How certification body Quiet Mark benefits from delivering RIBA-approved CPD to specifiers

How certification body Quiet Mark benefits from delivering RIBA-approved CPD to specifiers

This NBS case study explores how Quiet Mark, an authority on quiet product design, uses its membership in the RIBA CPD Providers Network to educate architects and specifiers on acoustic design, promoting healthier, quieter environments.

By NBS | NBS Case Studies

Quiet Mark is a certification body that simplifies acoustic design for the built environment. As independent third-party acoustic experts, Quiet Mark evaluates, compares, and verifies manufacturers’ product performance data, making it easier for architects and specifiers to source optimal acoustic solutions for their projects. The Quiet Mark certification signifies excellence in noise reduction, helping specifiers meet best practices for a variety of building types.

Quiet Mark supports the work of the UK's Noise Abatement Society, established in 1959, which recognised noise pollution as a significant public health issue. Today, noise ranks as the second-largest environmental pollutant after air pollution according to the World Health Organization. Quiet Mark’s mission is to highlight the importance of reducing excessive noise, as it negatively impacts human health, affecting brain function, heart rate, and overall well-being.

NBS Source has developed functionality to allow 'NBS Partners' that are third-party certification bodies like Quiet Mark to showcase its certified products on its NBS Source profile. This makes it easier for specifiers to find and incorporate the quietest technologies and acoustic materials into their designs, creating healthier, quieter environments.

Above & Header: BASWA Phon Acoustic Plaster System at Harrods

The challenge

Acoustic design is often overlooked during the early stages of building project planning due to its complexity. This lack of attention can lead to inappropriate material choices, potentially affecting the long-term well-being of occupants. Quiet Mark recognised a need for greater understanding of acoustic design among architects and specifiers.

The solution

Quiet Mark joined the RIBA CPD Providers Network to bridge the knowledge gap that many architects face regarding acoustics in the built environment.

The RIBA CPD Providers Network is a network of product manufacturers that offer RIBA-approved educational content to construction professionals. Through the Network, manufacturers build brand awareness and credibility by sharing their expertise with an engaged audience of architects and specifiers, using high-quality, RIBA-approved CPD materials.

Quiet Mark’s "What Sound Can Do For Your Designs" RIBA-approved CPD seminar focuses on educating professionals on best practices in acoustic design. The content is designed to highlight the importance of sound in modern workplaces, as well as its role in sustainability, productivity, and overall well-being.

Delivered as a live one-hour online seminar, the CPD offers a convenient format for global participation, complete with a Q&A session. It covers the principles of good acoustic design, helping attendees understand how proper sound management supports client briefs while promoting health, productivity, and inclusivity. By participating in the CPD, specifiers can make more informed decisions about the materials and technologies they choose for their projects.

“The RIBA CPD Providers Network has ensured that our content is technically sound and highly relevant, allowing us to efficiently deliver crucial information to specifiers worldwide. It supports our goal of empowering professionals with best practice acoustic design and promoting healthier, quieter environments.” - Poppy Szkiler, Founder and CEO at Quiet Mark

Above: BlockO Acoustic Meeting Pod

The process

To ensure CPD material is of the highest-quality, submitted content goes through a thorough process of assessment to gain RIBA-approval. The initial feedback to Quiet Mark suggested that the content should be more technically focused, with a clearer emphasis on its value for architects. Quiet Mark used these insights to strengthen their approach, ultimately achieving the high standards required for approval and as a result delivering a valuable piece of CPD content. Since then, the seminar has been a huge success, with high levels of engagement from both UK and global architecture firms.

Above: S&P Ventilation systems

The results

Quiet Mark also benefited from RIBA CPD Events – using the RIBA CPD Hours which are live online seminars, marketed and hosted by RIBA. Attendees shared positive feedback, stating that the information from the seminar has allowed them to discover the potential of sound design and its application to their work. The RIBA CPD Hours have significantly expanded Quiet Mark’s reach, helping to build a community of architects and specifiers who are now more knowledgeable about acoustic design.  

The success of the CPD has been measured not only in increased engagement but also through requests for additional sessions covering other aspects of design. This demand highlights the growing awareness of the importance of acoustics in architecture and the impact Quiet Mark has made in elevating the conversation around sound in design.

Quiet Mark’s involvement in the RIBA CPD Providers Network has proven to be a valuable initiative for both the company and the wider architecture community. By providing accessible, expert-led content, Quiet Mark has helped equip architects and specifiers with the tools they need to prioritise acoustic design from the outset of each project. This effort aligns with Quiet Mark’s mission to foster quieter, healthier environments through responsible, informed design practices.

This article is adapted from the NBS Case Study “How certification body Quiet Mark benefits from delivering RIBA-approved CPD to specifiers”.
Click here to view the original Quiet Mark Case Study on NBS