Acoustic partitions for offices: the right Rw target, without needless extra cost
Three typologies, three Rw targets, one reference standard
Rw 44 dB everywhere in an open space means 35 to 45% extra cost per m2 for zero perceptible gain: NF S 31-080:2006 sets Rw >= 32 dB for standard confidentiality and Rw >= 38 dB for management areas, not 44 dB by default. Kytom has been designing and installing acoustic partitions for commercial office buildings in France and Spain since 2006, across open spaces, meeting rooms and confidential booths. The average lead time for intervention is 12 weeks, including acoustic studies and architect coordination. The Rw target is calibrated project by project, not through regulatory overbidding.
Kytom offers a range calibrated to the 3 most frequent contexts in commercial real estate, with airborne sound insulation Rw targets differentiated according to the expected level of confidentiality.
- Slim-profile resilient partitions: Rw 32 to 38 dB, thickness 80 to 100 mm, designed to preserve usable floor area on open floors.
- Soundproofed meeting booths (4 to 8 people): Rw 38 to 42 dB, double BA13 facing, 70 mm mineral wool, resilient perimeter joints.
- Conference rooms with enhanced requirements: Rw >= 44 dB, decoupled structure, certified acoustic doors and automatic thresholds.
The NF S 31-080:2006 standard sets Rw >= 32 dB between closed offices for standard confidentiality and Rw >= 38 dB for so-called management premises (management, human resources, legal). The integrated anti-vibration systems make it possible to target differentiated performance within a single zone, with calibrated transitions between collaborative spaces and concentration areas. Biophilic barriers with vegetated facings complete the setup in open spaces, absorbing mid frequencies, backed by Sabine alpha measurements in a reverberation chamber.
Our reading differs from common practice: Rw is not a slider to maximise. The professional doxa pushes towards Rw 44 dB as soon as a room is deemed sensitive, out of insurance comfort. In practice across our recent portfolio, the human ear does not distinguish Rw 38 from Rw 42 dB under real-world commercial office conditions (AHU background noise at 35 dB(A)). The decoupled Rw >= 44 dB partition becomes oversized below 30 m2 of room area or for fewer than 8 occupants: the 35 to 45% extra cost per m2 does not pay off if usage frequency remains below 3 meetings per week. A resilient Rw 38 dB partition combined with absorbent treatment is enough. Likewise, the mobile acoustic booth is an advantageous alternative to the fixed partition below 12 m2 or if the organisation plans more than 2 reconfigurations per year.
