Everyone has a right to good acoustics
This article is written by Frank Ulstrup for Byggematerialer.dk nr. 116 (24. november, 2022).
In 2015, Hz Acoustic ApS set out to develop high-quality acoustic systems that everyone could afford. Today, the company supplies systems for everywhere from regular homes to Christiansborg – including the Workers’ Museum in Copenhagen.
Since 1879, protest songs have been sung, and countless rousing speeches have been delivered in the old assembly hall of the labor movement – now the Workers’ Museum on Rømersgade in Copenhagen.
But it’s not certain that it sounded as good as it does today, now that the central parts of the building have just been restored. In addition to fresh paint and a new lighting and indoor climate system, several rooms have also been fitted with acoustic ceilings that reduce reverberation by 70-80%.
A sustainable solution
And that is far from insignificant when hosting fiery speeches – or, as is the case with the museum today, welcoming lively school classes, says Helge Hansen from the Frederikshavn-based company, Hz Acoustic ApS.
His company provided the solution – and a solution was certainly needed:
– I can hardly imagine what the acoustics were like in there before, with all those large, hard surfaces,” he says with a smile, explaining that the current solution, Hz Dual, consists of panels and plaster developed by the company itself:
– At the Workers’ Museum, we have chosen an acoustic panel consisting of a mineral wool board laminated with a specially designed 10 mm waterproof glass granulate board. In addition, there is the acoustic plaster, which is made from recycled cellulose fibers and has an extremely fine surface. Together, this solution not only provides excellent acoustic properties but also creates a completely smooth surface that is very easy to repair,” he explains
20 years experience
Helge Hansen explains that he has worked with acoustic solutions for more than 20 years, but it was only seven years ago that he founded Hz Acoustic. Since then, he and his team have been working to develop solutions that are not only better but also more affordable than those already on the market.
And looking at the company’s reference list, it seems they have achived their goal. Numerous buildings in Norway and Germany – as well as wide range of projects in Denmark – have had their acoustics improved using various Hz systems.
Better acoustics for everyone
Helge Hansen points to several key factors when explaining the success:
“Our goal has really been to make good acoustic solutions financially accessible to everyone, and with a price per square meter for an installed panel ranging from 500 to 1000 DKK + VAT, I think we have succeeded,” he says, continuing:
“Additionally, it’s of course a sustainable product, cellulose-based, and therefore doesn’t pollute or burden the environment in the same way as, for example, quartz-based alternatives. I believe this is also one of the reasons why our products are in high demand when it comes to listed and heritage buildings,” says Helge Hansen.
