Your guide to NRC ratings

Noise reduction coefficient (NRC) rating

Acoustic Solutions

Whether we notice it or not, acoustics play a crucial role in our everyday lives. Whether you're in a restaurant, classroom, office, or theater, these spaces have been engineered to reduce the amount of noise occupants have to deal with. When designing these spaces, Architects and Interior Designers use a noise reduction coefficient (NRC) rating to ensure the products they specify are fit for purpose.

So, what is an NRC rating?

NRC stands for noise reduction coefficient
This is an average rating on how much sound an acoustic product can absorb
Like a sponge absorbs water, acoustic products absorb sound
An NRC rating will tell you how much sound an acoustic product can absorb

For example, if you have an NRC rating of zero, then that acoustic solution will not absorb any sound. An NRC rating of one will mean that the product absorbs all sound. The higher you have an NRC rating, the more sound that will be absorbed by that product.

How are NRC ratings calculated?

There is quite a lot of work behind each NRC rating. A simplified version of this process is:

A sound testing lab specifically designed for measuring sound absorption, is required to ensure accurate testing can be achieved.
This lab is equipped with microphones and machines that emit sound frequencies at 250, 500, 1000, and 2000Hz.
An initial measurement is taken by transmitting noise into the room and measuring how much sound is absorbed.
When this is done the product can then be placed in the lab with the sound absorption measured against the four previously mentioned frequencies.
The results are then gathered with the NRC rating being created by averaging the four measurements and rounding this number to the nearest 0.05.

Do your products have NRC ratings?

Yes, they do. Each product has a corresponding NRC rating. Our range is designed to provide solutions fit for spaces needing both minimal treatment all the way to acoustically demanding environments.

What acoustic solutions do you have with high NRC ratings?

Our highest NRC-rated solutions are our Quietspace^® Panel and Lanes^™ solutions. Either of these solutions has an NRC rating of 0.80 or above, but lanes achieves this in an innovative way.

Lanes^™

Made from Cube^™, this battened-style acoustic system allows you to add a feature to any space. So, how does it achieve such a high NRC rating?

That is down to the air gap behind each lane. Having this space allows for enhanced low-frequency sound absorption, all while creating elegantly folded joins. Available in Peak, Plane, and Sawtooth styles, each design adds a unique character to a space. There is truly something here for every space.

Learn more about our Lanes range here.