The following is an outline of the knowledge and practical skills required at each achievement level in the area of acoustic design and analysis.
Achieving a level requires passing the assessment for that level. Assessment can be undertaken on the Square One website or as part of a course at one of our accredited training centres around the world. Each level must be passed consecutively - it is not possible to achieve Level 2 without having first successfully achieved Level 1.
Level 1 (Understanding) - View
At this level users should be able to access an analysis model and extract the basic information they need without having to go through another user. This typically means understanding what metrics are referenced and how to display them in a visual or tabulated form, as well as being able to extract the images and/or tables required for use in other documentation or drawings.
Knowledge
- Have some understanding of sound behaviour.
Read more... - Understand some fundamentals of room acoustics.
Read more... - Understand sound absorption in rooms and how it is measured.
Read more... - Understand decibels and how they relate to sound decay.
Read more... - Understand reverberation times and how they are calculated.
Read more... - Understand the different algorithms behind reverberation times.
Read more...
Practical Skills
- Able to display a reverberation time graph for a zone.
Read more... - Able to select between different reverberation time algorithms.
Read more... - Able to read optimum reverberation times for speech and music.
Read more... - Able to display and animate acoustic rays if they exist in a model.
Read more... - Able to display the coverage of acoustic reflectors in a model.
Read more...
Level 2 (Capability) - View & Assist
Level 2 users should be able - under supervision - to carry out most of the basic tasks such as creating and editing building models suitable for this kind of analysis, undertaking most of the simpler calculations and formatting results appropriate to the specific needs of each project.
Knowledge
- Understand the difference between wave-theory and geometric acoustics.
Read more... - Know what the Haas effect is and what acoustic influence it has.
Read more...
Practical Skills
- Assign and edit sound absorption coefficients for materials in the model.
Read more... - Calculate reverberation time graphs for any room-based zone in a model.
Read more... - Able to track linked acoustic rays from different sources and reflectors.
Read more... - Interactively select and move source and reflector objects in a model.
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Level 3 (Proficiency) - View, Assist & Produce
Level 3 users should have basic proficiency, being able to independently build models suitable this type of analysis, undertake those analysis and produce the results and/or other deliverables required for any project.
Knowledge
- Understand the room acoustic anomalies attributable to geometry.
Read more... - Understand the different acoustic requirements of speech and music.
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Practical Skills
- Able to spray acoustic rays spherically from a source object.
Read more... - Able to compare reverberation times generated statistically with those from a ray-spray.
Read more... - Able to track the relative level and delay of individual acoustic particles as they propagate around a space.
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Level 4 (Expertise) - View, Assist, Produce & Manage
Level 4 users require real expertise, able to determine the types of analysis required to solve specific design problems, devise the work flows and schedules required to undertake them and effectively manage and supervise the whole process to ensure the timeliness and quality of all deliverables.
Knowledge
- Understand the limitations of reverberation time as a measure of acoustic performance.
Read more... - Understand other objective measures of acoustic performance and how they can be derived.
Read more...
Practical Skills
- Able to track individual rays in the acoustic response of a rayspray.
Read more... - Able to isolate the rays sprayed towards individual objects in a model.
Read more... - Able to detect the absence or presence of echoes in an acoustic design.
Read more...
Level 5 (Innovation) - "Break New Ground"
To reach Level 5, users must demonstrate real innovation in the application of acoustic analysis within a design project. There is no direct assessment for this level, instead individuals or firms are required to submit a short article for review by the Natural Frequency editorial board that describes a specific project and details the innovative application of acoustic analysis.