ISO 20189:2018

Overview

ISO 20189:2018 - "Acoustics - Screens, furniture and single objects intended for interior use - Rating of sound absorption and sound reduction of elements based on laboratory measurements" - defines standardized laboratory methods to assess the acoustic performance of interior products. The standard clarifies when interior items (desk screens, floor screens, chairs, sofas, furniture ensembles and other single objects) should be treated as plane absorbers or discrete single objects, and how to report their sound absorption and sound reduction properties for room acoustics calculations.

Key topics and technical requirements

• Scope of measurement: Sound absorption of single objects is measured in a reverberation room (ISO 354) and reported as the equivalent sound absorption area A_obj in 1/3‑octave bands (100 Hz–5 000 Hz) and octave bands (125 Hz–4 000 Hz).
• Single object vs. plane absorber: Criteria for classifying products as single objects or parts of a continuous surface are specified to ensure consistent reporting.
• Object absorption coefficient (α_obj): Procedures (examples in Annex B) allow conversion of measured A_obj to a frequency‑dependent absorption coefficient suitable for 3D acoustic simulations.
• Floor screens: In addition to absorption, floor screens are evaluated for screen sound attenuation (ΔLs) using ISO 10053 procedures and for sound insulation (sound reduction index R) using ISO 10140‑2. Weighted single‑number ratings (ΔLs,w, Rw) are defined following the referenced standards.
• Reporting and mounting: Required presentation of results, mounting conditions in the laboratory (Annex E), and additional information to report (Annexes A–F) are included to support reproducible testing.
• Referenced standards: ISO 354, ISO 10053, ISO 10140‑2, ISO 11654 and ISO 717‑1 are normative references integrated into the measurement and rating approaches.

Practical applications and target users

• Acoustic consultants & engineers - for reliable input data in room acoustic modelling, reverberation time calculations and ray‑tracing simulations.
• Product manufacturers and R&D - to validate and declare acoustic performance of screens, furniture and decorative objects.
• Interior designers & architects - to select products that meet acoustic design goals for offices, schools and public spaces.
• Test laboratories & certification bodies - to perform standardized laboratory tests and produce comparable product data for specifications.
• Facilities managers & specifiers - to interpret rated values (A_obj, α_obj, ΔLs, Rw) when choosing interior products to control reverberation and speech privacy.

Related standards

• ISO 354 - Measurement of sound absorption in a reverberation room
• ISO 10053 - Measurement of office screen sound attenuation
• ISO 10140‑2 - Laboratory measurement of sound insulation
• ISO 11654 - Rating of sound absorption (background)
• ISO 717‑1 - Rating of sound insulation in buildings

ISO 20189:2018 enables consistent, laboratory‑based acoustic data for interior products so practitioners can make informed, comparable decisions in acoustic design and product selection.