Various environmental characteristics can have direct impacts on mental health and well-being, such as housing, crowding, noise, indoor air quality, and light

The WELL Building Standard® is a globally recognised performance-based system for measuring features of the built environment that impact human health and well-being. It covers aspects such as air, water, nourishment, light, fitness, comfort, and mind—and crucially for us at dBx Acoustics, acoustics.

Acoustic comfort is a key contributor to overall wellbeing, productivity, and satisfaction in workplaces, healthcare environments, homes, and educational settings. The WELL Standard recognises this and includes a dedicated section—‘Sound’ (Feature S)—within its Comfort concept.

What’s New in WELL v2?

WELL v2 brings a more integrated and practical approach to acoustic performance, with features that apply to a broader range of building types. The acoustic provisions now include:

✅ Sound Mapping (S01)

Projects must demonstrate proactive acoustic planning to manage sound transmission between adjacent zones. This ensures that noisy areas (like break rooms or gyms) are acoustically separated from quiet areas (such as meeting rooms or private offices).

✅ Maximum Noise Levels (S02)

Reinforced background noise level limits are now provided, especially for residential-type spaces, supporting a restful and comfortable environment.

✅ Sound Barriers (S03)

Rather than relying solely on specification, projects must now verify the performance of walls and partitions through testing to meet minimum Noise Insulation Class (NIC) levels. This ensures adequate speech privacy and reduces disruptive noise transfer.

✅ Reverberation Time (S04)

Guidelines have been updated to account for room use—providing tailored reverberation time criteria that improve speech intelligibility and comfort across different functional spaces.

✅ Sound Reducing Surfaces (S05)

The emphasis here is on materials that absorb and dampen sound to reduce reverberation and echo. The correct use of ceiling tiles, wall panels, and floor finishes can greatly enhance acoustic quality.

✅ Minimum Background Sound (S06)

The standard now recognises the benefits of controlled background sound—such as sound masking—in improving speech privacy and reducing distractions in open-plan environments.

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How Can We Help?

At dBx Acoustics, we’ve worked on numerous WELL-aligned projects across commercial offices, healthcare facilities, and education environments. Our acoustic consultancy services are fully aligned with the principles of WELL, helping design teams achieve compliance and create spaces that genuinely support well-being.

We offer:

• Acoustic assessments for WELL Feature S01–S06
• Detailed design advice and modelling
• On-site testing to verify compliance with acoustic criteria
• Support with documentation for WELL submissions

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If you’re considering a WELL-certified project, or want to improve the acoustic quality of your environment, we’d love to help. Contact us to start the conversation.