St. Louis Catholic Church
Clarksville, MD
Scope of Work
MD Acoustics was hired to evaluate and improve the acoustical performance of St. Louis Church in Clarksville, Maryland. The project focused on mitigating excessive reverberation to improve speech intelligibility while balancing the acoustic character required for musical performances.
To quantify existing conditions, the team conducted on-site reverberation time (RT60) testing using calibrated Type-1 sound level meters. This data was used to develop a calibrated 3D acoustic model in Treble to analyze room behavior and evaluate treatment strategies. Through advanced acoustic simulation and auralization technology, stakeholders could actually hear and compare potential design solutions before any construction began.
Outcome
Through field measurements and calibrated acoustic modeling, MD Acoustics identified excessive reverberation times exceeding 4 seconds, which significantly reduced speech clarity. The analysis pinpointed exactly how the sanctuary’s geometry and surface finishes caused this problematic sound buildup.
To resolve this, we evaluated multiple acoustic treatment scenarios aimed at reducing reverberation to an optimal 2.0 to 2.5 seconds. By strategically designing wall and ceiling absorption, the proposed solutions improved speech intelligibility without losing musical warmth. Immersive auralizations then allowed church leadership to make confident, data-driven decisions before investing in any physical improvements.
Scope of Work
MD Acoustics was hired to evaluate and improve the acoustical performance of St. Louis Church in Clarksville, Maryland. The project focused on mitigating excessive reverberation to improve speech intelligibility while balancing the acoustic character required for musical performances.
To quantify existing conditions, the team conducted on-site reverberation time (RT60) testing using calibrated Type-1 sound level meters. This data was used to develop a calibrated 3D acoustic model in Treble to analyze room behavior and evaluate treatment strategies. Through advanced acoustic simulation and auralization technology, stakeholders could actually hear and compare potential design solutions before any construction began.
Outcome
Through field measurements and calibrated acoustic modeling, MD Acoustics identified excessive reverberation times exceeding 4 seconds, which significantly reduced speech clarity. The analysis pinpointed exactly how the sanctuary’s geometry and surface finishes caused this problematic sound buildup.
To resolve this, we evaluated multiple acoustic treatment scenarios aimed at reducing reverberation to an optimal 2.0 to 2.5 seconds. By strategically designing wall and ceiling absorption, the proposed solutions improved speech intelligibility without losing musical warmth. Immersive auralizations then allowed church leadership to make confident, data-driven decisions before investing in any physical improvements.
