Performance Acoustics
Specialist Acoustic Consultancy for Care, Education & Performance Spaces
Creating environments that enhance wellbeing, clarity, and comfort — with expertise in dementia-friendly and hearing-accessible acoustic design.
Performance Acoustics is a leading UK acoustic consultancy dedicated to creating inclusive, comfortable spaces. We specialise in acoustic design for older adults, people with dementia, neuro-diversity and those with hearing loss — ensuring every environment promotes health, understanding, and enjoyment. From detailed assessments to bespoke solutions, our team helps clients deliver outstanding acoustic performance.
Tailored Acoustic Solutions Across Sectors
  • Care Homes & Retirement Living: Dementia-friendly, calming acoustic environments that promote wellbeing.
  • Education & Universities: Clarity and comfort for learning and collaboration.
  • Theatres & Performance Spaces: Exceptional sound quality and audience experience.
  • Commercial & Residential: High-quality acoustic performance for any building.
Expertise You Can Trust
With decades of experience and a focus on evidence-based design, we help clients create spaces where acoustics support wellbeing and performance. Our consultancy combines technical rigour with empathy for the needs of diverse users, from older adults to performers.
Retirement Residences
Importance of acoustics in retirement residences
Hearing Loss Epidemic
One in three seniors over 65 experiences significant hearing loss, making clear acoustics essential for daily communication and safety.
Cognitive Impact
Poor acoustics exacerbate cognitive decline and create communication barriers that isolate residents from social interaction.
Health Consequences
Excessive noise increases stress, fall risk, and agitation among elderly residents, directly impacting their quality of life.
Specialised Expertise:
Dementia and Acoustic Environments
Acoustic Confusion
Sound confusion heightens distress for people with dementia, creating disorientation and behavioral challenges.
Evidence-Based Research
Studies show reverberation and background noise worsen orientation, memory, and social behaviour in dementia patients. Dementia can also increase sensitivity to noise making even slightly reverberant spaces intolerable.
Design Solutions
Our evidence-based dementia-friendly acoustic design improves memory cues, promotes calm, and enhances social interaction opportunities.
Inspired Villages Group: Age-Friendly Acoustics
Challenge
Inherited significant noise complaints from the previous property owner, with residents consistently reporting difficulty maintaining conversations in communal areas. The restaurant and activity spaces were particularly problematic, creating frustration and limiting social engagement. A comprehensive solution was required for the acoustic considerations of hearing-impaired residents for both existing properties and upcoming retirement villages.
Research
Our research confirmed that older adults struggle significantly with reverberant environments, affecting their quality of life.
Age-related reduced hearing sensitivity increases cognitive load during conversations, causing fatigue.
Background noise proves substantially more disruptive to speech comprehension for seniors than younger adults.
The risk of social isolation increases dramatically with poor acoustic design, affecting mental wellbeing.
Solution
We developed a comprehensive acoustic design specification tailored to senior living environments.
Our design enhanced social interaction in communal areas through targeted acoustic treatments.
We implemented strategic placement of sound-absorbing materials that complemented the interior design.
Room geometries were carefully engineered to minimize problematic sound reflections and echoes.
The final implementation balanced aesthetic considerations with acoustic performance requirements.
Post-implementation surveys showed significant improvement in resident satisfaction and social participation.
Performing Spaces
Our performing space expertise ensures exceptional acoustic clarity, precise reverberation control, and minimal background noise—creating immersive experiences for both performers and audiences alike.
Birmingham Town Hall
Restored historic venue with balanced acoustics for both classical performances and amplified events whilst preserving Grade I listed architecture.
Orange County Concert Hall
Innovative acoustic design enabling optimal sound distribution throughout the 2,000-seat auditorium with adjustable elements for variable reverberation times.
Learning Spaces
Our learning space expertise balances the competing needs of focus, collaboration, and technology integration—creating environments where knowledge transfer thrives without acoustic barriers.
Birmingham City University Curzon Library
Designed for optimal sound isolation between quiet study zones and collaborative spaces, ensuring both concentration and communication.
Birmingham City University The Hive
Balanced acoustics in Europe's first joint public-university library, managing diverse user needs from children's areas to research spaces.
Birmingham City University Parkside Building
Specialized solutions for media production studios, lecture halls, and collaboration zones to control reverberation and external noise.
Royal Holloway University
Acoustics balanced to meet competing requirements of a multi-functional space supporting different learning styles and activities.
University of Sheffield
Heartspace was a neglected courtyard between listed buildings. Quadruple-height space and heritage constraints posed significant challenges. Advanced Acoustic Modelling led to targeted treatments creating quiet study spaces within the open atrium.
Our Consulting Services
Comprehensive Assessment
Full acoustic modelling and site assessment specifically designed for retirement villages and senior living facilities.
Custom Solutions
Tailored soundproofing and absorption solutions optimised for aging ears and cognitive needs of elderly residents.
Technical Analysis
Vibration, environmental, and construction noise analysis ensuring optimal living conditions throughout development phases.
Standards Compliance
Full compliance with BREEAM and WELL acoustic standards for sustainable, health-focused building certification.
Benefits for Designers, Developers, Operators & Residents
Designers
Early engagement helps ensure acoustic measures are incorporated economically and build-cost is minimised. We aim to save you money by optimising your build.
Developers
Enhanced market value with documented wellbeing outcomes that differentiate your properties in competitive markets.
Operators
Decreased noise complaints and higher occupancy rates through superior acoustic environments that residents actively seek.
Residents
Calmer, safer living environments supporting both auditory health and mental wellbeing for enhanced quality of life.
Start Your Consultation
with Performance Acoustics
Get Started Today
Call us at 0788 788 7642, email Helene@PerformanceAcoustics.com or provide your details below to discuss your project and how we can help you achieve acoustic excellence cost-effectively.