Diseño acústico adaptativo revisitado como consecuencia del COVID-19

The “Severe acute respiratory syndrome coronavirus 2” (SARS-CoV-2) pandemic has brought terrible consequences worldwide, not only in physical and previously masked have now become relevant, especially noise emissions from electromechanical installations previously unheard that became a source of annoyance. The science and practice of acoustics is changing by the pandemic, so it is important to discuss several architectural and engineering aspects such as: Materials which reject viruses, the spacing of people inside buildings and outdoors, implications on using a new HVAC system with a virus filter, problems of mass transportation, face-to-face vs online activities, acoustics vs audio, among others. It will be necessary a multidisciplinary approach, considering the dimension of the problems generated by the COVID pandemic and the different effects on the acoustic discipline, to obtain an overview of the changes required to obtain adequate and healthy acoustic environments. This paper will discuss how we should develop acoustic design strategies that allow adaptive solutions for different acoustic situations, both during and between pandemics. In particular, it will address the issue of bringing adaptive acoustic design to a more effective, practical and widespread level, which will require great efforts on the part of designers, authorities, entrepreneurs, planners and, above all, citizens who, as consumers of well-being, will have to pay for a safer future free of possible contagions.