Improving the soundscape quality of urban areas exposed to aircraft noise by adding moving water and vegetation

Using soundscape simulation to evaluate compositions for a public space sound installationa)

While urban sound management often focuses on sound as a nuisance, soundscape research suggests that proactive design approaches involving sound art installations can enhance public space experience. Nevertheless, there is no consensus on a methodology to inform the composition of sound installations through soundscape evaluation, and little research on the effect of composition strategies on soundscape evaluation. The present study is part of a research-creation collaboration around the design of a permanent sound installation in an urban public space in Paris (Niches Acoustiques by Nadine Schütz). We report on a laboratory study involving the evaluation of composition sketches prior to the deployment of the installation on-site. Participants familiar with the public space (N = 20) were exposed to Higher-Order Ambisonics recordings of the site, to which compositions of the sound installation pertaining to different composition strategies were added using a soundscape simulation tool. We found three principal components relevant for evaluating and comparing sound installation sketches: pleasantness, familiarity and variety. Further, all composition sketches had a significant effect on the soundscape's familiarity and variety, and the effect of the compositions on these two components was stronger when composition strategies involved abstract sounds (sounds which were not clearly identifiable).

Childhood sound disturbance and sleep problems in Alpine valleys with high levels of traffic exposures and greenspace

Sound disturbance and sleep problems are regarded as the most common adverse effects of environmental noise but evidence of the role of air pollution and greenspace is scant. This is especially true for children who find themselves in a sensitive developmental period and experience their environment differently than adults. This study examined the joint effects of traffic exposures and residential greenspace on child sound disturbance and sleep problems via perceptions of neighborhood quality. We used cross-sectional data for 1251 schoolchildren (8-12 years) in the Tyrol region of Austria/Italy. Questionnaires provided information on sociodemographic and housing factors, perceived neighborhood quality, sound disturbance in different situations, and sleep problems. Modelled acoustic indicators included day-evening-night sound levels and the highest percentile level, and night-time sound level and a bespoke sleep disturbance index. Nitrogen dioxide served as a proxy for traffic-related air pollution. The normalized difference vegetation index was calculated as a measure of residential greenspace, and presence of a domestic garden was self-reported. Results showed that higher level of traffic-related exposures was positively associated with sound disturbance and sleep problems, while living in a greener area, especially in a house with a garden, was associated with lower sound disturbance and less sleep problems even in the presence of traffic. Traffic exposures contributed to more unfavorable, and greenspace to more positive perceptions in terms of traffic-related stressors, opportunities for outdoor recreation, and general satisfaction with the neighborhood. This indirect path seemed more important for greenspace than for traffic exposures. In conclusion, it seems advantageous to combine traffic-related mitigation with improving access to greenspace in interventions for supporting the acoustic comfort of children during day and nighttime. Even highly nature-dominated environments could still benefit from proximal green infrastructure, especially from domestic gardens.

Exploring the restorative benefits of work in smart working structures on vacations in small villages

Introduction

Processes of redefinition of work, already in place in the pre-pandemic era, with the advent of COVID-19, have become widely required. A "model of work" that uses new technologies and the development of existing ones to improve workers' performance and satisfaction has emerged. Smart working has changed how people work and, as a result, spaces must also change to support them. The use of prefabricated movable buildings (PMB) could represent an opportunity to create smart (and co-) working spaces in a regenerative contest. Small villages with historical, architectural, and naturalistic elements and slow-life features are potential platforms where vacation and work could merge easily. This paper aims to establish if working in movable offices, like the PMBs, which provide a high level of visual and acoustics interaction with the surroundings, and which is positioned in small villages' squares, can affect workers' sense of restoration and working performance.

Methods

In a laboratory setting, in the SENS i-Lab, a videowall and a 3D spatial audio system were used to compare, in terms of restorativeness and self-reported cognitive performance, the effects of a high-rise building context of a City Business District (CBD), i.e. the control scenario, and of two typical squares of small Italian villages with historic buildings, without (HIS) and with water elements (HIS-W).

