Get yourself some sound education

Quiet Mark’s RIBA-Approved CPD seminars are back this Autumn to empower industry professionals with best practice acoustic design

This article originally appeared in Architecture Magazine October/November 2025 issue

Designed to bridge the knowledge gap in acoustic design Quiet Mark’s RIBA-Approved CPD seminar ‘What sound can do for your designs’ underscores the profound impact of sound on human health, well-being, and productivity. This Autumn, back by popular demand, new dates have been added for this unique CPD highly subscribed course which equips professionals with comprehensive information on certified acoustic solutions, all of which are verified by third-party experts at Quiet Mark.

The Quiet Mark RIBA CPD seminar schedule includes power-hour sessions, followed by Q&A sessions with experts. These discussions delve into how the right sound design can positively transform any project. Encompassing various applications and sectors, they address the core principles of acoustic design and how it can fulfil a client’s brief while supporting sustainability, wellbeing, productivity, and inclusivity, plus saving budgets if tackled at the start of every project.

Quiet Mark certification stands as a benchmark in design specification ensuring access to cutting-edge acoustic design resources. It employs a definitive acoustic measurement system in collaboration with leading, specialist acoustic teams, including Anderson Acoustics, Head Acoustics, and Intertek. Each of these teams has been selected for their expertise in specific product categories.

The free-to-use Quiet Mark Certified products online sourcing directory is now a ‘go to’ acoustic resource for specifiers. It includes a wide range of market-verified acoustic products, such as surface or ceiling materials, heat pumps & ventilation, acoustic furniture, hand dryers, workplace solutions, sound masking, acoustic zoning and hundreds of other assessed products for the building sector and is updated monthly. 

Employing expert scientific testing and precise acoustic measurement assessments, Quiet Mark verifies the acoustic performance of products too, identifying the foremost noise reducing materials and products specifically for the building sector.

Quiet Mark certification offers reliable and independent information about a product’s sound output and its approved noise reduction performance. This is invaluable for specifiers, designers and architects who prioritise enhancing health and wellbeing when making design or purchasing decisions.

Quiet Mark is the independent global certification programme associated with the UK Noise Abatement Society charitable foundation (established in 1959). Through rigorous scientific testing and assessment, Quiet Mark identifies the quietest products in various categories spanning numerous sectors including building materials, commercial products, technology and home appliances.

RIBA-APPROVED CPD FOR THE BUILD SECTOR

Recognizing the challenges faced by architects, specifiers, and designers, Quiet Mark is a member of the RIBA CPD Providers Network. Subsequently introducing the first of many CPD seminars focused on acoustics. This initiative not only extends the public health mission of the UK’s Noise Abatement Society charitable foundation but also promotes the specification of best practice sound design. Through these efforts, we can collectively aim to combat noise pollution, ensuring a quieter environment for inhabitants in the years ahead.

TOP OF QUIET CLASS: BASWA

Villa Bru, Belgium

For this elegant private residence Villa Bru in Belgium, AWAA Architects opted for the BASWA Phon Classic Top acoustic system to ensure both aesthetic and acoustic comfort. Installed seamlessly across the ceilings, the system provides highly effective sound absorption while remaining completely invisible to the eye. Thanks to its smooth, jointless finish, BASWA Phon integrates harmoniously into the architecture — ideal for a peaceful and refined living environment where design and acoustics go hand in hand.

Above & Header image: Villa Bru, Belgium. BASWA Natural Acoustic Plaster System.

LSE Paul Malshall Building, London

Grafton Architects chose BASWA Phon (white inset areas) to improve speech intelligibility and acoustic comfort within this large volume multifunctional space, replete with reflective concrete surfaces. 

The BASWA system has a high-quality marble plaster skim finish, which is applied by trowel for a smooth, seamless appearance. BASWA Phon achieves up to class A acoustic absorption and is adhered to concrete or plasterboard substrates.

Above: LSE Paul Marshall building, London. BASWA Phon Acoustic Plaster System

Trinity College, Oxford

Original Field of Architecture chose BASWA Phon to improve speech intelligibility within this historic dining hall, integrating the acoustic treatment seamlessly within the decorative coffers. According to the university, the acoustics of the hall had troubled generations of diners and is now more suitable for social gatherings and events. 

Check out the new October 2025 – June 2026 seminar schedule for the Quiet Mark RIBA CPD What Sound Can Do For Your Designs at the RIBA CPD

This article was originally published in Architecture Magazine Oct/Nov 2025 issue.

Read the original Architecture Magazine article on Flickread