Dataset for "Evidence-based acoustic retrofit of open-plan design studios: Improving vocal effort, speech intelligibility, and privacy"

This dataset comprises three main components.

The first component consists of field measurement data collected from the open-plan design studio at Shenyang Jianzhu University, China. This section includes:
1. Acoustic impulse response files from 16 sound source positions to 55 receiver points within the space, measured using the B&K Dirac acoustic measurement system.
2. Analytical results of measured reverberation time (T30) and clarity (C80).
3. Simulated T30 and C80 results generated by the Odeon software (version 13) using genetic algorithm optimisation, along with the just noticeable differences (JND) between measured and simulated data.
4. Acoustic attenuation files and results measured according to ISO 3382-3:2022 (Acoustics — Measurement of room acoustic parameters — Part 3: Open plan offices).
5. Diagrams of sound source and receiver point locations are included in the corresponding files.

The second component comprises field measurement data of teachers’ vocal intensity during instruction in the open-plan design studio (n = 28). Recordings were made using a B&K 2250 sound level meter and analysed with B&K Connect software to obtain teachers’ Speech Sound Power Level (L_speech), Background Sound Pressure Level during lectures (L_BS), and Signal-to-Noise Ratio (SNR). The number of students present in each teaching group during measurement is also included.

The third component consists of questionnaire survey data on acoustic environment experiences, collected from faculty and students of the School of Architecture at Shenyang Jianzhu University. Separate versions were administered for teachers and students. A five-point Likert scale was used to assess their perceptions of the acoustic environment. For teachers, the questionnaire addressed vocal effort during teaching, interference from background noise, vocal fatigue, and satisfaction with overall acoustic quality. For students, the questionnaire evaluated teacher speech intelligibility during group teaching, the impact of speech interference and concentration during self-study, and overall acoustic quality. In total, 26 valid teacher questionnaires and 104 valid student questionnaires were collected. Detailed questionnaire items and results are provided in the corresponding files.

This dataset enables:
1. Analysis of room acoustic quality and acoustic privacy in typical open-plan design studio spaces;
2. Validation of acoustic models based on field measurement data;
3. Exploration of factors influencing teachers’ L_speech and quantification of the Lombard effect;
4. Analysis of subjective experiences of speech interference during group teaching for both teachers and students, as well as students’ perceptions of speech privacy and attentional distraction during self-study periods.

This comprehensive dataset facilitates in-depth evaluation and optimisation of acoustics in open-plan design studios, including teachers’ vocal effort, speech interference, and acoustic privacy.