| Authors: | Astrid Helene Amundsen, Kjell Vegard Weyde, Ronny Klæboe, Norun Hjertager Krog, Gunn Marit Aasvang |
| Report nr: | 1969/2023 |
| ISBN (digital version): | 978-82-480-2031-8 |
| Language: | Norwegian |
| Attachments | Summary, pdf Full report, pdf, in Norwegian only Sammendrag, pdf |
In Norway there are around 300,000 hearing impaired. In the survey, almost 50% of respondents stated that they "always/often" had trouble hearing what was said when the dishwasher was on. Open-plan kitchens are more common, which can lead to increased background noise. Background noise is one of several factors that contribute to reducing speech understanding in homes. It is therefore important that the acoustic conditions in the homes are adapted to the needs of the residents, and are universally designed so that they also meet the needs of people with hearing problems in terms of sound quality. There may be a need to introduce requirements for reverberation time in dwellings, as is the case for several other building types. Technical aids can reduce the problems somewhat, but it may also be appropriate to improve the room acoustics with physical improvements. This can be sound-absorbing plates in ceilings / walls / floors, soundproof doors, but also the use of carpets, soft furniture etc.
