Acoustic Privacy (STC) Visualizer
Pick a wall assembly and a noise source, and see how much sound actually reaches the far side. Calibrated against FGI 2018 §1.2-5.1.1.1, IS 1950, NABH 5th Edition, and WHO hospital noise targets — for patient-room, consultation-room, and sleep-environment speech privacy in Indian healthcare design.
Acoustic STC Visualizer
Source
75 dB
Wall STC
48
Received
27 dB
Privacy
Good
Normal privacy
Speech audible but not intelligible — adequate for general patient rooms.
Surfaces US HIPAA Privacy Rule notes alongside the India-first FGI / IS / NABH framing.
STC 33 ✓
Single-stud baseline
STC 45 ✓
FGI 2018 patient room ↔ corridor
STC 50 —
FGI 2018 consultation / exam
STC 55 —
Confidential / sleep study
Standards & thresholds
| Source | Application | Min STC | Notes |
|---|---|---|---|
| FGI 2018 §1.2-5.1.1.1 | Patient room ↔ corridor | 45 | Baseline speech privacy. Doors and gaps reduce field NIC by ~5. |
| FGI 2018 | Consultation / examination room | 50 | Confidential clinical conversations. Pair with masking system. |
| FGI 2018 / WHO 1999 | Confidential consultation / sleep study | 55 | Counselling, mental-health rooms, sleep labs. |
| IS 1950 | Indian Standard for sound insulation (general) | 35–45 | Tabulated TL by partition type; FGI superimposes for healthcare. |
| NABH 5th Edition | Patient privacy & dignity | — | No numeric STC; clinical assessor judges audibility on rounds. |
| WHO 1999 / Berglund et al. | Hospital noise at bedhead | ≤ 30 (night) | Background SPL target — affects perceived intelligibility. |
Methodology
Received SPL = max(0, source dBA − STC). STC is a single-number rating across 125–4000 Hz, derived from ASTM E413. The model is the standard pre-design approximation used in healthcare programming briefs.
Field caveat
Field NIC (Noise Isolation Class) is typically STC − 5 due to flanking through ceiling plenums, doors, return-air paths, and construction gaps. Specify door STC, seal perimeters, and detail return-air boots to close the gap.
Related guide
Hospital Façade & Daylight Design in India
Acoustic envelope strategy for urban and highway-adjacent hospitals — STC ≥ 35 / ≥ 45 façade thresholds, double-glazed laminated, cyclone-zone specs.
Read guide →Related guide
Biophilic & Healing Environments in Healthcare
Why hospital noise spikes patient cortisol, the EBD evidence on quiet wards, and how soundscape pairs with view, daylight, and materials.
Read guide →References (Harvard)
- Facility Guidelines Institute (2018) Guidelines for Design and Construction of Hospitals. St. Louis, MO: FGI.
- Bureau of Indian Standards (1962) IS 1950: Code of Practice for Sound Insulation of Non-industrial Buildings. New Delhi: BIS.
- NABH (2020) Standards for Hospitals, 5th Edition. New Delhi: Quality Council of India.
- Berglund, B., Lindvall, T. & Schwela, D.H. (eds.) (1999) Guidelines for Community Noise. Geneva: World Health Organization.
- ASTM International (2022) ASTM E413: Classification for Rating Sound Insulation. West Conshohocken, PA: ASTM.
- US Department of Health & Human Services (2003) HIPAA Privacy Rule, 45 CFR §164.530(c) & §164.310(b). Washington, DC: HHS.
- Government of India (2023) Digital Personal Data Protection Act. New Delhi: Ministry of Electronics and Information Technology.
- Ulrich, R.S., Zimring, C., Zhu, X., DuBose, J., Seo, H.B., Choi, Y.S., Quan, X. & Joseph, A. (2008) ‘A review of the research literature on evidence-based healthcare design’, HERD, 1(3), pp. 61–125.