The Mayor's Ambient Noise Strategy - Greater London Authority
The Mayor's Ambient Noise Strategy - Greater London Authority
The Mayor's Ambient Noise Strategy - Greater London Authority
You also want an ePaper? Increase the reach of your titles
YUMPU automatically turns print PDFs into web optimized ePapers that Google loves.
206 Mayor of <strong>London</strong><br />
<strong>The</strong> Mayor’s <strong>Ambient</strong> <strong>Noise</strong> <strong>Strategy</strong><br />
Training and staffing<br />
5.30 More staff and more training will be required if effective strategy<br />
implementation is to be achieved. This will be particularly important as<br />
<strong>London</strong> accommodates more of national development demand with more<br />
higher density mixed-use projects. Borough Environmental Health Officers<br />
are the established body of staff with understanding of <strong>London</strong>’s complex<br />
noise environments. However, demands on their time are many, and<br />
concerns have been expressed over available staffing. Targeted bursaries<br />
to encourage take-up of training by groups currently under-represented in<br />
the environment-related professions could play a role, including for<br />
courses with ‘crossover’ potential between acoustics and the music<br />
industry. Training in noise management for town planners, traffic<br />
engineers, parks and housing managers, and other specialists would help<br />
to ensure that opportunities to secure cost-effective improvements are<br />
not missed. <strong>The</strong> profile of ‘sound-conscious design’ needs to be raised<br />
among architects, landscape designers and other disciplines. Soundrelated<br />
skills may also need to be more extensively applied in businesses<br />
dealing with heating and ventilation, in design, manufacture, installation<br />
and maintenance.<br />
policy 96<br />
<strong>The</strong> Mayor will urge the Government to ensure that imposition of noise<br />
management duties is accompanied by adequate resources, including for<br />
enforcement, extending staff skills and capacity building.<br />
A Mayor’s Sound Award<br />
5.31 Many environmental accreditation schemes exist. <strong>Noise</strong> has not generally<br />
been a focus. Environmental Management Systems assist organisations in<br />
meeting environmental commitments. <strong>The</strong> European Eco Management<br />
and Audit Scheme (EMAS) requires a policy statement, an environmental<br />
programme, management system and a regular audit cycle. All of these<br />
must be validated by an accredited external EMAS verifier. <strong>The</strong> Building<br />
Research Establishment, Construction Industry Research and Information<br />
Association and others, the British Standards Institution and its<br />
international counterparts publishes guides and standards on noise and<br />
vibration. <strong>The</strong> combining of technical, administrative and other measures<br />
at the urban environmental level is less recognised. <strong>The</strong> Mayor will<br />
consider the scope for a competition or award scheme to raise the profile<br />
of sound-related design and noise management, and encourage<br />
innovation for <strong>London</strong>.<br />
proposal 28<strong>The</strong> Mayor will examine the potential role of a competition or award<br />
scheme in encouraging innovation and exemplary practice, such as in<br />
sound-related design or operation, among a variety of organisations<br />
across the city.