Some considerations on the use of space sound absorbers with next-generation materials reflecting COVID situations in Japan: additional sound absorption for post-pandemic challenges in indoor acoustic environments.

In this study, we first point out the possible acoustic problems associated with the post-pandemic operation of built environments. In particular, we focus on the problem of acoustic deficiency due to the lack of absorption. This deficiency, which is likely to be encountered in most enclosed spaces in a range of establishments, is due to the reduced number of audience members or users of the space as a result of social distancing. As one of the promising solutions to this problem, we introduce a sound absorption technique using three-dimensional (3D) space sound absorbers developed through our recent research projects. Significantly, the type of sound absorber proposed herein is made of materials that are especially suited to hygiene considerations. The materials are microperforated panels (MPPs) and permeable membranes (PMs), both of which are easily washable and sanitised. Furthermore, we point out that 3D-MPP or PM space absorbers possess the additional value of aesthetic designability.

How did the 'state of emergency' declaration in Japan due to the COVID-19 pandemic affect the acoustic environment in a rather quiet residential area?

The COVID-19 pandemic caused lockdowns in many countries worldwide. Acousticians have made surveys to monitor how cities became quieter under the lockdown, mainly in central areas in cities. However, there have been few studies on the changes in the acoustic environment due to the pandemic in the usually quieter residential areas. It may be expected to be different from the effect in 'originally noisy' areas. Also, the effect could be different in Japan, because the 'state of emergency' declaration there was different to lockdowns elsewhere. Considering these circumstances, this article reports the results of noise monitoring and makes some observations on the acoustic environment in residential areas far from city centres, to provide an example of how the acoustic environment was affected by the state of emergency declaration due to the COVID-19 pandemic in Japan. The results showed that the reduction of noise levels was somewhat less than that reported in large cities. Also, comparing the results after the cancellation of the state of emergency, the noise level increased again. However, observations of noise sources imply that a possible change in human behaviour may have also affected the acoustic environment.

Evaluation of the changing urban soundscape in Turkey during Covid-19 pandemic through online survey

The disease caused by the virus named Covid-19 and declared as a pandemic has shortly spread worldwide. Measures taken during the pandemic has exceedingly affected the acoustic environment of the cities. Sounds are a part of the human activities in the cities;therefore, they contain information regarding city life. It is possible to understand the positive or negative impacts of the pandemic on social life by analyzing the acoustic life throughout the process. Within the scope of the study, the impacts of the changing social life in Turkey on the city acoustic were studied physically, socially, and psychologically with the soundscape approach. The study conducted accordingly is designed to understand how the Covid-19 process affected the urban soundscape. For this reason, the focus was on the answers given to the participants on their level of pleasantness with the acoustical environment before and during the pandemic, the change in the sound sources they heard, and the sounds they were pleased to hear during the pandemic. Due to Covid-19 restrictions, the study was conducted by using an online Internet survey with 690 participants across Turkey. In addition to the cities with high participation in the study and a general evaluation was made. At the end of the study, it was seen that the change in sound environment pleasantness was more pronounced, especially in the cities of high population density. In general, the audibility of nature-based sounds increased and nature-based sounds were found to be pleasing during the pandemic. © 2023, Istanbul Teknik Universitesi, Faculty of Architecture. All rights reserved.

The impact of the COVID-19 pandemic on community noise

The COVID-19 pandemic has caused considerable changes in our lives. It has influenced our society, education, economy, and environment as well as our lifestyle. We have got used to wearing face masks daily. Working or studying from home is not an unusual thing anymore. On the other hand, some that we used to regard as normal, such as travelling abroad, have become less normal in this era. These changes subsequently influenced the acoustic environment in our community. Countries have closed their borders, set travel restrictions, and ordered their residents to stay home. Due to the reduced number of travelling, recent studies have noticed changes in traffic noise exposure. In addition, people gather less (e.g. at pubs or social events) during the pandemic, which also has an impact on the acoustic environment in our community. This paper provides a review of the literature on the effects of the COVID-19 pandemic on community noise. Based on the review, this paper concludes with suggestions for future research directions to create a better acoustic environment in the post-COVID era. © 2022 Internoise 2022 - 51st International Congress and Exposition on Noise Control Engineering. All rights reserved.

