Personal computer, printer, and portable equipment noise in classrooms

The American National Standard on classroom acoustics - ANSI S12.60- 20021- presents criteria for background noise in classrooms. The background noise criteria in ANSI S12.60 do not apply to the noise from portable or permanent built in equipment used during the course of instruction, such as computers, audiovisual equipment, and printers. ANSI S12.60 provides general guidance on the selection and installation of such equipment in an Annex; however, the standard does not present specific recommendations to ensure that these products meet classroom acoustical needs when purchased by schools. This paper updates the recommendations made in a NOISE-CON 2003 paper on an approach for ensuring that computers and instructional material are acceptable acoustically in classroom environments. This paper also recommends product sound power criteria based on levels necessary to meet the ANSI S12.60 sound pressure level criteria, our experience and existing environmental criteria.