Besides athletic events, the facility is used as a venue for graduation, concerts and as a hall for keynote speeches by visiting global academics and dignitaries. However, having not been designed for these purposes, the acoustics of the facility were not very good.The audible echoes reduced the quality of the sound in the facility, distracted attendees and even confused speakers as they were delivering their speeches. Walls in the facility are made of concrete, the cathedral ceiling is made of suspended mineral tile and the floor is Astroturf; all surfaces that reflect sound and thereby create reverberant noise.

“We had noticed the echo for many years, and finally decided to look into solving the problem,” according to Joseph M. Inman, Project Manager, Planning, Design and Construction at Colgate.The Colgate Engineering Club was then tasked with analyzing the acoustics of the space and coming up with a solution.

The Club’s analysis revealed a reverberation time of 3.3 sec., clearly demonstrating that there was indeed an acoustic problem in the facility. Reverberation time in a space is the key parameter in determining the ability of people within the space to clearly hear speech and music.

Typically, a reverberation time of about 1.9 sec. provides that clarity. The Club then recommended contacting an acoustic consultant to formulate a solution. In late Spring 2017, Inman contacted Glen LaVallee, of Oshex Associates, Inc. (Baldwinsville, NY; www.oshex.com), who had done acoustic remediation for some of Colgate’s other facilities.After reviewing the facility and the test results, Lavalee recommended the use of Eckel Eckoustic Functional Panels (EFPs) to solve the problem. Eckel’s engineering team created an acoustic model of the facility and came up with a predicted reverberation time that was very close to the Engineering Club’s measured reverberation time.

To achieve the 1.9 sec. reverberation time goal, the Eckel team recommended the installation of 540 EFPs in the following layout: 366 30 in. x 10 ft. panels on the ceiling, and 174 panels on the side and back walls in a variety of sizes ranging from 30 in. x 10 ft. down to 24 in. x 9 ft. to accommodate structural aspects of the building. Colgate wanted to complete the project so that it could hold graduation exercises in the facility on May 20, 2018.The order was placed, and the panels shipped in February 2018. Installation of EFPs is very simple.They install with four brackets that are attached to an existing surface with four bolts.The installation was completed well in time for graduation.

The results were excellent. According to Inman, “The acoustic panels have really improved our ability to utilize the Fieldhouse as more than just an athletic facility.The acoustics during Commencement as well during our Spring Concert improved drastically, allowing the speaker and attendees to hear and understand the presentations and the music more clearly.We should have done this sooner!”

Alex Eckel, President of Eckel Noise Control Technologies adds, “The Colgate Fieldhouse project demonstrates how schools and universities can turn an existing athletic facility into a more productive multi-use environment for conferences, concerts and other events by simply improving the acoustics within the space.”

Eckel Acoustic Panels can be fabricated to custom sizes up to 10 ft. in length and painted to match any room décor.They are available in steel, galvanized steel and aluminum, and install quickly and easily.

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The school pursued the installation of multiple sound systems, but was told by every company that the reverberation quality of the room was too poor for a new sound system to make a noticeable difference. So, school officials had to first search for an acoustics solution. This led them to seek the advice and services of Eckel, a leader in noise control products that produce the best possible environments for sound.

Eckel visited the school to perform an evaluation of the gymnasium. He noted the hard surfaces of concrete block walls and linoleum tile floors, which present a challenging atmosphere for sound intelligibility. Alan conducted acoustic tests that revealed the gym had a reverberation time of 4.1 seconds at 500 Hz, a level at which musical clarity is very difficult to achieve. Based on findings in the analysis of the structure, Alan recommended the installation of 36 Eckel Eckoustic Functional Panels, or EFPs.

After a year of fundraising for the project, Great Salt Bay Community School proceeded with the installation of the panels. The project included 24 ceiling panels, 10 panels on the far wall from the stage, and one vertical panel on each side of the stage. The ceiling panels were painted a light brown color to match the wooden cathedral ceiling, while the wall panels were painted a dark blue color to contrast and complement the lighter blue walls. From start to finish, the installation was completed by Alan and the Eckel team in less than two weeks. After the panel installation, the school purchased a new sound system for the gymnasium and has experienced what Choral Director Anne Marie D’Amico described as a “total transformation.”

The reverb time has dropped to 1.7 seconds at 500 Hz, an ideal level for clarity of music and speech. Alan Eckel personally attended the first concert in the new gym to assess the acoustic difference in the space. The faculty and staff at Great Salt Bay Community School have received so much positive feedback that they are currently engaging in a series of fundraisers to finance the installation of Eckel EFPs to address similar acoustic issues in the cafeteria and allow that space to serve multiple functions. Learn more about Eckel EFPs, email sales@eckelacoustics.com for more information.

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