Browsing by Keyword "Acoustic comfort"
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Item Analysis of Field Data to Describe the Effect of Context (Acoustic and Non-Acoustic Factors) on Urban Soundscapes(2017) Herranz-Pascual, Karmele; García, Igone; Diez, Itxasne; Santander, Alvaro; Aspuru, Itziar; Tecnalia Research & Innovation; CALIDAD Y CONFORT AMBIENTAL; ADAPTACIÓN AL CAMBIO CLIMÁTICOThe need to improve acoustic environments in our cities has led to increased interest in correcting or minimising noise pollution in urban environments, something that has been associated with the resurgence of the soundscape approach. This line of research highlights the importance of context in the perception of acoustic environments. Despite this, few studies consider together a wide number of variables relating to the context, and analyse the relative importance of each. The purpose of this paper is therefore to identify the acoustic and non-acoustic characteristics of a place (context) that influence an individual’s perception of the sound environment and the relative importance of these factors in soundscape. The aim is to continue advancing in the definition of an acoustic comfort indicator for urban places. The data used here were collected in various soundscape campaigns carried out by Tecnalia in Bilbao (Spain) between 2011 and 2014. These studies involved 534 evaluations of 10 different places. The results indicate that many diverse contextual factors determine soundscape, the most important being the congruence between soundscape and landscape. The limitations of the findings and suggestions for further research are also discussed.Item CITI-SENSE: Methods and tools for empowering citizens to observe acoustic comfort in outdoor public spaces(2016-01) Aspuru, Itziar; García, Igone; Herranz, Karmele; Santander, Alvaro; CALIDAD Y CONFORT AMBIENTAL; ADAPTACIÓN AL CAMBIO CLIMÁTICOThe purpose of this research was to design and deploy tools that apply the concept of citizen observatories and empowering citizens in the assessment of acoustic comfort in public places. The research applies an iterative cycle of design and this article presents the results of a demonstrative experiment carried out insitu using the first products developed. This work was undertaken as part of the CITI-SENSE project. A viable technical and procedural solution was designed and tested in a field demonstration, where 53 people were engaged to provide 137 observations in the city of Vitoria-Gasteiz, using environmental sensors connected to a smartphone. The results have been analyzed and discussed in terms of the product's attractiveness for engaging citizens in the evaluation of acoustic comfort in urban places, the accuracy of the noise levels measured by the acoustic app service integrated into the smartphone, and its ability to obtain simultaneous acoustic and perception data. The results presented in this article are considered a step forward in the research into developing solutions for assessing acoustic comfort. Limitations of the proposed solution are discussed, as are suggestions for further research.Item Empowering people on the assessment of the acoustic comfort of urban places: CITI-SENSE project(2016-08-21) Aspuru, Itziar; García, Igone; Herranz-Pascual, Karmele; Santander, Alvaro; CALIDAD Y CONFORT AMBIENTAL; ADAPTACIÓN AL CAMBIO CLIMÁTICOTecnalia has applied the concept of citizen observatories to empower citizens in the assessment of acoustic comfort in public places. Tools and observation protocols are defined to allow citizens collecting simultaneous objective and subjective data of the sound environment in places of their city known by them. Previous works stated that criteria to define quiet areas should consider not only noise levels, but subjective data also, giving importance to the end-users perception of the area. This work was undertaken as part of the CITI-SENSE project and the solution was tested in a field demonstration, where 53 people were engaged to provide 137 observations in the city of Vitoria-Gasteiz, using environmental sensors connected to a smartphone.Item Integrating Soundscape Criteria in Urban Sustainable Regeneration Processes: An Example of Comfort and Health Improvement: An Example of Comfort and Health Improvement(2022-03-08) Herranz-Pascual, Karmele; Iraurgi, Ioseba; Aspuru, Itziar; Garcia-Pérez, Igone; Santander, Alvaro; Eguiguren, José Luis; Tecnalia Research & Innovation; CALIDAD Y CONFORT AMBIENTAL; SGThis paper reports an example of an urban sustainable regeneration process in a small open square following the soundscape approach in urban design and involving a transdisciplinary team. The renovation of this urban public space brought changes in its acoustic environment and improved soundscape perception as much more pleasant (enhanced comfort). The rehabilitation broadened the use of the square and enhanced users’ wellbeing and health, showing a significant positive impact of sound: reduction in negative emotions and perceived stress while increasing positive feelings. To conclude, the implications of the results about restorative environments in urban sound planning and future areas of research are discussed.Item Progress in the understanding of soundscape: Objective variables and objectifiable criteria that predict acoustic comfort in urban places(2016-01) Herranz-Pascual, Karmele; García, Igone; Aspuru, Itziar; Díez, Itxasne; Santander, Álvaro; CALIDAD Y CONFORT AMBIENTAL; ADAPTACIÓN AL CAMBIO CLIMÁTICO; Tecnalia Research & InnovationThe overall aim of this research was to find a group of easy-to-access variables, that are measurable or assessable, and which help predict acoustic comfort in urban places, in order to make further progress in developing a soundscape indicator based on indices readily available in urban environments. Our main conceptual framework has been the Environmental Experience Model and the ISO of Soundscape, together with the most up-to-date information and technology, where parameters that influence the soundscape and comfort in urban public places have been identified. This work has been undertaken as part of the CITI-SENSE project. A viable technical and procedural solution was designed and tested in a field demonstration, where 53 people were engaged to provide 120 observationsinthe city of Vitoria-Gasteiz, using environmental sensors connected to a smartphone. The results were analysed and are discussed here with the aim of defining an indicator that permits an easy evaluation of acoustic comfort in urban places. The results presented in this article are considered a step forward in the development of a soundscape indicator based on indices readily available in urban environments. The limitations of the findings are also discussed, as are suggestions for further research.