Improving Boardroom Sound with a Stretched Fabric Wall: TECO in Tampa, FL

• Project: Tampa Electric Company Boardroom Acoustics
• Address: 702 N Franklin St, Tampa, FL 33602
• Facility Type: Corporate Office Boardroom
• Client: Tampa Electric Company (TECO)
• Objective: Improve speech clarity & reduce HVAC noise
• Scope: Stretched fabric wall system & acoustic curtain installation

Tampa Electric Company (TECO) serves more than 830,000 customers across West Central Florida and is a cornerstone of Tampa’s energy infrastructure. As a utility leader, its corporate boardroom hosts high-stakes meetings and daily operational discussions that demand absolute clarity in communication.

However, prior to treatment, the room suffered from excessive reverberation and HVAC noise—forcing attendees to repeat themselves and hindering productivity. With critical decisions on the line, TECO turned to Commercial Acoustics to resolve these issues through a full acoustic retrofit.

The solution included a full-coverage fabric-wrapped wall system paired with heavyweight velvet acoustic curtains—designed not just to reduce echo, but to preserve the room’s executive-level aesthetic. This treatment brought the space in line with the acoustic standards expected of a mission-critical corporate environment.

• Reflective Surfaces: Tile floors & drywall created harsh acoustics
• HVAC Noise: Constant airflow overwhelmed quiet speech
• Speech Interruptions: Poor clarity delayed decision-making

Before treatment, the TECO boardroom had all the visual hallmarks of a modern meeting space—clean lines, tiled floors, and drywall surfaces—but none of the acoustic forethought. These hard materials caused sound to bounce across the room unchecked, leading to long reverberation times and muddled speech.

The problem was compounded by a high-output, constant-speed HVAC system, which introduced continuous background noise. Together, these factors created a space where even important remarks had to be repeated multiple times, slowing meetings and fatiguing participants—both in-person and remote.

As a utility company making time-sensitive decisions daily, TECO needed a meeting space that functioned acoustically as well as it did visually. That meant reducing echo, controlling HVAC noise, and improving speech intelligibility across the space.

• Panel System: 1″ fiberglass core with acoustical fabric overlay
• Corner Detailing: “Fish” tracks used for smooth external edges
• Curtain Layer: Velvet acoustic drapes for added sound absorption

To treat the room effectively, Commercial Acoustics installed a 1″ thick stretched fabric wall system using high-density fiberglass panels wrapped in acoustically transparent fabric. This setup provided broadband absorption—tackling everything from flutter echo to speech masking reflections.

Where walls met at external corners, “fish” track was used to create smooth, continuous transitions. This not only preserved a polished appearance but also ensured acoustic performance wasn’t interrupted by framing irregularities or visual seams.

To enhance low- and mid-frequency absorption, we added heavy velvet acoustic curtains. These were mounted strategically across available wall areas to balance aesthetics and performance—introducing both visual softness and acoustic depth to the space.

• Noise Source: Constant-speed HVAC unit elevated ambient levels
• System Upgrade: Variable control unit dropped sound to 45 dBA
• Timing Strategy: Acoustic work aligned with mechanical retrofit

While the acoustic finishes addressed interior reflections, the persistent noise from the HVAC system remained a challenge. The boardroom’s original unit ran continuously at a fixed output, flooding the space with white noise that masked quiet voices and created listener fatigue.

To tackle this, TECO brought in a mechanical contractor to replace the system with a variable-speed HVAC unit. This upgrade reduced the background noise level significantly—bringing ambient sound down to approximately 45 dBA, which is ideal for speech-driven environments like conference rooms.

Our acoustic installation was scheduled around the HVAC retrofit, allowing both scopes to be completed efficiently. By sequencing the mechanical and acoustic upgrades together, we ensured maximum acoustic impact without delays or rework.

• Speech Clarity: Conversations now flow without repetition
• Professional Look: High-end finishes maintained the boardroom’s style
• Meeting Efficiency: Reduced distractions & faster decision-making

The results were immediate and substantial. After the upgrades, echo was dramatically reduced, HVAC noise was brought under control, and meetings became noticeably more efficient. Attendees could speak at normal volume and be clearly heard from anywhere in the room.

Remote participants also experienced clearer audio quality, improving the effectiveness of hybrid meetings. With less time spent repeating comments or clarifying misunderstandings, board meetings ran smoother and wrapped faster—without sacrificing collaboration or clarity.

All of this was accomplished without compromising the executive design language of the room. The stretched fabric walls and velvet curtains elevated the look of the space while delivering the acoustic performance that TECO’s leadership team required.

In corporate settings where decisions affect hundreds of thousands of customers, there’s no room for miscommunication. For Tampa Electric Company, whose meeting room is the nerve center of utility operations, investing in acoustics was not just a design upgrade—it was a functional imperative. Echo, HVAC noise, and poor speech clarity were actively undermining productivity and executive alignment.

With a fabric-wrapped wall system and dense acoustic curtains, TECO transformed its boardroom into a high-performance environment where speech is clear, meetings are focused, and the space reflects the professionalism of the organization itself. These upgrades didn’t just improve comfort—they created conditions for better decisions and more effective collaboration.

For architects and general contractors, this project illustrates how early coordination and thoughtful material selection can lead to transformative outcomes. Acoustic systems aren’t just accessories—they’re critical building components that enhance user experience and long-term usability of a space.

Looking to improve speech clarity & privacy in your next project? Contact us here.