Sustainability and Noise Annoyance

Since the development of the 5-point verbal and 11-point numerical scales for measuring noise annoyance by the ICBEN Team 6, these scales have been widely used in socio-acoustic surveys worldwide, and annoyance responses have been easily compared internationally. However, both the top two categories of the 5–point verbal scale and the top three ones of the 11-point numerical scale are correspond to high annoyance, so it is difficult to precisely compare annoyance responses. Therefore, we calculated differences in day–evening–night-weighted sound pressure levels (Lden) by comparing values corresponding to 10% highly annoyed (HA) on Lden_%HA curves obtained from measurements in 40 datasets regarding surveys conducted in Japan and Vietnam. The results showed that the Lden value corresponding to 10% HA using the 5-point verbal scale was approximately 5 dB lower than that of the 11-point numerical scale. Thus, some correction is required to compare annoyance responses measured by the 5-point verbal and the 11-point numerical scales. The results of this study were also compared with those of a survey in Switzerland.

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Aircraft Noise Distribution as a Fairness Dilemma—A Review of Aircraft Noise through the Lens of Social Justice Research

International Journal of Environmental Research and Public Health ◽

10.3390/ijerph18147399 ◽

2021 ◽

Vol 18 (14) ◽

pp. 7399

Author(s):

Dominik Hauptvogel ◽

Susanne Bartels ◽

Dirk Schreckenberg ◽

Tobias Rothmund

Keyword(s):

Social Justice ◽

Noise Exposure ◽

Cost Benefit ◽

Aircraft Noise ◽

Noise Distribution ◽

Justice Research ◽

Fairness Perceptions ◽

Noise Annoyance ◽

Social Justice Research ◽

The Relationship

Aircraft noise exposure is a health risk and there is evidence that noise annoyance partly mediates the association between noise exposure and stress-related health risks. Thus, approaches to reduce annoyance may be beneficial for health. Annoyance is influenced by manifold non-acoustic factors and perceiving a fair and trustful relationship between the airport and its residents may be one of them. The distribution of aircraft noise exposure can be regarded as a fairness dilemma: while residents living near an airport may seem to have some advantages, the majority of residents living under certain flight routes or in their immediate proximity suffer from the disadvantages of the airport, especially the noise. Moreover, a dilemma exists between the airport’s beneficial economic impact for a region and the physical and psychological integrity of residents. Aircraft noise exposure through the lens of social justice research can help to improve our understanding of noise annoyance. Research indicates that the fairness perceptions of the parties involved can be enhanced by (a) improving individual cost–benefit ratios, (b) providing a fair procedure for deciding upon the noise distribution, and (c) implementing fair social interaction with residents. Based on the review of evidence from social justice research, we derive recommendations on how fairness aspects can be integrated into aircraft noise management with the purpose of improving the relationship between the airport and its residents, to reduce annoyance, and to enhance the acceptance of local aviation and the airport as a neighbor.

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Predictors of noise annoyance from construction of a large metropolitan highway project

Transportation Research Part D Transport and Environment ◽

10.1016/j.trd.2021.102787 ◽

2021 ◽

Vol 94 ◽

pp. 102787

Author(s):

Alexis Pinsonnault-Skvarenina ◽

Mathieu Carrier ◽

Dana-Elena Manolache ◽

Annelies Bockstael ◽

Jean-Pierre Gagné ◽

...

Keyword(s):

Noise Annoyance ◽

Highway Project

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The influence of a signal’s time structure on the perceived noise annoyance of road traffic noise

Journal of Environmental Health Science and Engineering ◽

10.1007/s40201-021-00655-4 ◽

2021 ◽

Author(s):

Jan Felcyn

Keyword(s):

