28.12.2014 Views

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

SHOW MORE
SHOW LESS

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.

Hooray! Your file is uploaded and ready to be published.

Saved successfully!

Ooh no, something went wrong!