# Acoustic Environment and Noise Exposure in Fitness Halls
## 2 Methods  
### Characteristics of Studied IS & G Halls  
In this study, properties of the acoustic environment were investigated in 20 IS & G halls in terms of the room acoustic parameters of reverberation time and noise level. Most of the halls were located on main streets. The sport halls vary in their geometry, but had been constructed from typical building materials. The most common building materials used for the construction of indoor sports halls and gymnasia are concrete, concrete blocks, metal decks, concrete ceilings, and ceramic tile flooring, and no thermal insulation is used in the walls, floors, or roofs. Most of the interior walls are covered with reflective materials; in addition, most of the IS & G halls contain large mirrors on two parallel walls to encourage the participants during their workout sessions. Indoor sports and gymnasium buildings were generally designed for different functions and had no acoustic treatments. Only one studied building had acoustic treatment covering the ceiling. Materials covering the interior surfaces are listed in Table 1.  
The studied IS & G halls were designated by the letters A-U, whereas the indoor sports halls (R, S, and U) have an open gym design. The design of the hall is open, so all activities, including workouts, aerobics, and machines, occur in the same space; certain architectural elements and spatial organization can have a range of influences regarding the formation of an aural environment. This affects the noise exposure for all instructors and participants [40]. Many types of workouts take place in IS & G halls, but, in this paper, we concentrated on fitness sessions such as aerobics and Pilates. Usually, music accompanies these workouts, characterized by high noise levels, and is considered to be occupational noise for instructors and participants [40].  
The studied halls were divided into three categories according to area [1]: Category I, comprising gymnasium halls with an area less than 280 m\({}^{2}\) (A-I); Category II, gymnasium halls with an area in the range of 280-530 m\({}^{2}\) (J-N); and Category III, indoor sports halls with an area greater than 530 m\({}^{2}\) (O-U). Figure 1 shows representative photos that were taken during the measurement of reverberation time inside some of the studied IS & G halls.  
\begin{table}
\begin{tabular}{c c c c c} \hline \hline \multirow{2}{*}{**No.**} & \multirow{2}{*}{**IS \& G Hall**} & \multicolumn{3}{c}{**Material Used in Interior Design**} \\ \cline{3-5}  & & **Floor** & **Ceiling** & **Walls** \\ \hline
1 & A & W ** & GB * & CP * \\ \hline
2 & B & EP * & CP * & CP * \\ \hline
3 & C & W ** & CP * & CP * \\ \hline
4 & D & W ** & GB * & CP * \\ \hline
5 & E & V ** & GB * & CP * \\ \hline
6 & F & P ** & GB * & CP * \\ \hline
7 & G & W ** & MD * & G * \\ \hline
8 & H & W ** & AT ** & G \& CP * \\ \hline
9 & I & W ** & CP * & CP \& G * \\ \hline
10 & J & V ** & GB * & CP \& G * \\ \hline
11 & K & W ** & GB * & CP * \\ \hline
12 & L & W ** & CP * & CP * \\ \hline
13 & M & F ** & CP * & CP * \\ \hline
14 & N & F ** & CP * & CP \& G * \\ \hline
15 & O & EC * & MD * & G * \\ \hline
16 & P & EC * & GB * & G \& CP * \\ \hline
17 & Q & EC * & AT ** & CP * \\ \hline
18 & R & F ** & MD * & G \& P * \\ \hline
19 & S & V ** & MD * & G \& P * \\ \hline
20 & U & F ** & MD * & G \& P * \\ \hline \hline \end{tabular} (1) MD, metal deck; CP, cement plaster; GB, gypsum boards; G, glass; EC, epoxy paint on concrete; W, wood; F, foam; P, PVC; V, vinyl; AT, absorptive tiles. (2) * Reflective material; ** absorptive material.  
\end{table}
Table 1: Interior finishing materials used on the floors, ceilings, and walls in studied indoor sports and gymnasium (IS & G) halls.