Road Traffic ◽

Temporal Structure ◽

Traffic Noise ◽

Sound Level ◽

Time Structure ◽

Common Source ◽

Road Traffic Noise ◽

Noise Annoyance ◽

Modern Cities ◽

Negative Feelings

Abstract Purpose Road traffic noise is the most common source of noise in modern cities. The noise indicators used to manage noise do not take into account its temporal structure. However, in cities the traffic flow varies during the day, peaking due to congestion and more fluent periods. In this research we sought to analyze how people (giving answers on a numerical ICBEN scale) perceive noise stimuli with the same LAeqT values but different time structures (more/less noise events, different amplitude envelopes). Methods 31 people with normal hearing took part in an experiment conducted in an anechoic chamber. Participants listened to 18 different noise recordings and rated each of them using the numerical ICBEN scale regarding noise annoyance. Results The results showed that only sound level was a statistically significant factor. However, based on people’s remarks about noise, we can also say that the more intermittent the noise is, the more negative feelings it evokes in people. Conclusions Time structure does not have a significant influence on people’s judgments about noise annoyance. However, people tend to have a preference for a steady noise rather than an intermittent one.

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Audiovisual Bimodal and Interactive Effects for Soundscape Design of the Indoor Environments: A Systematic Review

Sustainability ◽

10.3390/su13010339 ◽

2021 ◽

Vol 13 (1) ◽

pp. 339

Author(s):

Yoshimi Hasegawa ◽

Siu-Kit Lau

Keyword(s):

Systematic Review ◽

Visual Information ◽

Web Of Science ◽

Interactive Effects ◽

Indoor Environments ◽

Sound Sources ◽

Noise Annoyance ◽

Visual Variable ◽

Soundscape Studies ◽

Potential Use

A growing number of soundscape studies involving audiovisual factors have been conducted; however, their bimodal and interactive effects on indoor soundscape evaluations have not yet been thoroughly reviewed. The overarching goal of this systematic review was to develop the framework for designing sustainable indoor soundscapes by focusing on audiovisual factors and relations. A search for individual studies was conducted through three databases and search engines: Scopus, Web of Science, and PubMed. Based on the qualitative reviews of the selected thirty papers, a framework of indoor soundscape evaluation concerning visual and audiovisual indicators was proposed. Overall, the greenery factor was the most important visual variable, followed by the water features and moderating noise annoyance perceived by occupants in given indoor environments. The presence of visual information and sound-source visibility would moderate perceived noise annoyance and influence other audio-related perceptions. Furthermore, sound sources would impact multiple perceptual responses (audio, visual, cognitive, and emotional perceptions) related to the overall soundscape experiences when certain visual factors are interactively involved. The proposed framework highlights the potential use of the bimodality and interactivity of the audiovisual factors for designing indoor sound environments in more effective ways.

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The Epidemiology of Noise Sensitivity in New Zealand

Neuroepidemiology ◽

10.1159/000511353 ◽

2020 ◽

Vol 54 (6) ◽

pp. 482-489

Author(s):

Daniel Shepherd ◽

Marja Heinonen-Guzejev ◽

Kauko Heikkilä ◽

David Welch ◽

Kim N. Dirks ◽

...

Keyword(s):

New Zealand ◽

Social Determinants ◽

Social Deprivation ◽

Personal Characteristics ◽

Social Position ◽

Noise Sensitivity ◽

Noise Annoyance ◽

High Deprivation ◽

Cultural Determinants ◽

And Task

Background: Sensitivity to noise, or nuisance sounds that interrupt relaxation and task-related activities, has been shown to vary significantly across individuals. The current study sought to uncover predictors of noise sensitivity, focussing on possible social and cultural determinants, including social position, education, ethnicity, gender, and the presence of an illness. Method: Data were collected from 746 New Zealand adults residing in 6 areas differentiated by social position. Participants responded to questions probing personal characteristics, noise sensitivity, illness, neighbourhood problems, and noise annoyance. It was hypothesized that those in high-deprivation areas and/or experiencing illness report higher levels of noise sensitivity. Results: Approximately 50 and 10% of the participants reported being moderately or very noise sensitive, respectively. Significant predictors of noise sensitivity included age, length of residence, level of social deprivation, and self-reported illness. Conclusion: There is evidence of social determinants of noise sensitivity, including social position and residential factors.

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