There has been a lot of excitement around the opening of Inverness College’s flagship campus. The new building accommodates 6,000 students and offers purpose-built research facilities, a new range of further and higher education courses, alongside post-graduate opportunities and in-work training. The £50 million facility has become a striking feature of the Inverness skyline and its interior is just as breath-taking, designed to maximise the use of space and light. ROCKFON acoustic ceiling solutions are installed throughout to help Inverness College achieve its mission to provide high quality learning for the people and support the economic future of the Highlands and Islands.
When it came to designing the building, good communication was a fundamental requirement. Architects BDP explained, “Good acoustics and clear speech recognition in particular is instrumental in delivering this. All teaching spaces, from small cellular classrooms to much larger multi-purpose spaces were modelled to ensure reverberation times complied with Building Bulletin BB93.” Acoustic modelling identified the extent of acoustic absorption required to ensure speech can be heard and understood in each space. BDP chose “ROCKFON products to deliver the required acoustic performance in the different areas of the building, ensuring noise is controlled. Also the ROCKFON ceilings are robust to withstand the building’s demanding wear and tear and provide a suitable quality of finish for a further education building.”
Visitors to the college are welcomed in the atrium which forms an impressive entrance. A distinctive green copper pod fills one side of this large space. Glass panels allow natural light in next to wood slatted ceilings. To combat the reverberant effect of these hard materials, Class A sound absorbent ROCKFON® Sonar® A is fitted behind the slats to provide the correct levels of acoustic absorption and attenuation, helping to reduce noise levels throughout this open area.
The video conferencing rooms are another part of the college where acoustic performance is important. ROCKFON® Sonar® dB44 is installed here to provide outstanding sound insulation and Class A sound absorption. ROCKFON Sonar dB44 is made of two sound absorbing layers of stone wool. The first layer absorbs sound from the classroom itself, which helps reduce reverberation and improve speech intelligibility. To prevent the sound being transmitted to the adjoining room, the second layer absorbs sound in the ceiling void and through the walls.
The building is arranged as a ‘shallow ring’ of teaching accommodation wrapped around a Learning concourse that accommodates the more social activities of the College. Large areas of glazing optimise the benefits of diffused, natural north light. ROCKFON® Artic™ ceilings are installed throughout the classrooms and circulation areas. ROCKFON Artic was chosen because it is a cost-effective, smooth, white ceiling tile providing 85% light reflection to optimise the available natural light, also helping to minimise energy consumption. ROCKFON Artic offers Class A1 fire safety which is essential for circulation areas. The range is ideal for areas requiring minimum Class C sound absorption.
ROCKFON® Hygienic A ceilings are fitted in the busy campus kitchen and canteens. ROCKFON Hygienic has been developed to meet stringent hygiene demands. The ceiling tiles are robust, can withstand humidity levels of up to 100% and offer high sound absorption, making them suitable for all clean room environments. All Hygienic ceilings have a durable white surface incorporating a fungicide to further enhance the resistance to the growth of micro-organisms.
Colin Burns, Commercial Director at DV McColl, a ROCKFON Active Installer, worked with ROCKFON to ensure the fit out went to plan and was completed on time. “I’ve fitted ROCKFON products before and I’m always impressed with how easy they are to install. The quality is always good and the end result always exceeds expectations.”
ROCKFON are renowned for their acoustic ceiling and wall solutions that actively address a number of performance requirements in modern buildings and renovation projects. Contact the team at ROCKFON on info@rockfon.co.uk or visit www.rockfon.co.uk to find out how they can help you achieve your project’s full potential.
