Noise as an Environmental Nuisance
Noise is one of the most harmful of environmental nuisances. Extended exposure to noises such as vehicle traffic or air conditioning causes discomfort, irritability, headache and fatigue, significantly impairing the quality of life. Thus it comes as no surprise that a central consideration for selecting a property is the noisiness of the surroundings.
Ashbond Gypsum Block as an Improved Acoustic Insulator
Gypsum’s natural porosity gives it excellent acoustic properties without the need for special treatments. According to Israeli Standard SI 1004, 50 dB insulation is required between apartments, while around 40 dB is accepted between rooms within an apartment. Ashbond gypsum blocks meet these standards, providing 38–40 dB insulation for a single 10 cm block and 54–56 dB for double partitions with mineral wool in between.
Acoustic Insulation for Effective Room and Apartment Separation
Ashbond blocks provide excellent acoustic insulation, making them ideal for partitions between rooms, separation walls between apartments, and interior cladding of exterior walls. Insulation is enhanced by placing mineral wool between two blocks—5 cm of mineral wool in a 25 cm-thick partition, and 2 cm in a 22 cm-thick partition.
Acoustic Insulation in Large Spaces
The Ashbond gypsum blocks may also be used as an acoustic insulator in large areas needing echo absorption: lecture rooms, cultural centres, malls, function halls, open space offices etc. Researches have shown that exposure to speech echos in large spaces causes a sense of fatigue and reduced functionality due to the effort involved in distinguishing the voice from the echo.