Usquare Feder

For the project Usquare Feder in Brussels, BC materials developed an acoustic earth plaster which absorbs sound. For this project a plaster mix was conceived with soft granulates such as hemp and cork enrobed by earth from Brussels’ excavated sand and clay.

A room with 80m2 of wall surface was prototyped with contractor Het Leemniscaat. The bottom 2m are finished in a base earth plaster and above 2m in acoustical earth plaster. Sound absorption was subsequently tested in situ by VK engineers to arrive at an absorption coefficient of α = 0,35. This value situates the acoustic earth plaster in the midrange of market alternatives such as acoustic PUR-foam panels. However, with the added benefit of direct wall surface application compared to a selected number of panels, the acoustic earth plaster achieves superior sound absorption. Currently, contractor HC renovation is assigned to execute 2000m2 of acoustical earth plaster in the project.