Architectural acoustics: Buildings and beyond

Architectural acoustics not only covers buildings and the environment around them but also human perception of the acoustic environment, indoors and outdoors. As a technical committee of the acoustical society, our members are spread over research, academia, practitioners and industry. Architectural acoustics is not reserved for concert halls and opera houses but applies to all occupied spaces and has a direct impact on quality of life of any user of the space. Specific topics within the discipline include but are not limited to environmental sound, speech privacy, and speech intelligibility, simulated acoustic environments, annoyance, human hearing, airborne and structureborne noise, sound and impact isolation, loudspeakers and microphones, room acoustics, soundscape, and acoustical measurements. The technical committee on noise is often a cosponsor of specials sessions by the TCAA, as noise control via architectural means is common practice. This presentation will provide an overview of the TCAA and the field of architectural acoustics and provide examples of current research and projects of interest.