Speech privacy is an integral aspect of acoustic design which is consistently highlighted by users of offices, institutional buildings, and healthcare facilities. WELL and LEED guidelines are accessible resources in quantifying speech privacy and as such, often form the basis for user requirements or project agreements for these sectors. However, the absence of contextual information within these guidelines can result in a misguided approach in the design for speech privacy. The applicability and feasibility of speech privacy criteria presented in these guidelines is often overlooked among those with limited background in acoustics.

This presentation is intended to bridge the gap between sustainability guidelines and practical design for speech privacy, while critically evaluating the suitability of the speech privacy metrics presented in these guidelines. First, the universality of speech privacy criteria presented in these guidelines will be explored. Furthermore, the feasibility of achieving these speech privacy criteria will be discussed using sample field measurements of partition assemblies and room front systems typically used in offices. Finally, the reliability of the speech privacy metric used in these guidelines will be critically examined to consider its effectiveness in guiding design decisions for speech privacy in office buildings.