overall improvement of around 73%. This is a significant acoustic transformation for a commercial office environment.

This project is a strong example of how open office acoustics and smaller office acoustic problems can be solved with the right treatment. Good office acoustics are not only about reducing noise. They are about making a workspace feel more usable, professional and calm.