Project Background
This 78-unit modular housing demonstration project in Gothenburg was built to showcase carbon-neutral residential construction. All volumetric modules were fully finished in a factory before on-site assembly, with strict targets for material circularity, energy performance and indoor comfort. The project aimed to prove that factory-built housing could match or exceed traditional construction in acoustic comfort, a common point of criticism for prefabricated residential buildings.
Core Acoustic Challenges
- All acoustic components had to be fully integrated at the factory stage, with no major on-site acoustic work allowed
- Inter-unit airborne and impact sound insulation had to meet strict Swedish residential building standards
- Materials had to be low-carbon, durable and compatible with the project’s circular building material strategy
Solution & Implementation
Living room and bedroom ceilings integrated cement wood wool acoustic panels during module production. Factory pre-cut to exact module dimensions, the panels were installed as part of the standard ceiling assembly line, controlling internal room reverberation with a durable, low-maintenance finish. Party wall cavities incorporated MLV sound insulation layers between structural panels, enhancing inter-unit airborne sound insulation without increasing wall thickness. The acoustic engineering team worked directly with the module production line to refine installation sequences and tolerance controls. Full acoustic performance testing was conducted on completed modules before they left the factory, ensuring consistent quality across all units.
Measurable Outcomes
- In-room reverberation and inter-unit sound insulation both exceeded Swedish residential building code requirements
- 100% of acoustic installation was completed at the factory, reducing on-site construction time by 12% compared to traditional build
- Factory batch testing delivered more consistent acoustic performance across units than typical on-site installation
- The project’s acoustic performance data became part of its official sustainable building demonstration case study
Key Takeaways
Factory-integrated acoustics can deliver more consistent quality than on-site installation for modular housing, and when embedded into production workflows early, it does not extend overall manufacturing lead times.