Results

The findings of the experimental sessions showed that when working in close contact (visual and auditory) with historical or water elements, where life flows slowly, workers perceived a higher sense of restoration while job performance was unchanged.

Discussion

Implementing smart working policies in small villages that encourage the use of energy-efficient prefabricated movable buildings and that offer a high level of visual and acoustic interaction with the surrounding environment may represent a promising strategy to foster the development of the local economy and contrast the depopulation of small villages, improving the worker well-being and the reducing the impact of their activities of the environment.

A Study on the Soundscape of Underground Commercial Space in Lu'an City and Hefei City, China

Soundscape is an important part and one of the main factors of the underground space environment. Field surveys were conducted to evaluate the soundscape of underground commercial spaces and to compare it with the soundscape of the above-ground commercial spaces between two cities (Lu'an City and Hefei City) in China, consequently presenting the construction strategy of the soundscape of underground commercial spaces in urban areas. The results showed that the sound in the shopping center, which people found comfortable, was at the lower to intermediate level. The main sounds that people perceived as "general" sounds were environmental sounds such as music, the humming of the air conditioning, people talking, walking, and the hawking of the stores. Nevertheless, "very comfortable" sounds were background music and the sound of live performances, which were indicated in the majority of people's opinions on evaluating a comfortable feeling, thus reflecting the impact of the sound of mall music on people's cognitive psychology. Therefore, it is necessary to control the volume of environmental noise at a certain level so that people's health is not adversely affected. It also helps shoppers to feel more comfortable psychologically and physiologically.

Remote work: Aircraft noise implications, prediction, and management in the built environment

The COVID-19 pandemic has greatly changed workplace management. Most workplaces have adopted the work-from-home policy to minimize the risk of community spread. Consequently, housing estates remain largely occupied during office hours. Since some housing estates are situated in the vicinity of an airport, noise pollution resulted from the takeoff and landing of aircraft is now more noticed by residents, causing annoyance. This problem would be most acute for those located directly under the flight path. Before the pandemic, such aircraft operations had lower effect on the residents because most of them were not at home but at workplaces. Evidently, it is timely that more emphasis should now be placed during urban planning to predict and minimize aircraft noise in the built environment. This article first defines the aircraft noise metrics commonly used to assess environmental impact. Preceded by an overview of how aircraft noise affects the built environment, this article reviews how various aircraft noise prediction models have been used in urban planning. Lastly, this article reviews how aircraft noise can be managed for better acoustic comfort of the residents. Anticipating the adoption of hybrid work arrangement moving forward, this article aims to provide urban planning professionals with an avenue to understand how aircraft noise can negatively affect the built environment, which, in turn, justify why prediction and management of aircraft noise should be emphasized from the outset of urban planning.

Urban Cemeteries as Shared Habitats for People and Nature: Reasons for Visit, Comforting Experiences of Nature, and Preferences for Cultural and Natural Features

Cemeteries are globally culturally protected greenspaces in cities that meet different societal needs and often harbor high biodiversity. To harness the potential of cemeteries as urban green infrastructure, stakeholders need to understand why people visit cemeteries and their preferences. We conducted an online survey in Berlin, Germany (n = 627) to understand (i) the reasons for cemetery visits; (ii) preferences for cemetery features; (iii) the effect of a dead tree as a wilderness component on preferences for differently managed green areas (wild, meadows, lawns); (iv) preferences of nature elements as comforting experiences; and (v) how reasons for the visit and sociodemographic variables relate to respondents’ preferences. The major reasons to visit cemeteries were ‘enjoying nature’, ‘mourning’, and ‘historical interest’ and most preferred cemetery features were ‘wildlife‘, ‘solitude’, and ‘vegetation‘. Presenting a dead tree did not modulate preference ratings for green areas that were depicted on photographs. Comforting experiences with nature elements were high overall. The reasons to visit had besides socio-demographic variables predictive potential on pronounced preferences. The results underscore the importance of cemeteries as multidimensional places and indicate tolerance for the inclusion of dead trees as important wildlife habitat. Strategies to develop cemeteries as shared habitats for people and nature should also consider, besides socio-demographic background, the reasons for cemetery visits.

