Overview
EN ISO 17624:2004 - Acoustics provides guidelines for noise control in offices and workrooms using acoustical screens. The standard defines the acoustical and operational requirements that should be agreed between supplier/manufacturer and the user, and it covers free‑standing screens, screens integrated into furniture, portable/removable workshop screens, and certain fixed room partitions and partial enclosures. It does not apply to very thick multi‑layer cabinet walls or suspended banners and baffles.
Keywords: EN ISO 17624:2004, acoustical screens, noise control in offices, office acoustics, in‑situ sound attenuation.
Key topics and requirements
- Scope and types: Guidance for screens used in offices, service areas, exhibition areas, workshops and similar rooms; walls/cabins that leave a significant open area are treated as screens.
- Acoustical mechanisms: Explains how screens reduce noise by absorption, screening (blocking direct sound paths) and decoupling of sound fields on both sides of the screen.
- Performance metrics:
- Insertion loss / insertion sound pressure level difference (including A‑weighted insertion loss) for positions behind a screen.
- Free‑field screen sound attenuation and a reduced value accounting for room reflections.
- Sound reduction index (transmission loss) and sound absorption coefficients for planning and verification.
- Planning and verification: Requirements for sound absorption, sound insulation and in‑situ sound attenuation measurements (referencing measurement guidance such as ISO 11821).
- Operational and contractual information: Lists the information to be provided by the user and by the supplier/manufacturer to ensure correct selection and verification of screen performance.
- Design considerations: Screen dimensions, proximity to sources/receivers, reverberation radius and enclosure extent all influence effectiveness. Sealing of joints is recommended when high insertion loss is required.
- Exclusions and limits: Specifies materials and wall types that are outside the standard’s scope.
Practical applications
- Specifying and selecting acoustical screens for open‑plan offices, call centres, reception areas, exhibition stands and workshop workstations.
- Defining contract requirements between purchasers and manufacturers/suppliers for screen acoustic performance.
- Guiding acoustical consultants, facility managers and designers on how to estimate in‑room performance and to verify in‑situ attenuation.
- Improving speech privacy, reducing distraction and targeting noise control at individual workstations where architectural changes are impractical.
Who uses this standard
- Acoustical consultants and engineers
- Manufacturers and suppliers of acoustical screens and furniture
- Architects and interior designers
- Facility managers, corporate procurement and occupational health professionals
Related standards
Relevant normative references cited in EN ISO 17624 include: ISO 11821 (in‑situ attenuation), ISO 354 (reverberation room absorption), ISO 140‑3 / ISO 717‑1 (sound insulation), ISO 10534‑1/2, ISO 9053, ISO 11654, and guidance on enclosures (ISO 15667). Use these references when specifying measurements or detailed acoustic laboratory testing.