Title: Quantitative analysis of sound absorption properties of plants in indoor environment for enabling sustainable practices

Authors: Namrata Baruah; Satyaki Sarkar; Bimal Chandra Roy; Rajan Chandra Sinha

Addresses: Studio Chintala, Bengaluru – 560038, India ' Department of Architecture, Birla Institute of Technology, Mesra, Ranchi – 835215, India ' Department of Architecture, Birla Institute of Technology, Mesra, Ranchi – 835215, India ' Department of Architecture, Birla Institute of Technology, Mesra, Ranchi – 835215, India

Abstract: This paper showcases the results of the sound attenuation properties of some plants with a soil substrate for use as green sound absorbers in an indoor space. The plants used in this experiment were needed to survive in an indoor environment, hence only tropical, thermophilic plants which could grow in high humidity and warm temperatures with indirect sunlight were selected. An impedance tube of 100 mm dia. was used to calculate the direct incidence acoustic absorption coefficient of the plants and larger samples were tested within a reverberation chamber. The soil substrate used was a high porosity and low-density sample of perlite and coconut fibres. The results show that ferns and baby tears were good absorbers along with the soil substrate, whereas begonia was a better absorber at the lower and higher frequencies. The decibel drop by the fern with soil substrate is the highest with a decrease of frequency and the lowest is by Green Ivy which is due to morphological conditions.

Keywords: sound absorption; indoor space; experiment; impedance tube; reverberation chamber; soil substrate; thermophilic plants; sound-absorption coefficient; decibel drop; sustainable plant usage.

DOI: 10.1504/IJETM.2019.104750

International Journal of Environmental Technology and Management, 2019 Vol.22 No.4/5, pp.223 - 235

Received: 05 Nov 2018
Accepted: 22 Jan 2019
Published online: 30 Jan 2020 *

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