Assessing the Soundscape Appropriateness in the Vicinity of a Heliport in an Urban Park of Quito (Ecuador) Using Immersive Audio-Visual Scenarios

Heliports are facilities that play a fundamental role in security and emergency operations. Since rotorcrafts do not need much space for take-off and landing, heliports are normally immersed in the urban fabric of our cities. However, they generate high noise levels, which can cause a nuisance, especially in outdoor areas intended for the recreation of citizens. This paper studies how helicopter noise affects the perception of the soundscape appropriateness and landscape quality in the vicinity of a heliport located in an urban park, using semantic differential scales and appraisals on the noise sources. The study area was the "Parque del Bicentenario" in Quito, Ecuador. Immersive Virtual Reality (IVR) laboratory tests using 360-degree videos and spatial audio were preferred to on-site questionnaires, given the difficulty of predicting when helicopter noise events would occur. For the statistical analysis, objective acoustic and psychoacoustic parameters have also been considered. Results show that the soundscape is perceived as more pleasant and less chaotic when there is no helicopter noise. Furthermore, with the same visual stimuli, the appraisals of the landscape are much better in the scenarios without the helicopter noise. Sharpness is the psychoacoustic parameter that best explains the variance of the subjective variables evaluated.

Effects of Evocative Audio-Visual Installations on the Restorativeness in Urban Parks

Road traffic noise is responsible for several negative health effects for citizens in modern cities. Inside urban parks, which citizens use for social inclusion and cohesion, psychological and physical restoration, and physical activities, road traffic noise may significantly reduce the potential of these places to induce or enhance well-being. Although access restriction schemes and screens could be effective solutions to limit noise inside urban park areas, preserving their potential regenerative role may engender mobility, social, aesthetic, and architectural issues. Due to the positive effects that natural elements and water sounds can have on human perception, and based on the previous findings of the beneficial effects of audio-visual installations, this paper investigates the possibility of using audio-visual installations that simply evoke some natural features to improve the restoration of individuals inside urban parks. The study has been carried out using immersive virtual environments in two different experimental laboratory sessions in Hong Kong (China) and Aversa (Italy). The results showed that the positive effects provided by evocative installations were similar to those provided by traditional installations. Furthermore, the effects on the restoration increased as the installations became larger and included enveloping shapes. Furthermore, we found that the amount of evocative water installations’ material was responsible for changes in restoration. In contrast, the Chinese groups were less influenced by these installations.

Investigating the mental health implications of urban environments with neuroscientific methods and mobile technologies: A systematic literature review

Urbanization is an ongoing global process that is influencing and shaping individual mental health and well-being. This paper aims to provide an overview of the current literature containing state-of-the-art neuroscientific and mobile technologies that have been used to investigate the mental health implications of urban environments. Searches for peer-reviewed primary research articles were conducted in PubMed and SCOPUS, returning 33,443 papers; 90 empirical articles published from 1981 to 2021 were included in the final synthesis. Central findings suggest virtual reality and mobile electroencephalography to be the most commonly used methods, and demanding mood, affect, and health phenomena or states to be the most common concepts of study in both physical built settings and natural urban spaces. Recommendations for both future practice and study noting particular opportunities for future methodological contributions are discussed.

Evaluation of Soundscapes in Urban Parks in Olsztyn (Poland) for Improvement of Landscape Design and Management

Soundscape analyses and noise measurements should be a part of pre-design works involved in planning green areas in city centers. The aim of the study was to conduct a multi-criteria analysis of the soundscape of three parks in Olsztyn (Poland) as a part of the landscape planning process to determine the directions of re-design of places most exposed to noise. The research included: 1. functional and spatial analysis of the park surroundings in reference to the city environment, 2. analysis of the acoustic map, 3. measurements of sound pressure levels (SPL) at selected points in two periods (leafless and leafy), 4. analysis of characteristic sounds, 5. interview with park users and preparation of a mental map. The results of research regarding the perception of the soundscape of all three parks by respondents differ slightly from the results of both the acoustic map and SPL measurements. The results also confirm the difference between SPL in the leafless and leafy period. Places most exposed to noise are located at the park boundaries along the main access roads, and at park entrances. Recommendations and sample solutions are proposed, based on two suggested design activities, namely the reduction of undesirable sounds, and introduction of desirable sounds to the parks.

