Urban Noise Monitoring Methods: A Comprehensive Guide
Exposure to excessive levels of noise in urban environments is a major concern for citizens and government authorities. Noise pollution is considered one of the most disturbing quality-of-life concerns for urban residents. As cities grow, population rates rise and infrastructure expands, so too does the level of noise. It leads to substantial health, educational, economic and quality of life issues.
From networks of next generation connected small sensors, to handheld sound meters, acoustic monitoring stations and sound-enabled security systems, Acoem offers a wide variety of options for project based to long-term urban noise monitoring solutions.
The Impact of Urban Noise
In addition to disrupting our sleep and causing aggravation, excessive noise levels have extremely detrimental effects on our health. People who live near major roads or airports tend to suffer more frequent headaches and are involved in a greater number of accidents.
The economic impact of noise is also noteworthy. WHO studies in the United States and Europe demonstrate the relationship between environmental noise and real estate markets in cities, with housing prices falling as much as 2% per decibel (dB) increment of noise increase.
Mitigation Strategies
Individuals can choose to mitigate personal disturbances by wearing earplugs or noise canceling headphones to negate external interruptions to the soundscape. From an infrastructure and design perspective, erecting sound barriers along major roadways or train networks can lessen the impact of excessive noise.
Acoem's Solutions for Noise Monitoring
Acoem safety and security solutions include a number of systems designed to quantify and qualify noise as part of regulatory compliance and environmental control in cities and built-up areas. Acoem has developed the Noise radar as a single holistic solution for monitoring and measuring urban road traffic noise.
The offending vehicle is authenticated via licence plate reading using an integrated camera. Measurements are corrected and validated according to external parameters. The data is then transmitted via the ATD threat detection technology to our Cloud server and on to designated authorities for automatic issuing of infringements or penalties.
Unfortunately, noise is a reality we all must face if we live and work in urban environments, and depending on your location, ideally local, state or federal government regulations will provide a framework for some level of protection.
Key Components of Acoem's Noise Monitoring System
| Component | Description |
|---|---|
| Noise Radar | A holistic solution for monitoring and measuring urban road traffic noise. |
| Integrated Camera | Authenticates the offending vehicle via license plate reading. |
| ATD Threat Detection Technology | Transmits data to the Cloud server for processing and distribution. |