QuietRock Educational Resources Center

Acoustics in LEED

Use of QuietRock products and optimizing acoustical performance can help contribute to LEED points in several categories. LEED, the Leadership in Energy and Environmental Design Green Building Rating System is a third party certification program for buildings developed by the U.S. Green Building Council. It is the worldwide standard against which buildings are judged for their environmental sustainability. Projects are judged on a points-based system and can achieve the entry level LEED Certification to the highest ranking, LEED Platinum.

Serious Energy is a member firm of the U.S. Green Building Council, and many of us are LEED Accredited Professionals, including our CTO, Dr. Brandon Tinianov, who also serves on the Board of Directors of the USGBC local chapter of Northern California. He also established the USGBC Silicon Valley chapter. We have extensive experience working with a wide variety of LEED Projects.

QuietRock LEED Sustainable Materials Data Sheet

Get Serious About High Acoustic Performance in Green Buildings

Get Serious About High Acoustic Performance in Green Buildings

Green buildings struggle with noise. According to a recent study by the Center for the Built Environment, green buildings outperform ‘brown’ counterparts in almost every measure – thermal comfort, air quality, cleanliness, and general satisfaction – except acoustical comfort.


In the past, good acoustical design meant using additional costly building materials. With QuietRock specified in LEED-based design, our customers have saved money and hundreds of thousands of square feet of floor space, reducing the amount of materials used, resulting in less waste and clean up. In renovations, QuietRock can be placed over current construction, saving floor space and the need to demolish and rebuild thicker walls often recommended in acoustic design.

While good acoustical design helps increase occupant comfort in all scenarios, QuietRock also helps meet acoustical performance criteria given credits in LEED for Schools and for Healthcare.

From 1/2” residential to 1-3/8” THX™ professional products, QuietRock soundproof drywall can be used just like standard drywall. QuietRock assemblies are extensively lab and field tested, with results measuring as high as STC (sound transmission class) 80. QuietRock replaces older techniques such as resilient channel, clips, sound board, and vinyl, and offers higher STC performance at a lower total cost.

Sustainability Requires Quiet

A person’s carbon footprint can be reduced by 50% or more by moving to urban centers. Noise is the main reason people refuse to live in more sustainable urban environments. Serious Energy QuietRock products transform noisy, undesirable areas, for instance along highway or airport corridors, into comfortable, high quality living environments. Use of Serious Energy Quiet® products directly support sustainable zoning which requires less construction materials and reduces transportation needs - saving energy and reducing CO2 emissions.

Learn more about acoustics in LEED for Schools

Learn more about acoustics in LEED for Healthcare