Acoustic comfort in the hotels sector

Amongst the most important factors when choosing a hotel are silence and peace. For a hotel, clients can become regular users if it also offers surroundings which are quiet and peaceful. So we wanted to ask the architect Massimo Casadei from the Arkigeo Design Studio in Cervia-Milano Marittima (Italy) and from CMD Studio Line in Cesena, who had followed the soundproofing work carried out on the Hotel Brasil in Milano Marittima (Italy), how they had solved the problem. The hotel itself had been completely refurbished around 10 years ago with Mapei solutions and an external thermal insulation system had been installed, transforming it into a cutting-edge building in terms of comfort and energy efficiency.

The sensation of acoustic comfort inside hotels is very important because it creates a more welcoming atmosphere and allows clients to have a more pleasant stay. How did you tackle the problem?

The corridors and rooms, with clients and trolleys going constantly back and forth, are undoubtedly the noisiest areas in the hotel. When choosing the most appropriate solution for floor and wall coverings in the corridors and stairs of a hotel, you are almost “obliged” to use carpet or vinyl floorings, materials which are completely different in terms of sound absorbency, maintenance requirements and durability. In this particular case we opted for resilient materials because of their easier maintenance and durability, and also because there were very attractive materials available with a wood or marble effect finish. When we compared the various carpets and PVC flooring available on the market, the sound reduction for both materials was around 20 dB.

When designing and constructing a hotel, one of the aspects often overlooked is precisely that of soundproofing, both in terms of separating the various rooms and in terms of the communal areas. Where and how did you intervene to overcome this problem?

The problem of noise transmission, a factor which certainly cannot be overlooked in a hotel, is one that has to be tackled every time you refurbish a structure that involves welcoming guests. In the guest rooms area, you usually install new floor coverings after laying an underfloor soundproofing mat, the doors and curtains are replaced and sound-absorbing false ceilings and dividing walls are installed (using plasterboard panels with lead sheets so that they absorb sound) between each guest room and between the corridors and the guest rooms. When building a new hotel, our preference is to construct 17 cm thick cavity plasterboard walls with insulating material in the gap. In the communal areas, we install sound-absorbing false ceilings, new curtains and walls or plasterboard panels lined with lead sheet.

Did you also intervene to reduce the noise of footsteps through the floor or did you come up with a solution to soundproof the ceiling?

We worked to improve the living conditions of the entire hotel structure. When replacing the old floors, an underfloor sound-absorbing mat was included and soundproofed doors with REI characteristics were installed.

The right soundproofing solution is not something anybody can design and install. Can you explain to us why you decided to opt for Mapei solutions?

In terms of experience and capacity for innovative technology, the Mapei Group has always worked alongside engineers, including my Arkigeo and CMD Studio Line design studios. We particularly appreciate the professionalism, punctuality, rapidity, competence and professional approach of all the technical and commercial staff working in the Forlì-Cesena-Rimini-Ravenna area that, throughout all these years of collaborating together, have enabled us to offer decisive, cutting-edge solutions for all our needs regarding waterproofing, soundproofing, admixtures for cement and installation problems.

Apart from their soundproofing properties, sound-absorbing mats and panels also provide excellent thermal insulation. When choosing this system, did you also take this aspect into consideration?

Absolutely. When tackling a partial refurbishment project, such as this one, thermal insulation is taken into serious consideration, in terms of both comfort and potential energy savings. Towns and cities along the Adriatic coast have included volumetric and footprint incentives in their Health & Safety Coordination Plans for those who plan on upgrading their structures using defined eco-sustainable parameters.