Indoor soundscape assessment: A principal components model of acoustic perception in residential buildings

Torresin, Simone; Albatici, Rossano; Aletta, Francesco; Babich, Francesco; Oberman, Tin; Siboni, S.; Kang, Jian

doi:10.1016/j.buildenv.2020.107152

Cited by 94 publications

(81 citation statements)

References 47 publications

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“…Moreover, typical average noise level measurements would not only underestimate participants’ actual exposure to all sources at all sites both indoors and outdoors, but also carrying out measurements at participants’ homes was not feasible during the state of emergency. We acknowledge that using psychoacoustic noise indicators would have allowed for better discrimination of sound pleasantness and other perceptual dimensions [ 30 , 52 ] and raised our confidence in the associations observed.…”

Section: Discussionmentioning

confidence: 99%

“…In the present study, we seek to understand how the indoor soundscape related to university students’ self-rated health in Bulgaria around the time that the country was under a state of emergency declaration caused by the COVID-19 pandemic. For this purpose, we use a perceived soundscape approach [ 49 , 50 ] taking up on recent developments in indoor soundscape research [ 51 , 52 ]. First, we explore whether preferences for various forms of sound experienced indoors can be grouped into conceptual categories.…”

Section: Introductionmentioning

confidence: 99%

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University Students’ Self-Rated Health in Relation to Perceived Acoustic Environment during the COVID-19 Home Quarantine

Dzhambov

Stoyanov

Petrova

et al. 2021

IJERPH

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Background: Online education became mandatory for many students during the Coronavirus disease 2019 (COVID-19) pandemic and blurred the distinction between settings where processes of stress and restoration used to take place. The lockdown also likely changed perceptions of the indoor acoustic environment (i.e., soundscape) and raised its importance. In the present study, we seek to understand how indoor soundscape related to university students’ self-rated health in Bulgaria around the time that the country was under a state of emergency declaration caused by the COVID-19 pandemic. Methods: Between 17 May and 10 June 2020, we conducted a cross-sectional online survey among 323 students (median age 21 years; 31% male) from two universities in the city of Plovdiv, Bulgaria. Self-rated health (SRH) was measured with a single-item. Participants were asked how frequently they heard different types of sounds while at home and how pleasant they considered each of those sounds to be. Restorative quality of the home (the “being away” dimension of the Perceived Restorativeness Scale) was measured with a single-item. A priori confounders and effect modifiers included sociodemographics, house-related characteristics, general sensitivity to environmental influences, and mental health. Our analysis strategy involved sequential exploratory factor analysis (EFA), multivariate linear and ordinal regressions, effect modification tests, and structural equation modeling (SEM). Results: EFA supported grouping perceived sounds into three distinct factors—mechanical, human, and nature sounds. Regression analyses revealed that greater exposure to mechanical sounds was consistently associated with worse SRH, whereas no significant associations were found for human and nature sounds. In SEM, exposure to mechanical sounds related to lower restorative quality of the home, and then to poorer SRH, whereas nature sounds correlated with higher restorative quality, and in turn with better SRH. Conclusions: These findings suggest a role of positive indoor soundscape and restorative quality for promoting self-rated health in times of social distancing.

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Section: Discussionmentioning

confidence: 99%

Section: Introductionmentioning

confidence: 99%

University Students’ Self-Rated Health in Relation to Perceived Acoustic Environment during the COVID-19 Home Quarantine

Dzhambov

Stoyanov

Petrova

et al. 2021

IJERPH

View full text Add to dashboard Cite

show abstract

“…Concerning relevant sub-criteria, it is interesting to note how spatial and architectural quality closely follow thermal insulation, confirming the relevance of promoting technical intervention into the energy components (either active or passive solutions) as an opportunity to rearrange the living spaces and aesthetically renovate the property, following an integrated design process addressing the whole building [127]. On the other hand, despite the fact that research on building acoustics report a general inadequacy to provide satisfactory acoustic environments to their occupants, and the emerging of the "soundscape" as a trending topic, the practice suggests that little attention has been paid so far to acoustic comfort improvement [128]. Similarly, the environmental motivations-either CO 2 reduction or providing a good example to neighbors-and the conviction of doing the right thing seems to play a secondary role.…”

Section: Results and Implicationsmentioning

confidence: 99%

Assessing Multiple Benefits of Housing Regeneration and Smart City Development: The European Project SINFONIA

Bisello

2020

Sustainability

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The urban energy transition towards more sustainable energy production and consumption systems is at the top of the European Union political agenda. Several demonstration projects are dealing with the deep-energy retrofit of real-estate assets to show how technological and societal innovation can provide new investment opportunities while enhancing citizens’ quality of life by delivering multiple benefits. In this framework, the EU smart city project SINFONIA has developed and tested a new comprehensive framework to define, identify, and evaluate the main multiple benefits expected from similar initiatives. The present contribution reviews the three assessment exercises carried out in the lighthouse city of Bolzano during the project execution, consisting of an investigation of the users’ stated preferences, an evaluation of consumers‘ revealed preferences and a multicriteria analysis of homeowners’ priorities. It offers an overview of the main achievements and sheds light on further investigatory paths applicable to Positive Energy Districts assessment.

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“…For example, the annual average temperature in São Paulo is higher than those in Seoul and London. The level of control over the indoor environment also affects the perceived quality of the indoor soundscape [41]. Thus, the questionnaire asked about the noise environment with the windows closed.…”

Section: Questionnaire Designmentioning

confidence: 99%

Attitudes to Noise Inside Dwellings in Three Megacities: Seoul, London, and São Paulo

Lee

Hopkins

Penedo

2020

IJERPH

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This study investigated people’s attitudes towards noise inside their homes. Online questionnaire surveys were conducted in Seoul, London, and São Paulo. The questionnaire was designed to assess annoyance caused by noise from neighbours and environmental noise (transportation). Information was also collected on situational, personal, and socio-demographic variables. Respondents that were more annoyed by outdoor noise inside their dwelling reported higher neighbour noise annoyance. In Seoul, neighbour noise was found to be more annoying than outdoor noise, and those with higher noise sensitivity reported higher annoyance towards neighbour noise. However, neighbour noise and outdoor noise was found to be equally annoying in London and São Paulo. For neighbour noise, the average percentage of respondents hearing structure-borne sources compared to airborne sources differed in each city. Most neighbour noise sources in São Paulo gave rise to higher annoyance ratings than Seoul and London. Education and income levels had a limited effect on annoyance and coping strategy. Annoyance with indoor noise from neighbours was found to have stronger relationships with cognitive and behavioural coping strategies than outdoor noise annoyance.

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Indoor soundscape assessment: A principal components model of acoustic perception in residential buildings

Cited by 94 publications

References 47 publications

University Students’ Self-Rated Health in Relation to Perceived Acoustic Environment during the COVID-19 Home Quarantine

University Students’ Self-Rated Health in Relation to Perceived Acoustic Environment during the COVID-19 Home Quarantine

Assessing Multiple Benefits of Housing Regeneration and Smart City Development: The European Project SINFONIA

Attitudes to Noise Inside Dwellings in Three Megacities: Seoul, London, and São Paulo

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