AIA Southeast Asia/ Rockfon - How your Design Choices Can Lead to Great or Terrible Acoustics

When: Thursday 20 August 2026 @ 05:45 (Eastern US time)/ 17:45 (Singapore time)
Where: Raffles City Convention Centre, Singapore 178882

CES Credits - Estimated 1 LU/ HSW for AIA Members

Speaker

Gary Mandaras, PhD, Assoc AIA, ASA, INCE; Acoustics Specialist I Rockfon

Description

That large surface overhead ~ the ceiling ~ is very important for making your designs sound great. Will students understand their teachers? Will patients feel privacy? Will diners be able to chat comfortably? It all depends on what materials you use and where you place them. A common mistake is using specifications from old projects that compromise the acoustics, instead of learning simple design approaches that optimize the sound.

You will learn what roles your ceilings might need to play - absorb noise inside the room, block noise from a floor above or keep conversations in the room next door private. You will learn how materials absorb sound and what all the numbers from the manufacturers mean. You will then learn how much of different materials are needed, and where to place them, to ensure your design is successful to the ears. This seminar is a practical guide to acoustical design with actionable points to improve current projects immediately.

With experience and graduate degrees in Acoustics (Ph.D.), Architecture (M.Arch.) and Business (M.B.A.), Dr. Madaras brings a broad skillset to any auditory endeavour.

In his more than 25-year career in architectural acoustics, Dr. Madaras has served as an Acoustics Consultant with firms such as Jaffe Holden Acoustics, Talaske and PMK Consultants in the United States. For the past 16 years, he has served as Rockfon’s Acoustics Specialist for North America.

Dr. Madaras’ project experience includes a wide variety of educational, cultural, civic, hospitality, healthcare, worship, corporate, multi-family residential and entertainment facilities. He specializes in the design of large assembly spaces for performing arts and education as well as healing environments inside healthcare facilities.

He has been awarded the Robert B. Newman Award for Merit in Architectural Acoustics and his research has won an award from the Institute of Noise Control Engineering.

His work in architectural acoustics has been featured in a series of commARCH video podcasts, on Wall Street Journal Television and in Construction Specifier, Medical Construction & Design and Building Design + Construction magazines.

Dr. Madaras works frequently with organizations such as the National Institute of Building Sciences, National Institutes of Health and Green Building Initiative to evolve acoustical design standards for buildings. He lectures frequently at professional meetings, conferences and trade shows in the architecture, acoustics and healthcare industries.

Many educational videos about architectural acoustics are available on his LinkedIn profile.

AIA Southeast Asia/ RIBA - Mastering Height: Precision Lighting for Large-Scale Commercial Buildings

When: Monday 13 April 2026 @ 06:00 (Eastern US time)/ 18:00 (Singapore time)
Where: ERCO Lighting, 93 Havelock Rd, #03-532, Singapore 160093

CES Credits - Estimated 2.0 LUs for AIA Members

RIBA Credits - 2 CPD

Speaker

Luis Barahona, Architect, Director of Lighting Applications, Asia Pacific and Middle East, ERCO Lighting

Description

Commercial and public buildings increasingly demand lighting strategies that balance visual comfort with architectural impact. In this workshop, ERCO explores how precise photometric tools transform expansive volumes into human-centric environments. We will move beyond simply "filling a room with light" to focus on vertical illumination and beam control that defines the space.

Participants will evaluate the unique requirements of high-ceiling atriums, transit hubs, and galleries. Through case studies, we demonstrate how to marry high-performance LED technology with long-term operational value, ensuring that even the most cavernous spaces feel intimate and purposeful.

About ERCO

ERCO is an international specialist for high-quality and digital architectural lighting. The family-owned company, founded in 1934, operates globally in 55 countries with independent sales organisations and partners.

ERCO understands light as the fourth dimension of architecture – and thus as an integral part of sustainable building. Light is the contribution to making society and architecture better and, at the same time, preserving our environment. ERCO Greenology® – the corporate strategy for sustainable lighting – combines ecological responsibility with technological expertise.

At the light factory in Lüdenscheid, Germany, ERCO develops, designs, and manufactures luminaires with a focus on photometric optics, electronics, and sustainable design. They are used primarily in the following applications: Work and Culture, Community and Public/Outdoor, Contemplation, Living, Shop and Hospitality. ERCO lighting experts support architects and designers worldwide in transforming their projects into reality with highly precise, efficient, and sustainable lighting solutions.

Speaker Bio

Ecuador-born and Germany-educated, Luis Barahona holds a bachelor’s degree in Architecture from the University of Mainz, Germany, and is fluent in Spanish, German, and English. With the extensive knowledge

in architectural lighting, he is often invited as a guest of keynote

speaker at conferences and seminars, as well as lighting workshops throughout the regions.

Prior to Mr. Barahona’s career at ERCO, he has been working as an architect in Berlin for more than 14 years. After joining ERCO in

Germany in 2001, he started as an Erasmus Trainer for Central Europe, advising lighting design solutions for specific projects in the Asia Pacific and the Middle East.

In October 2006, Mr. Barahona moved to Singapore to spearhead the launch of the regional headquarters for the Asia Pacific and Middle East as the Technical Manager, Head of Lighting Design and Erasmus Trainer. As a firm believer that education is key, he is also an occasional guest lecturer in many of the design schools in the region to expand the understanding and importance of lighting design.

Mr. Barahona currently holds the position of Director of Lighting Applications for the Asia Pacific and the Middle East Regions at the ERCO Asia Pacific Headquarters in Singapore.

LinkedIn profile: https://www.linkedin.com/in/luis-f-r-barahona-10818175/