Podcast #14: Fire and sound assemblies by building type

For years, fire-safety ratings dominated the technical discussions surrounding commercial and residential building designs. Today, acoustics has emerged as an equally vital priority for architects, builders and developers. Designing environments that are both safe from fire and acoustically comfortable is critical for patient recovery in hospitals, student focus in schools and peaceful living in multifamily homes.

In this episode, host Nolan Kondrich sits down with National Gypsum Construction Design Managers Jordan Jarvis and Scott Hughes to explore the evolving landscape of fire- and sound-rated assemblies. Together, they break down the fundamental science of Sound Transmission Class, pinpoint the field errors that ruin wall performance and share sector-specific strategies for healthcare, multi-family and educational structures.

Listeners will learn:

• The acoustics revolution: Why changing demographics and wellness-focused design have made acoustics a top-tier design priority alongside fire safety.
• Acoustics 200 fundamentals: The relationship between STC, Hertz (frequency) and Decibels.
• The danger of flanking paths: How perfect wall designs can fail in the field due to structural joints, gaps and electrical boxes — and how to eliminate these issues with acoustical sealant, putty pads and offset joints.
• Sector-specific strategies:
  • Healthcare: Maximizing hospital space with thin wall technology like Gold Bond^® SoundBreak^® XP^® Gypsum Board’s viscoelastic polymer core.
  • Multifamily: Achieving the code-minimum STC 50 through strategic decoupling and understanding the risks of short-circuiting resilient channels (RC-1).
  • Education: Managing background noise, understanding Noise Reduction Coefficient (NRC) to control sound bounce and utilizing smart room placement to isolate noisy mechanical zones from classrooms.
• Time-saving technical resources: How to navigate over 300 tested configurations using the online Fire & Sound Assembly Selector™, the SoundBook^® 2.0, The PURPLE Book^®, and The Wood Book™.

Want to know more?

• Explore the Fire & Sound Assembly Selector
• Download The SoundBook: Guide to Acoustical Assemblies
• Download The PURPLE Book: Fire-Rated Systems Guide
• Download The Wood Book
• Learn more about SoundBreak^® XP^® Gypsum Board
• Watch the video guide: Fire & Sound Solutions by Building Type CEU

Connect with us!

Do you have a question you’d like us to answer or a topic we should cover? We want to hear from you. Email your ideas to podcast@nationalgypsum.com.