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RC - the Room Criteria

The Room Criteria (RC) is used to measure background noise in buildings for frequencies ranging 16 to 4000 Hz.

Room Criteria (RC) measures the background noise in buildings over frequencies ranging 16 Hz to 4000 Hz.

RC - room criteria curves

RC requires a determination of the mid-frequency average level and the perceived balance between high and low frequency sound.

RC - the Room Criteria
Type of Room - Space TypeRecommended RC Level
RC Curve		Equivalent Sound Level
dB(A)
Apartments 25 - 35 (N)1) 35 - 45
Assembly Halls 25 - 30 (N) 35 - 40
Churches 30 - 35 (N) 40 - 45
Courtrooms 30 - 40 (N) 40 - 50
Factories 40 - 65 (N) 50 - 75
Hotels/Motels
- Individual rooms or suites 30 - 35 (N) 35 - 45
- Meeting or banquet rooms 25 - 35 (N) 35 - 45
- Service and Support Areas 40 - 45 (N) 45 - 50
- Halls, corridors, lobbies 35 - 40 (N) 50 - 55
Offices
- Conference rooms 25 - 30 (N) 35 - 40
- Private 30 - 35 (N) 40 - 45
- Open-plan areas 35 - 40 (N) 45 - 50
- Business machines/computers 40 - 45 (N) 50 - 55
Hospitals and Clinics
- Private rooms 25 - 30 (N) 35 - 40
- Operating rooms 25 - 30 (N) 35 - 40
- Wards 30 - 35 (N) 40 - 45
- Laboratories 35 - 40 (N) 45 - 50
- Corridors 30 - 35 (N) 40 - 45
- Public areas 35 - 40 (N) 45 - 50
Schools
- Lecture and classrooms 25 - 30 (N) 35 - 40
- Open-plan classrooms 30 - 40 (N) 45 - 50
     
Movie motion picture theaters 30 - 35 (N) 40 - 45
Libraries 35 - 40 (N) 40 - 50
Legitimate theaters 20 - 25 (N) 30 - 65
Private Residences 25 - 35 (N) 35 - 45
Restaurants 40 - 45 (N) 50 - 55
TV Broadcast studies 15 - 25 (N) 25 - 35
Recording Studios 15 - 20 (N) 25 - 30
Concert and recital halls 15 - 20 (N) 25 - 30
Sport Coliseums 45 - 55 (N) 55 - 65
Recording studios 15 - 20 (N) 25 - 30

1) Neutral (N). The levels in the octave bands centered at 500 Hz and below must not exceed the octave-band levels of the reference spectrum by more than 5 dB at any point in the range; the levels in the octave bands centered at 1000 Hz and above must not exceed the octave-band level of the reference spectrum by more than 3 dB at any point in the range.

Related Topics

  • Acoustics

    Room acoustics and acoustic properties. decibel A, B and C calculations. Noise Rating (NR) curves. Sound transmission through walls. Calculate sound pressure, sound intensity and sound attenuation.

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