Acoustic correction of a gym used for conferences

Gyms are large-volume spaces that, from an acoustic perspective, typically exhibit long reverberation times. Reverberation time is an acoustic property of a space determined by the duration of the sound tail: the longer the reverberation time, the more difficult it is to understand speech clearly. To enhance speech intelligibility, reverberation time can be decreased through the application of suitable soundabsorbing materials. This study reports on the acoustic measurements of a gymnasium considered for conversion into a conference room. Given the regular geometry of the space, acoustic correction was estimated using Sabine’s formula. The measured reverberation time at 1000 Hz was 8 seconds; by introducing approximately $200 \mathrm{~m}^{2}$ of sound-absorbing material, the reverberation time in the empty room was reduced to around 2.5 seconds.