How do the causal structures of noise annoyance and sleep effects change under the significant decrease in aircraft noise

Many models have been proposed to clarify the interactive effects of acoustic and non-acoustic variables on human perception of noise. Due to the corona pandemic, all flights were closed at the end of March 2020, causing an unprecedented change in the acoustic environment around Tan Son Nhat Airport (TSN). Before the outbreak, TSN was the busiest airport in Vietnam and had severe noise problems. This study focused on determining how acoustic and non-acoustic factors affect community health before and after this change. Approximately 1200 responses were obtained from surveys conducted in 12 residential areas around TSN in 2019 and 2020. Structural equation models (SEM) for noise annoyance and insomnia were developed by linking the questionnaire items of the social surveys. The first effort aims to achieve a common model of noise annoyance and insomnia corresponding to community response to noise before and after the change. It has been found that the degrees of annoyance and insomnia were not reduced, as expected, but increased in 2020. The final constructed SEM indicates that acoustic and non-acoustic factors affected the community health in different structures before and after the noise reduction. © 2022 Internoise 2022 - 51st International Congress and Exposition on Noise Control Engineering. All rights reserved.

Objective and perceived acoustic environments during the COVID-19 lockdown: An overview of evidence

The COVID-19 pandemic took a heavy toll on population health directly, but also triggered profound changes to social life, daily mobility patterns, and activity spaces. At the beginning, public health measures for limiting the spread of the virus mandated home confinement and limited outdoor activities, which in turn reshaped typical acoustic environments for many people. This overview provides a synopsis of the evidence of changes to residential noise exposure and perceived soundscape quality and components across different contexts. Most studies reported sound level reductions in the range of 4-10 dB. Reductions were larger on weekends compared with weekdays, and in previously socially active areas compared with traffic-dominated locations. People had a clear preference for the new lockdown soundscapes. Traffic noise levels reportedly declined across various settings, allowing for natural sounds, hitherto masked, to become more prominent. © 2022 Internoise 2022 - 51st International Congress and Exposition on Noise Control Engineering. All rights reserved.

"You are on mute”: the impact of indoor soundscape on sexual well-being during the COVID-19 lockdown

Sexual well-being is a fundamental facet of the overall well-being of most individuals and implies the ability to have safe and pleasurable sexual experiences, beyond the absence of disease or disturbance. The extent to which people can achieve sexual well-being depends, among other aspects, on whether they live in an environment that promotes and support it. The present study focuses on the unexplored impacts of the perceived acoustic environment (i.e., the soundscape) on human sexual activity carried out in domestic settings. Verbal descriptions have been gathered from open-ended questions included in a survey administered to 848 respondents living in the UK (London area) and in Italy in January 2021 during the COVID-19 lockdown. Thematic analysis was used to extract a framework detailing the positive and negative impacts of the acoustic environment on sexual activity. The results show the mechanisms by which the acoustic features of the environment can impact on the sexual experience in terms of privacy, distraction, disruption or support, up to trigger coping strategies (e.g., controlling windows, playing music) and behavioural changes (e.g., lowering the volume of the voice) that can in turn limit or enhance the freedom of sexual behaviour, affect or foster sexual well-being. © 2022 Internoise 2022 - 51st International Congress and Exposition on Noise Control Engineering. All rights reserved.

An example of a digital engagement platform for large scale community engagement using auralization

The global COVID-19 pandemic has resulted in social distance restrictions that have limited the ability for transport authorities to undertake in-person community engagement activities and consult on proposed local infrastructure developments. Potential increases in noise levels or change in acoustic environment can often be a key concern for residents living close to a proposed development. This paper documents the approach taken to engage with local stakeholders regarding a proposed new light rail metro line in Toronto, Ontario, Canada, using an innovative online web-based auralization tool. The tool allows the existing trains and planned new metro trains to be compared interactively in an environmental context and with and without acoustic mitigation interventions. The paper discusses the benefits, challenges and limitations associated with the delivery method and provides an overview of the auralization approach of the proposed new metro line. © 2022 Internoise 2022 - 51st International Congress and Exposition on Noise Control Engineering. All rights reserved.

The Role of Traffic Volume on Sound Pressure Level Reduction before and during COVID-19 Lockdown Measures-A Case Study in Bochum, Germany.

