| Keywords |
Office; Acoustic Environment; Soundscape; Masking |
| Abstract |
This study systematically reviews evaluation methods, acoustic stimuli, and sound masking and control strategies in office acoustic-environment research, and identifies recent research trends and gaps. To achieve this, a scoping review was conducted on academic studies related to office acoustic environments and soundscapes published since 2000. Office acoustic environment research was classified into three categories: (1) occupant response evaluation, (2) acoustic stimulus application, and (3) sound masking and control strategies. Many previous studies primarily assessed occupant responses using subjective questionnaires and physical noise indicators. However, recent research has increasingly expanded toward integrated approaches combining cognitive tasks and physiological indicators to evaluate both work performance and acoustic comfort. In addition, early studies primarily employed speech-related sounds and artificial masking noises based on white noise, whereas recent research has increasingly incorporated natural and biophilic sounds. In terms of acoustic control strategies, fixed-condition masking approaches were dominant in earlier studies, while adaptive and user-customized control methods adjusted according to occupant characteristics and contextual conditions have increasingly been investigated. This study systematically analyzes the trends and characteristics of office acoustic environment research and is expected to provide foundational insights for future human-centered soundscape design and adaptive acoustic control studies. |