Industry News

The open office design trend has yielded challenges related to confidentiality and acoustic comfort in workplaces. Concurrently, an increased awareness of the principles and importance of human-centric design is influencing the commercial architecture and design practice.

To support the design of spaces that encourage human comfort and productivity, Focal Point is providing the architecture and design community a new continuing education course. The comprehensive course is designed to help specifiers better understand how acoustic comfort plays a crucial role in workplace design.

The AIA accredited course, Flexible by Design – Integrated Lighting and Sound Management Solutions for Today’s Interiors, is worth 0.5 Learning Units for Health Safety and Welfare in architecture (LU/HSW). It explores the fundamental principles of sound management and how to design interior spaces to maximize occupant comfort using tools that solve for acoustic, lighting, budget, and aesthetic requirements. The course also reviews the standards that govern acoustic requirements for diverse applications, including the WELL Building Standard™ and LEED.

“There is a significant and rising requirement for acoustic comfort in workplaces, which is supported by volumes of research correlating it to workforce productivity. Acoustics are becoming a prerequisite when designing for open environments,” said Matthew Blakeley, Vice President - Product and Business Development at Focal Point, LLC.

“When it comes to designing interior spaces,” continued Blakeley, “new acoustic products are entering the market that simplify the specification, sourcing, and installation process, allowing specifiers to optimize a space for acoustics, lighting, aesthetic and budget requirements.”

Building certifications, such as the WELL Building Standard^™ and LEED, are also contributing to an increased awareness of the importance of balancing human health and well-being with efficiency and sustainability, with a holistic formula that leads to improvements in employee productivity, engagement, and retention.

The accredited course is available through The Continuing Architect (TCA) website or it can be found on the Focal Point website in the Resources section under Continuing Education. 

About Focal Point, LLC

Focal Point is a Chicago-based family owned and operated architectural lighting manufacturer like no other. Believing great lighting isn’t just about meeting technical design requirements – it’s about people – our focus is on creating great luminaire designs that stand the test of time, with beautifully simple forms to complete an architectural statement and with optimal illumination to comfortably define the space and its purpose. Learn more about our people, approach, and why we value trusted partnerships by visiting our web site at www.focalpointlights.com.