A FANA-certified venue is a bar, restaurant or café that has passed an instrumental acoustic assessment carried out by qualified technicians. The certification attests that the noise level and reverberation time of the space fall within the parameters established by FANA for the assigned class (A+, A). It is not a self-declaration: it is an objective, repeatable and verifiable measurement.

Certified venues display the FANA plaque at the entrance showing their acoustic class: you can know what to expect before you even walk in.

Venues with FANA certification are listed in the FANA network on this website. You can search by city or area. The FANA plaque at the venue entrance is the immediate indicator: A+ means no music whatsoever and professional acoustic treatment, A means background music at a controlled volume with acoustic treatment.

If your favourite venue is not yet certified, you can let us know: we collect consumer requests and pass them on to venue owners.

The class indicates the level of certified acoustic comfort:

• A+ — no centralised sound system (no radio, stereo or video with audio) and professionally treated acoustic environment. The highest level of comfort for conversation, reading or working.
• A — music present but at background volume, not overwhelming conversation. Acoustically treated environment.

All classes guarantee a sound level superior to the average of non-certified venues.

The main problem is not the music: it is reverberation. Modern venues use hard surfaces — concrete, glass, ceramics, metal — that reflect sound instead of absorbing it. The result is a reverberation time of 2–3 seconds, whereas the ideal value for conversation is 0.8–1.2 seconds.

Added to this is the cocktail effect: each person raises their voice to be heard, forcing everyone else to do the same. A full venue can easily reach 85–100 dB, equivalent to heavy urban traffic, even without music.

Yes, and it is scientifically documented. The WHO (World Health Organisation) in its 2018 Environmental Noise Guidelines classifies noise pollution as the second greatest environmental health risk in Europe after air quality. The effects of prolonged exposure to high sound levels include:

• Chronic stress with cortisol release
• Sleep disturbances starting from just 40 dB
• Increased cardiovascular risk (hypertension, ischaemic disease)
• Reduced concentration and cognitive fatigue
• Altered taste perception (Oxford research, Flavour Journal 2014)

The process depends on the class you are aiming for:

• Classes A and A+ — an on-site instrumental acoustic assessment is required, carried out by a qualified technician according to the ISO 3382 standard. If the venue passes, certification is issued immediately. If not, FANA provides a technical report with the recommended adjustments.

In all cases, the first contact and preliminary assessment are free of charge and without obligation.

There is no fixed price list: every venue has different characteristics (floor area, volume, materials, target class) that determine the cost. In general, three elements are involved:

• Instrumental acoustic survey — variable cost depending on the size of the venue and the class required.
• Acoustic adjustment works — only necessary if the venue does not pass the assessment. The venue owner is free to use their own contractors: FANA provides only the technical specifications.
• Annual membership fee — covers inclusion in the network, the plaque, the digital badge and ongoing support.

The first assessment is free: contact us with your venue details and you will receive a preliminary estimate within 48 hours.

Yes. FANA certification can be issued for a single room or area of the venue, provided it is acoustically isolated from adjacent spaces and free from sound coming from other areas. This option is particularly useful for restaurants with a noisy main dining room but a quiet private dining room or breakfast area.

The plaque clearly indicates the certified area, avoiding unrealistic expectations from guests.

• Class A+ — requires the complete absence of any centralised sound system. The only permitted exception: major international sporting events (Olympics, FIFA World Cup).
• Class A — music is allowed but must remain at background volume, i.e. at a level that does not overwhelm normal conversation between people seated at the same table.

In all cases FANA provides a precise decibel reference for each class, measurable with any basic sound level app.

Benefits documented by industry research and the experience of acoustically optimised venues:

• Longer average customer dwell time — a comfortable environment encourages guests to stay longer, with a direct impact on order volume
• Differentiation from competitors — in a saturated market, the FANA badge is still uncharted territory: very few venue owners have claimed it
• More positive reviews — acoustic comfort is explicitly mentioned in negative reviews on Google and TripAdvisor: eliminating the problem eliminates the criticism
• More loyal customers — guests who actively seek out acoustically comfortable venues are often professionals, families with young children, elderly people and those with sensory sensitivities: high-value segments
• Authentic communication — the FANA plaque is a verifiable promise, not a slogan

Yes. Reverberation is always correctable, regardless of the existing architecture. High ceilings and reflective surfaces simply require acoustic adjustment before A or A+ certification can be issued. This does not necessarily mean a full refurbishment: ceiling acoustic panels, rugs, curtains and upholstered seating are often sufficient to bring the RT60 down to ideal values.

FANA calculates the absorption deficit of your venue and tells you exactly how many square metres of acoustic material are needed and where to position them. You are then free to choose your own contractors.

RT60 (Reverb Time, ISO 3382 standard) is the fundamental parameter of architectural acoustics: it measures the time in seconds required for the sound level to fall by 60 dB after the sound source stops. In plain terms: how long does your voice take to fade from the room after you stop speaking.

• RT60 of 2–3 sec → typical untreated venue, conversation is difficult
• RT60 of 0.8–1.2 sec → ideal value for bars and restaurants
• RT60 below 0.4 sec → environment is too “dry”, feels unnatural

A high RT60 means every sound adds on top of the previous one instead of fading away, creating the “acoustic bubble” effect that forces everyone to raise their voice.

FANA measurements follow the protocols of the main international and national standards:

• ISO 3382 — methods for measuring reverberation time and acoustic parameters of enclosed spaces
• UNI 11532 — Italian standard for acoustic quality in enclosed environments, with reference values for various uses including bars and restaurants
• ISO 22955 — acoustic requirements for workplaces and public spaces
• WHO Environmental Noise Guidelines 2018 — WHO guidelines on sound levels and health effects

Measurements are carried out with Class 1 sound level metres, the precision grade required by Italian and European standards for reference measurements.

A busy bar or restaurant under normal conditions produces sound levels between 80 and 100 dB(A). For reference: 85 dB is the level of a busy road, 100 dB is that of a pneumatic drill at 10 metres. Italian workplace safety legislation (Legislative Decree 81/2008) requires risk assessment from 80 dB of continuous exposure onwards.

Comfortable conversation requires levels below 65 dB(A) to allow normal speech without effort. At 75 dB it is already necessary to raise your voice.

FANA class A and A+ certification is based on documented instrumental measurements according to the ISO 3382 standard, carried out by qualified technicians. The technical report accompanying the certification has the value of a technical expert assessment and may be used as documentation in the event of disputes, permit applications or acoustic impact assessments.