Echelon Planning – Fixing Noise Issues in an Open Plan Office

The Problem

Echelon Planning, a Melbourne-based building and consulting company, recently moved into a new open-plan office with a meeting room. Soon after settling in, staff started struggling with noise problems. Background noise made concentrating hard, and phone calls became difficult because voices got lost in the echo.

Understanding the Issue

A specialist from Sontext visited the office to assess the situation. The office was large, with high ceilings and hard masonry walls, creating an echo that amplified noise. Up to 20 people worked at different desks, so the sound bounced around, making the office loud and stressful. Workers found it hard to focus, and there was little privacy for conversations.

The meeting room had similar problems. Its timber ceilings and masonry walls made sound travel easily, making teleconferencing difficult and frustrating.

The Solution

After discussing the issues with Echelon Planning’s management, it was decided to install SerenityLite Wall and Ceiling Panels to absorb the excess noise.

To tackle the problem effectively:

• 25mm thick SerenityLite Acoustic Panels were chosen because they are excellent at absorbing sound at voice-level frequencies.
• To reduce noise and echo, the panels were installed on the walls of the open-plan office and the ceilings of the meeting room.
• They were covered in Trilogy One “Misty” acoustic fabric, which blended well with the existing décor.
• Custom-sized panels were made to fit around bulkheads, windows, and fixtures, ensuring a neat and effective installation.

Sontext specialises in custom-made acoustic solutions, making installing panels in spaces with unique layouts easy.

The Result

With the new acoustic panels, Echelon Planning’s office is now a much quieter and more comfortable environment. Employees can concentrate better, phone calls are clearer, and the meeting room is now suitable for teleconferencing without noise distractions.

This project shows how proper acoustic treatment can greatly improve the comfort and productivity of open-plan workspaces.