Night noise guidelines for Europe - WHO/Europe - World Health ...

More documents

Recommendations

Info

10 METHODS AND CRITERIA L night = L night,inside + Y dB [3]. Y is the year average insulation value of the (bedroom) facade. In this report a default value of 21 dB is used (see also section 1.3.5). It should be stressed that this conversion is thought to be highly dependent on local building habits, climate and window opening behaviour. 1.3.4.5 Most exposed facade If an inside level is converted to an outside level with [3], it is assumed that this is equivalent to an L night value on the most exposed facade. No information is available on bedroom position and use, so no explicit conversion factor can be given in this report. This means that the effect estimated on the basis of L night corresponds to an upper limit, because part of the bedrooms will be on a less exposed facade. If an estimate of the exposed population is based on a relation derived with [3], the actual prevalence will be less. From a practical point of view the most exposed facade safeguards protection in cases where there is a possibility that rooms can be swapped. It should be pointed out that the above does not apply if a relation is based on L night values which are directly measured or computed. These relations will show a large variation because of a misclassification effect, but they give a “correct” estimate of the prevalence of effects in the population. In other words, in some cases a low effect may be attributed to a high L night because the bedroom is on the quiet side. 1.3.5 INSIDE/OUTSIDE DIFFERENCES Night-time environmental noise affects residents mainly inside their homes. In order to protect residents inside their homes from noise from outside sources, attention should be focused on windows since they are generally the weakest points in the sound propagation path. Roofs must also be considered with regard to aircraft noise. There are many types of window in the EU, varying from single thin panes within frames without additional insulation, to four-pane windows within insulated frames. The simplest types of facade have a sound reduction (from outside to inside) of usually less than 24 dB, and the most elaborate facades (built to cope with cold climates, for example), have sound reductions of more than 45 dB. In central Europe, most windows are double-glazed, mounted in a rigid and well-insulated frame. Their range of sound reduction is between 30 dB and 35 dB when closed. When night-time environmental noise reaches high levels, residents tend to close their bedroom windows (cf. Langdon and Buller, 1977; Scharnberg et al., 1982; Schreckenberg et al., 1999; Diaz et al., 2001). The studies by Scharnberg et al. and Schreckenberg et al. found that more than 50% of bedroom windows are closed when outside road traffic noise levels exceed 55 dB (L Aeq ). These findings have been replicated in Sweden, according to recent results from the Swedish soundscape research programme on road traffic noise (Fig. 1.7). Nevertheless, while residents with closed windows reported a reduction of sleep disturbances due to noise, they also reported an increase in sleep disturbances due to poor ventilation. Schreckenberg et al. (1999) report a much steeper increase in the incidence of closed windows when road traffic noise reaches high levels than is the case with increased levels of railway noise. Even when night-time noise levels reach 55 B, only 35% of the residents exposed to railway noise reported that they closed their windows at night. NIGHT NOISE GUIDELINES FOR EUROPE
