Challenge

New Open Office Space Caused Noise Distraction Issues

Accudata Systems is an IT consulting and integration firm based in Houston with 36 years of experience providing high-impact IT infrastructure services and integrated solutions. They had outgrown their old space and also wanted an updated office environment. Their new office, occupying the 6th floor of a new building, was designed to promote an open, collaborative environment with plenty of cool design features and natural light. The office would accommodate 75-100 full-time employees, mobile workers, and visitors to the office spread across open offices, private offices, touchdown areas, and conference rooms. Many of the employees in the open plan areas regularly participate in customer service, tech support, sales, and conference calls.

Departments are connected by a long open-ceiling corridor that featured unique light fixtures. While providing more options for architectural and design considerations, the new open office space had fewer walls to block sound, meaning that speech privacy would be compromised and noise distractions would be elevated. Accudata’s previous office had limited sound masking, so the company’s executives realized the importance of having it in their new office to protect speech privacy. Sound masking is the process of adding a low level, unobtrusive background sound to an environment to help cover up speech noise and improve the overall office ambience. The sound is similar to the sound of airflow, but specifically engineered to cover up human speech, making affected environments more comfortable, private, and free of excess noise distractions.

Before they could execute the process for procuring and installing sound masking, noise distraction issues in the new space became apparent shortly after move in, particularly speech transmission from private offices to neighboring private offices and conference rooms and vice versa. Speech noise traveled down the long corridor as well. Accudata executives entrusted Client Services Manager Matt Johnson with finding the right sound masking vendor and installer.

Solution

QtPro® Sound Masking System

After carefully evaluating the options, Johnson chose QtPro Sound Masking from Cambridge Sound Management, the world’s largest provider of sound masking solutions. The sound masking experts from Cambridge Sound Management connected Johnson with Fitt Telecom,
one of their Houston-area integration partners. Fitt was able to give Johnson and the Accudata executive team an on-site demo at a nearby financial firm where they had also installed the QtPro solution. Due to the similarities in their office layouts, Accudata left the demo even more convinced that QtPro was the right solution for their workspace. Fitt installed small, barely visible Qt® Emitters (loudspeakers) in Accudata’s open and drop ceiling areas. The emitters were connected by cables to a Qt 600 control module residing in the server room. The long corridor was equipped with a stylish pendant mount emitter housings to complement the unique architectural aesthetics of this space. The system allowed for different masking volume levels across different zones, allowing Accudata to address noise distractions more aggressively in the open office areas. Automatic ramping was also programmed into the system, allowing the masking noise to be slightly louder at times when the office is at its busiest.

Result

A More Pleasant Work Environment

The new Accudata office is now more functional, productive, and acoustically comfortable, and employees are pleased with the office’s transformation. “We had sound masking in our old office, but the Cambridge Sound Management system is much more advanced and effective,” says Johnson. “Employees had a chance to experience the office before and after the system was installed and the difference is really apparent – the office feels much quieter and comfortable now. QtPro works as advertised.”

About Accudata Systems

Accudata Systems is an IT consulting and integration firm with 36 years of experience providing high impact IT infrastructure services and integrated solutions. As a trusted advisor, they help their clients incorporate innovative networking technologies into their IT environment while preserving performance, availability, and security. With an unwavering commitment to customer service and satisfaction since their founding in 1982, Accudata has grown to become one of the largest and most trusted IT integrators in the country. To learn more about Accudata, visit www.accudatasystems.com.

About FITT Telecommunications, Inc.

FITT Telecommunications, Inc. was established in 1986. Their goal is to provide clients with efficient, cost-effective and solution-oriented telecom applications. Their staff is fully trained and certified on MITEL, Panasonic, Iwatsu, AT&T Synapse, and Nortel phone systems, as well as Cambridge Sound Management sound masking systems. They maintain a sales and service office in the Greater Houston Area.

About Biamp

Biamp® is a leading provider of innovative, networked media systems that power the world’s most sophisticated audiovisual installations. The company is recognized worldwide for delivering high-quality products and backing each one with a commitment to exceptional customer service.

Recipient of the Frost & Sullivan 2018 Global Installed Audio Conferencing Enabling Technology Leadership Award, Biamp is dedicated to creating products that drive the evolution of communication through sight and sound. The award-winning Biamp product suite includes: Tesira® media system for digital audio and video networking, Devio® collaboration tool for modern workplaces, Audia® digital audio platform, Nexia® digital signal processors, Vocia® networked public address and voice evacuation system, Cambridge® sound masking solutions, and loudspeakers for installed sound applications from Community Loudspeakers® and Apart Audio®. Each has its own specific feature set that can be customized and integrated in a wide range of applications, including corporate boardrooms, conference centers, huddle rooms, open floor environments, performing arts venues, courtrooms, hospitals, transportation hubs, campuses, retail, hospitality, military and government, and multi-building facilities.

Founded in 1976, Biamp is headquartered in Beaverton, Oregon, USA, with additional offices around the globe. For more information on Biamp, please visit www.biamp.com.