Urban Groundscape Affects Noise
Group Research: Paragraph 1 & 2 re-write:
What is the problem? Who does it affect? Why is it important?
- Predominant hard exterior materials and urban groundscapes results in an increased reverberation of existing urban sound. This amplification of city noise is a background nuisance and has a negative effect on health to urban dwellers.
Specific problem in Barcelona: Thesis: Urban Greenscape affects noise reduction
Qualities to Measure:
- Ways we can measure noise pollution/ reduction:
- number of street lanes (incl. parking)
- any air conditioner window units?
- trees – how many? (scale -1 = none, 5= max)
What method to start to study:
- “walk” around on google street maps and gather data on the streets for the csv file
Research question related to method:
- How can we measure “health” for the occupants of our study area?
- What noise level maps can we find that exist for this area since we cannot be there?
- Is there any research on greenscape reducing urban noise levels?
- How else can we measure this using the resources we have?
Resources:
City of Vancouver Noise Resource Manual
City of Los Angeles Noise and Vibration
The phonic identity of the city urban soundscape for sustainable spaces
The world is urbanizing rapidly, with more than half of the global population now living in cities. Improving urban environments for the well-being of the increasing number of urban citizens is becoming one of the most important challenges of the 21st century. Although city planners customarily have visions of a “good urban environment,” those visions are usually limited to visual aesthetics. The qualitative perspective of sound, which includes sonic diversity and acoustic ecology, is a neglected area of urban design.
Today, many cities have effective legislation that is aimed at reducing the negative effects of noise. Even though many cities may be perceived as very noisy, there are a number of effective practices that can be rather quickly implemented. The soundscape approach, which considers environmental sound as a resource, can be most effective when applied in the urban planning and design process. This paper aimed to apply the soundscape approach in the planning of urban spaces’ redevelopment. It explores how the sound impact on the shaping of urban open spaces through international case studies. Then the paper suggests a strategy for including the urban soundscape in the planning process for one of the noisiest squares in Cairo, in order to create a quiet space amid the city’s bustle. In this context, the paper concludes that, the concept of soundscape is an established theme in the acoustics environment and that there is a need for soundscaping techniques that are specifically adapted to the outdoor environment.
https://doi.org/10.1016/j.hbrcj.2014.12.005Get rights and content
https://www.forestresearch.gov.uk/tools-and-resources/urban-regeneration-and-greenspace-partnership/greenspace-in-practice/benefits-of-greenspace/noise-abatement/
http://www.nbcnews.com/id/46802237/ns/technology_and_science-science/t/noise-pollution-affects-plants-too/#.Xyi7hyhKhPY
http://www.noiseandhealth.org/article.asp?issn=1463-1741;year=2014;volume=16;issue=70;spage=157;epage=165;aulast=Dz
https://www.scirp.org/html/5881.html
https://www.sciencedirect.com/science/article/pii/S004896971733574X?casa_token=CUuSnF7j2_wAAAAA:j_E_fgIXbhhyVfyztinngAlxCnUw9YU58r_1YTbek8zCqkQm9uRVavEp6hY16zDXNieFl7UzO8c
Ok.
So before getting to traffic and air conditioning units, try to organize types of sounds. Examples might be types of mechanical sounds but also location, ie, AC units are on private property but project into right of ways. Cars are within.
Consider plazas vs streets. The example of Gracia plazas should be helpful.
What about frequency of types of sound (high and low) and how that might effect perception.
Perception: do different types of people perceive sound differently by: age; culture; type of neighbhood.
Good start.