Spatial Soundscapes and Virtual Worlds: Challenges and Opportunities

There is increasing effort to characterize the soundscapes around us so that we can design more compelling and immersive experiences. This review paper focuses on the challenges and opportunities around sound perception, with a particular focus on spatial sound perception in a virtual reality (VR) cityscape. We review how research on temporal aspects has recently been extended to evaluating spatial factors when designing soundscapes. In particular, we discuss key findings on the human capability of localizing and distinguishing spatial sound cues for different technical setups. We highlight studies carried out in both real-world and virtual reality settings to evaluate spatial sound perception. We conclude this review by highlighting the opportunities offered by VR technology and the remaining open questions for virtual soundscape designers, especially with the advances in spatial sound stimulation.

Residential green is associated with reduced annoyance to road traffic and railway noise but increased annoyance to aircraft noise exposure

BACKGROUND

In recent years, residential green and availability of neighbourhood green spaces came into focus as a potential means to reduce transportation noise annoyance. Literature suggests that various characteristics of residential green may play a role, namely, greenness of the residential areas as quantified by the normalized difference vegetation index (NDVI), visible vegetation from home, and the presence of public green spaces as identified by land use classification data (LU-green), as well as their accessibility and noise pollution (i.e., transportation noise exposure within green areas, how loud/quiet they are). So far, studies mostly focused on road traffic noise in urban areas.

OBJECTIVE

We investigated the effects of residential green on noise annoyance, accounting for different transportation noise sources as well as for the degree of urbanisation.

METHODS

We complemented the data set of the recent Swiss SiRENE survey on road traffic, railway and aircraft noise annoyance with a wide range of "green" metrics, and investigated their association with annoyance by means of logistic regression analysis (generalized estimating equations).

RESULTS

Increasing residential green was found to be associated with reduced road traffic and railway noise annoyance, but increased aircraft noise annoyance. The overall effect corresponded to equivalent level reductions of about 6 dB for road traffic and 3 dB for railway noise, but to an increase of about 10 dB for aircraft noise, when residential green increased from "not much green" (5th percentile of the study sample distribution) to "a lot of green" (95th percentile). Overall, NDVI and LU-green were particularly strongly linked to annoyance. The effects of visible vegetation from home and accessibility and/or quietness of green spaces were, overall, less strong, but depended on the degree of urbanisation. For road traffic noise, visible vegetation and accessibility of green spaces seem to particularly strongly reduce annoyance in cities, while quiet green spaces are more effective in rural areas.

CONCLUSIONS

Our study emphasizes that residential green should be fostered by city planners, particularly in densely populated areas.

Historical Cloisters and Courtyards as Quiet Areas

Searching for renovating and/or constructing quiet areas in historical urban sites, along with the conservation and valorization policies of the tangible and intangible value of historic urban sites are goals that can be combined into a unique sustainable strategy for the preservation of the sense of place and identity of communities as well as their well-being. Historic cloisters and courtyards are examples of such sites. Due to their physical, architectural, environmental and cultural features, they present restorative capabilities that could qualify them as quite areas. This paper aims to establish a new procedure that, through the exploration and analysis of past and current aspects of these sites, makes it possible to classify them and understand whether they still preserve a restorative character. A graphic representation, obtained from a historical analysis and an objective description of past and current historical/architectural, environmental and cultural scenarios, has been used. The results were compared with those of the Perceived Restorativeness Scale (PRS-11). A diamond shape represents highly restorative sites, while deviations from this shape were found to be weakly correlated with a restorative nature. This has also been shown by the high positive correlation of analytical parameters with the PRS-11 score and, in particular, with the component of Fascination.