This book explores acoustic effects in hospitals, with a particular focus on the critical care environment, where noise is a major problem, and addresses the resulting design issues as part of the optimisation of the overall physical environment. It describes the current acoustic conditions in hospital wards and corridors both theoretically and experimentally by combining a series of field measurements, interviews, questionnaire surveys and computer modelling. The characteristics of typical sound sources and sound fields, verified prediction models, the influence of staff and patient behaviour, and an agent-based acoustic design tool are introduced, helping readers to better understand this fascinating multidisciplinary field.
