What is ISO 20189 about?
ISO 20189 is an international standard on acoustics that covers rating of sound absorption and sound reduction of screens, furniture and single objects intended for interior use.
ISO 20189 specifies how screens, furniture and single objects intended for interior use are assessed with regards to sound absorption and specifies the evaluation of sound attenuation for floor screens.
ISO 20189 also specifies under which circumstances various interior products for offices, schools and other public spaces are considered as plane absorbers or as discrete single objects.
Who is ISO 20189 for?
ISO 20189 on acoustics that covers rating of sound absorption and reduction is relevant to: 
- Sound engineers
- Interior designers
- Soundproofing professionals
Why should you use ISO 20189?
The interior design industry is progressing rapidly, and the acoustic characteristics of products have become an important technical aspect in the design of new products. Currently, interior design products are generally not well defined in terms of their acoustic characteristics, often leading to confusing and misleading product specifications and marketing materials. Further, it is often unclear how a product’s reported acoustic characteristics are to be applied to determine its acoustic impact in a furnished room.
ISO 20189 is intended to clarify the acoustic characteristics, and their application, for various interior design products. This is accomplished by a standardized test methodology for the measurement of sound absorption and defining when an interior product is to be considered as a single object.
ISO 20189 is intended to facilitate the measurement and evaluation procedure for any interior product currently on the market. By using ISO 20189, different interior design products can be compared to each other in an equal manner. Additionally, product acoustic characteristics evaluated according to this document can be applied for room acoustic modeling and calculations.
The sound absorption as specified in ISO 20189 can be used to calculate:
- Reverberation time characteristics in rooms
- Room acoustic parameters using ray-tracing software
This can help you in getting clarity about the acoustics of interior design products and in turn help in designing and understanding the acoustics of interior design products.