During the SARS-CoV-2 pandemic, sound pressure levels (SPL) decreased because of lockdown measures all over the world. This study aims to describe SPL changes over varying lockdown measure timeframes and estimate the role of traffic on SPL variations. To account for different COVID-19 lockdown measures, the timeframe during the pandemic was segmented into four phases. To analyze the association between a-weighted decibels (dB(A)) and lockdown phases relative to the pre-lockdown timeframe, we calculated a linear mixed model, using 36,710 h of recording time. Regression coefficients depicting SPL changes were compared, while the model was subsequently adjusted for wind speed, rainfall, and traffic volume. The relative adjusted reduction of during pandemic phases to pre-pandemic levels ranged from -0.99 dB(A) (CI: -1.45; -0.53) to -0.25 dB(A) (CI: -0.96; 0.46). After controlling for traffic volume, we observed little to no reduction (-0.16 dB(A) (CI: -0.77; 0.45)) and even an increase of 0.75 dB(A) (CI: 0.18; 1.31) during the different lockdown phases. These results showcase the major role of traffic regarding the observed reduction. The findings can be useful in assessing measures to decrease noise pollution for necessary future population-based prevention.

The Acoustic Environment and University Students' Satisfaction with the Online Education Method during the COVID-19 Lockdown.

The acoustic environment has been pointed out as a possible distractor during student activities in the online academic modality; however, it has not been specifically studied, nor has it been studied in relation to parameters frequently used in academic-quality evaluations. The objective of this study is to characterize the acoustic environment and relate it to students' satisfaction with the online learning modality. For that, three artificial neural networks were calculated, using as target variables the students' satisfaction and the noise interference with autonomous and synchronous activities, using acoustic variables as predictors. The data were obtained during the COVID-19 lockdown, through an online survey addressed to the students of the Universidad de Las Américas (Quito, Ecuador). Results show that the noise interference with comprehensive reading or with making exams and that the frequency of noises, which made the students lose track of the lesson, were relevant factors for students' satisfaction. The perceived loudness also had a remarkable influence on engaging in autonomous and synchronous activities. The performance of the models on students' satisfaction and on the noise interference with autonomous and synchronous activities was satisfactory given that it was built only with acoustic variables, with correlation coefficients of 0.567, 0.853, and 0.865, respectively.

A qualitative and quantitative synthesis of the impacts of COVID-19 on soundscapes: A systematic review and meta-analysis.

The current prolonged coronavirus disease (COVID-19) pandemic has substantially influenced numerous facets of our daily lives for over two years. Although a number of studies have explored the pandemic impacts on soundscapes worldwide, their works have not been reviewed comprehensively nor systematically, hence a lack of prospective soundscape goals based upon global evidence. This review study examines evidence of the COVID-19 crisis impacts on soundscapes and quantifies the prevalence of unprecedented changes in acoustic environments. Two key-research classes were identified based on a systematic content analysis of the 119 included studies: (1) auditory perceptual change and (2) noise level change due to the COVID-19 pandemic/lockdown. Our qualitative synthesis ascertained the substantial adverse consequences of pandemic soundscapes on human health and well-being while beneficial aspects of the COVID-19 pandemic on soundscapes were yet identified. Furthermore, meta-analysis results highlight that the observed average noise-level reduction (148 averaged samples derived from 31 studies) varied as a function of the stringency level of the COVID-19 confinement policies imposed by the governments, which would be further moderated by urban morphology and main noise sources. Given these collective findings, we propose soundscape materiality, its nexus with related the United Nations' sustainable development goals (SDGs), and prospective approaches to support resilient soundscapes during and after the pandemic, which should be achieved to enhance healthy living and human well-being.

The Impact of Sound Sources on Perception Dimensions in Indonesian Settlements Area

The disruptive technology and Covid-19 pandemic situation caused many activities to be carried out at home. Activities at home often cause physical and mental health problems if not supported by an excellent residential environment. The United Nations also emphasized that this attention to physical and mental health is one of the sustainable issues that need to be taken seriously by paying attention to the quality of the surrounding environment. An alternative approach to improve mental health is through a soundscape approach. A soundscape is an approach that investigates the relationship between the acoustic environment and the perception of the environment it evokes. This study tried to look at the relationship between the sound source around the Indonesian settlement area and the residents' resulting perception. Resident's perception data are collected in several residential areas in Indonesia. The results of this study indicate the elements of sound sources that affect the perception of residential areas. These elements need to be regulated to improve physical and mental health in the residential area, to create a more sustainable environment for humans. © Published under licence by IOP Publishing Ltd.

Efficacy of Sound Therapy for Tinnitus Using an Enriched Acoustic Environment with Hearing-Loss Matched Broadband Noise.

