When the last exam paper is handed in and the campus falls quiet, estates teams have a golden window to tackle the projects that are hardest to schedule during term-time.
Acoustic upgrades sit firmly in that category. Fitting wall panels, ceiling baffles and sound-absorbing displays is far quicker, cleaner and more cost-effective when lecture theatres, libraries and circulation spaces are empty of students.
Below we explore why installing acoustic solutions during the holiday season simply makes good sense – and how the right panels can pay dividends for teaching, learning and wellbeing long after the new term begins.
Six reasons to schedule acoustic works over the summer break
- Zero disruption to teaching – With no lectures, seminars or exams to interrupt, contractors can work uninterrupted, finish faster and hand each space back ready-to-use.
- Safer, simpler access – Empty rooms mean no congestion, fewer health-and-safety obstacles and easier use of access equipment such as towers and MEWPs.
- Cleaner installations – Dust-generating tasks can be completed and the site fully cleaned before staff and students return – no lingering odours or debris on day one.
- Easier coordination with other trades – Many universities bundle lighting, AV and redecoration works into the same shutdown period. Acoustic panels often integrate neatly with these upgrades, avoiding repeat scaffolding costs.
- Stretching budgets before year-end – For institutions whose financial year closes in July, summer projects help estates teams allocate remaining capital while demonstrating visible, measurable improvements.
- Immediate impact for new cohorts – Freshers arrive to clearer lectures and calmer study zones – a powerful first impression that supports retention and satisfaction scores.
Why acoustic panels matter in higher education
| Challenge on Campus | How Acoustic Panels Help |
|---|---|
| Reverberant lecture theatres make lecturers raise their voices and students miss key points. | High-performance panels trim reverberation times to BB93-recommended levels, boosting speech intelligibility and recording clarity. |
| Open-plan study hubs become noisy, hindering concentration. | Suspended ceiling rafts and wall absorbers soak up background chatter, creating quieter zones for focused work. |
| Hybrid teaching spaces need clean audio for remote participants. | Targeted absorption reduces echoes that microphones exaggerate, improving intelligibility for online learners. |
| SEN inclusivity – students with hearing impairments or sensory sensitivities struggle in poor acoustics. | Panels lower overall noise and distortions, meeting Equality Act duties and BB93 guidance for specialist teaching spaces. |
| Staff fatigue and vocal strain from competing with noise. | Better room acoustics allow normal speech levels, reducing teacher tiredness and sickness absence. |
Key benefits you can expect
- Up to 50 % reduction in reverberation time – measurable against BB93 performance standards.
- Higher student engagement and comprehension, particularly in large cohorts and technical subjects.
- Improved wellbeing: studies link lower noise levels with reduced stress and better cognitive performance.
- Future-proofed learning spaces ready for lecture capture, VR demonstrations and next-gen AV systems.
Why choose Presentation Spaces?
- Education-first designs – panels, rafts and displays selected specifically for university typologies: lecture halls, recording studios, libraries and atria.
- Free site survey & acoustic report – we model current reverberation times, highlight problem areas and propose costed solutions.
- Free installation service – DBS-checked, CSCS-qualified teams schedule works to suit your holiday calendar.
- Budget-smart recommendations – from quick-win panel kits to campus-wide phased programmes.
- Regulatory peace of mind – solutions referenced against BB93 and relevant Building Regulations.
Next steps
The summer window is rapidly approaching. To secure a free survey – and get a clear, obligation-free action plan that you can implement straight away just get in tocuh with our sales team.
Make this the year your university sounds as inspiring as it looks. Let’s upgrade your campus acoustics together.
At Presentation Spaces – we help UK universities create quieter, healthier and more inclusive learning environments - and we won't be beaten on price!