METHODS AND CRITERIA 11 60 Not opening window Percent of population 50 40 30 20 Difficult to fall asleep Awakening Low sleep quality Fig. 1.7 Results from Swedish soundscape research programme on road traffic noise 10 0 37–41 42–46 47–51 52–56 57–61 LAeq, 22.00-6.00, outside bedroom Source: Öhrström, in European Commission, 2002a. When windows are slightly open, outside sound levels are usually reduced by 10–15 dB. It should be kept in mind that most European residents want to keep their bedroom windows slightly open at night in order to provide proper ventilation (Scharnberg et al., 1982; Lambert and Plouhinec, 1985; Lambert and Vallet, 1994), and the WHO paper on community noise (WHO, 1999) also recommends that people should be able to sleep with their bedroom windows open. Passchier-Vermeer et al. (2002) carried out detailed noise measurements inside and outside the bedroom and at the same time measured window position with sensors. The results (Table 1.3) showed that windows are fully closed only in 25% of the nights. Window position % nights Closed 25 Slightly open 43 Hand width 23 Half open 5 Fully open 4 Table 1.3 Window positions during research period (April–November) This results in average inside/outside differences of around 21 dB, with there being only a slight difference between single- and double-glazed windows (Table 1.4). The survey did not include dwellings which had been specifically insulated against noise. Nevertheless, there was a large variation in insulation values. Single-glazed window Double-glazed window Average difference 21.3 22.2 at night Table 1.4 Average inside/outside differences in dB It should be stressed that this figure only applies to facades that have not been fitted with special appliances to reduce noise impact. To give an extreme example of where this general finding does not apply, rooms may be equipped with air conditioning so that windows can stay closed or could even be sealed. Less drastic provisions are sound-attenuated ventilation openings. Little is known, however, about the inhabitants’ experiences (long-term use, appreciation) of these and other solutions. For example, sound-attenuated ventilation openings are sometimes blocked in order to cut out draughts. NIGHT NOISE GUIDELINES FOR EUROPE
Page 1: NIGHT NOISE GUIDELINES FOR EUROPE
Page 4 and 5: Keywords NOISE - ADVERSE EFFECTS -
Page 6 and 7: IV CONTENTS CHAPTER 3 EFFECTS OF NI
Page 8 and 9: VI ABSTRACT The WHO Regional Office
Page 10 and 11: VIII LIST OF CONTRIBUTORS Torbjörn
Page 12 and 13: X EXECUTIVE SUMMARY PROCESS OF DEVE
Page 14 and 15: XII EXECUTIVE SUMMARY An example of
Page 16 and 17: XIV EXECUTIVE SUMMARY Effect Indica
Page 18 and 19: XVI EXECUTIVE SUMMARY 50 100 Fig. 4
Page 20 and 21: XVIII EXECUTIVE SUMMARY For the pri
Page 22 and 23: 2 METHODS AND CRITERIA impact on th
Page 24 and 25: 4 METHODS AND CRITERIA ITALY: NETHE
Page 26 and 27: 6 METHODS AND CRITERIA There are im
Page 28 and 29: 8 METHODS AND CRITERIA use and heal
Page 32 and 33: 12 METHODS AND CRITERIA 1.3.6 BACKG
Page 34 and 35: 14 METHODS AND CRITERIA Fig. 1.8 sh
Page 36 and 37: 16 SLEEP AND HEALTH • Stage 2 req
Page 38 and 39: 18 SLEEP AND HEALTH Table 2.3 Mean
Page 40 and 41: 20 SLEEP AND HEALTH vegetative, mot
Page 42 and 43: 22 SLEEP AND HEALTH mal range. The
Page 44 and 45: 24 SLEEP AND HEALTH Type Behavioura
Page 46 and 47: 26 SLEEP AND HEALTH sible beyond th
Page 48 and 49: 28 SLEEP AND HEALTH Early reports d
Page 50 and 51: 30 SLEEP AND HEALTH ents’ reports