BACKGROUND: Tinnitus is a rather heterogeneous chronic condition/disorder which is difficult to treat. Some tinnitus treatments combine sound therapy with counselling. The main goal of this study is to report the efficacy of a customized sound therapy combined with counselling on a cohort of 83 tinnitus patients. METHODS: 119 tinnitus subjects, recruited between January 2018 and June 2021, were subjected to a treatment consisting of a combination of an initial counselling session and four-month sound therapy. The sound stimulus was a personalized broadband noise colored by the audiometry of the subjects. These stimuli were given to the patients in mp3 format to be heard 1 h per day over 4 months. The tinnitus severity of the patients was evaluated monthly through the validated Spanish version of the Tinnitus Handicap Inventory. RESULTS: Of the patients, 30% (36 of 119) withdrew from the treatment before finishing, and 96% (80 of 83) of the subjects completing the therapy attained some relief after 4 months. The overall average THI decrease of these 80 participants was 23. However, when the THI was analyzed by severity scales, it was found that patients with initial mild, moderate, severe and catastrophic handicap had an average THI decrease of 14, 20, 31 and 42 points, respectively. Thus, the average THI decrease depended on the baseline severity scale of patients. CONCLUSIONS: Consequently, the proposed treatment was demonstrated to be effective in providing clinically relevant relief in tinnitus distress patients in just 4 months.

Relaxing and working from home: Associations between heating, ventilation and cooling system typologies and indoor soundscape evaluation

Data from an online survey conducted in January 2021 by 464 participants living in London and working from home (WFH) after the COVID-19 outbreak were analysed, focusing on: (1) types of building services at home, (2) perceived sound dominance of building services, and (3) the perception of the indoor acoustic environment (i.e. the indoor soundscape) in relation to two main activities, i.e. WFH and relaxation. Results show that most of participants' houses had radiators for heating and relied on window opening for ventilation and cooling. Air systems (e.g., HVAC systems) resulted in higher perceived dominance compared to other systems, but only when evaluated for WFH. Sound dominance from building services was in turn related to soundscape evaluation. Spaces with less dominant sounds from building services were more appropriate for both WFH and relaxation, and spaces with fewer dominant sounds were assessed better, but just for WFH. Participants' evaluations generally did not differ according to building service typology. The presence of air-cooling systems was associated with better perceived sound environments, most likely due to better acoustics conditions in newly built or retrofitted dwellings, more probably equipped with air cooling systems. Preliminary findings point out the importance of carefully considering the dominance of sounds by building services, especially for air systems, in relation to traditional and new uses of residential buildings. © 2021 Institute of Physics Publishing. All rights reserved.

Cluster Analysis of Urban Acoustic Environments on Barcelona Sensor Network Data.

As cities grow in size and number of inhabitants, continuous monitoring of the environmental impact of sound sources becomes essential for the assessment of the urban acoustic environments. This requires the use of management systems that should be fed with large amounts of data captured by acoustic sensors, mostly remote nodes that belong to a wireless acoustic sensor network. These systems help city managers to conduct data-driven analysis and propose action plans in different areas of the city, for instance, to reduce citizens' exposure to noise. In this paper, unsupervised learning techniques are applied to discover different behavior patterns, both time and space, of sound pressure levels captured by acoustic sensors and to cluster them allowing the identification of various urban acoustic environments. In this approach, the categorization of urban acoustic environments is based on a clustering algorithm using yearly acoustic indexes, such as Lday, Levening, Lnight and standard deviation of Lden. Data collected over three years by a network of acoustic sensors deployed in the city of Barcelona, Spain, are used to train several clustering methods. Comparison between methods concludes that the k-means algorithm has the best performance for these data. After an analysis of several solutions, an optimal clustering of four groups of nodes is chosen. Geographical analysis of the clusters shows insights about the relation between nodes and areas of the city, detecting clusters that are close to urban roads, residential areas and leisure areas mostly. Moreover, temporal analysis of the clusters gives information about their stability. Using one-year size of the sliding window, changes in the membership of nodes in the clusters regarding tendency of the acoustic environments are discovered. In contrast, using one-month windowing, changes due to seasonality and special events, such as COVID-19 lockdown, are recognized. Finally, the sensor clusters obtained by the algorithm are compared with the areas defined in the strategic noise map, previously created by the Barcelona city council. The developed k-means model identified most of the locations found on the overcoming map and also discovered a new area.