A historical review of recommended noise levels according to room type

Many authors have developed tables of recommended noise levels for different room types, which can be used to develop performance specifications in buildings. As part of an ongoing effort to update ASA/ANSI S12.2-2019, over 60 references have been surveyed to develop a compiled table of recommended noise levels according to room type. The compilation includes a range of books, design guides, standards, performance certification programs, building codes, conference presentations, and research papers that have been published over the past 80 years. While work is still ongoing to curate a refined selection of criteria for the annex of ASA/ANSI S12.2, the full historical survey of recommended noise levels has been made available for general use. Results from this review illustrate the prevalence of empirical design criteria which can be traced back to earlier historical references. Discrepancies in recommended criteria arising from inconsistent conversion methods between metrics are identified, and implications on design practice are discussed.