Page 52 and 53: 32 SLEEP AND HEALTH Although cortic
Page 54 and 55: 34 SLEEP AND HEALTH causal relation
Page 56 and 57: 36 SLEEP AND HEALTH cardiovascular
Page 58 and 59: 38 SLEEP AND HEALTH So do fatigue-r
Page 60 and 61: 40 SLEEP AND HEALTH ers that the ag
Page 62 and 63: 42 SLEEP AND HEALTH 2.5 ANIMAL STUD
Page 64 and 65: NIGHT NOISE GUIDELINES FOR EUROPE
Page 66 and 67: 46 EFFECTS ON SLEEP ing sleep stage
Page 68 and 69: 48 EFFECTS ON SLEEP sleep time can
Page 70 and 71: 50 EFFECTS ON SLEEP the instantaneo
Page 72 and 73: 52 EFFECTS ON SLEEP Table 3.1. Coef
Page 74 and 75: 54 EFFECTS ON SLEEP motility have b
Page 76 and 77: NIGHT NOISE GUIDELINES FOR EUROPE
Page 78 and 79: 58 EFFECTS ON HEALTH for aircraft:
Page 80 and 81:
60 EFFECTS ON HEALTH acoustic and n
Page 82 and 83:
62 EFFECTS ON HEALTH Noise Exposure
Page 84 and 85:
64 EFFECTS ON HEALTH commonly accep
Page 86 and 87:
66 EFFECTS ON HEALTH Regarding mean
Page 88 and 89:
68 EFFECTS ON HEALTH 1992). The rel
Page 90 and 91:
70 EFFECTS ON HEALTH Regarding airc
Page 92 and 93:
72 EFFECTS ON HEALTH 4.5.10 DOSE-RE
Page 94 and 95:
74 EFFECTS ON HEALTH larger increas
Page 96 and 97:
76 EFFECTS ON HEALTH 4.5.14 RISK EV
Page 98 and 99:
78 EFFECTS ON HEALTH No particular
Page 100 and 101:
80 EFFECTS ON HEALTH Research into
Page 102 and 103:
82 EFFECTS ON HEALTH tle direct res
Page 104 and 105:
84 EFFECTS ON HEALTH level of expos
Page 106 and 107:
86 EFFECTS ON HEALTH lage newly exp
Page 108 and 109:
88 EFFECTS ON HEALTH ting the stres
Page 110 and 111:
90 EFFECTS ON HEALTH In a United Ki
Page 112 and 113:
92 EFFECTS ON HEALTH 4.8.14 ASSOCIA
Page 114 and 115:
94 EFFECTS ON HEALTH noise-related
Page 116 and 117:
96 EFFECTS ON HEALTH have had exper
Page 118 and 119:
98 EFFECTS ON HEALTH • number of
Page 120 and 121:
100 EFFECTS ON HEALTH Furthermore,
Page 122 and 123:
102 GUIDELINES AND RECOMMENDATIONS
Page 124 and 125:
Page 126 and 127:
Page 128 and 129:
Page 130 and 131:
Page 132 and 133:
112 Ancoli-Israel S, Roth T (1999).
Page 134 and 135:
114 Bistrup ML (2003). Prevention o
Page 136 and 137:
116 Cartwright J, Flindell I (2000)
Page 138 and 139:
118 der Streßforschung (Bonner Ver
Page 140 and 141:
120 Goto K, Kaneko T (2002). Distri
Page 142 and 143:
122 Ishihara K (1999). The effect o
Page 144 and 145:
124 Kogi K, Ohta T (1975). Incidenc
Page 146 and 147:
126 Marth E et al. (1988). Fluglär
Page 148 and 149:
128 Nieminen P et al. (2002). Growt
Page 150 and 151:
130 Reyner et al. (1995). Patterns
Page 152 and 153:
132 Suter AH (1992). Noise sources
Page 154 and 155:
134 Weed DL (2000). Interpreting ep
Page 156 and 157:
136 APPENDICES Term/acronym Definit
Page 158 and 159:
138 APPENDICES APPENDIX 3. ANIMAL S
Page 160 and 161:
140 APPENDICES cause a certain habi
Page 162 and 163:
142 APPENDICES • Acute exposure t
Page 164 and 165:
144 APPENDICES dence indicate that
Page 166 and 167:
146 APPENDICES Fig.1 Effects of 12
Page 168 and 169:
) 148 APPENDICES 50 40 Young rats O
Page 170 and 171:
150 APPENDICES neuronal degeneratio
Page 172 and 173:
152 Gesi M et al. (2002a). Morpholo
Page 174 and 175:
154 APPENDIX 4. NOISE AND SLEEP IN
Page 176 and 177:
156 APPENDICES during quiet sleep (
Page 178 and 179:
158 APPENDICES (American Academy of
Page 180 and 181:
160 APPENDICES cents, 12.2% of adol
Page 182 and 183:
162 REFERENCES Abel SM (1990). The
Page 184:
The WHO Regional Office for Europe
show all

Night noise guidelines for Europe - WHO/Europe - World Health ...

Create successful ePaper yourself

Delete template?

Save as template?