Whether it is the sound of tricycles, jeepneys, buses, MRT/LRT, airplanes, jackhammers, sirens, or simply loud music--the Filipino seems oblivious. In many cases, he even adds noise to spice up certain celebrations. Some say that the Filipino's tolerance for accepting high noise levels has to do with culture and lifestyle.

Health problem

Whether one's tolerance level for noise is high or low, we cannot disregard what the World Health Organization says about noise. According to WHO, "noise is a health problem and is a major threat to human well-being."

The effects of noise are often transitory but can be cumulative with prolonged or repeated exposure. Noise-induced hearing loss can affect the quality of life through inability to communicate effectively with family and friends, sleep disruption, interference with teaching and learning methods among others.

It is important to understand the relationship of noise and the health of building occupants particularly in the design of buildings occupied by hundreds or thousands of people every day. This task becomes more challenging considering that more and more buildings are now constructed along very busy and noisy streets.

What can be done?

To address noise issues, there are four major activities that can be done by designers:

1. Proper site planning
2. Good architectural design
3. Appropriate construction methods
4. Noise barrier construction

Site planning

Noise can be minimized through the careful arrangement of buildings within a site by using its natural shape and topography. Nonresidential buildings or open spaces can be used as barriers to shield residential areas away from noise.

Increasing the distance between the noise source and the receiver can also be very effective. These techniques can be combined with the use of a cluster type of development.

This means placing houses together in groups or "clusters" to preserve ecologically sensitive open areas, historical sites, or other unique feature of the site being developed. In a cluster subdivision, open spaces can be located close to the street to reduce noise impact on the residences.

Architectural design

Noise can also be controlled in a building with proper architectural design. Through the arrangement of rooms and windows, balconies and building heights, noise can be reduced without costly acoustical construction.

In interior space planning, it is advisable to separate noise-sensitive rooms from less-noise sensitive ones. This can be done, for example, by locating bedrooms at the rear while using the other areas as sound buffers in front.

Windows are the most problematic part of a building with regard to noise control. Certain sounds like the rumble of trains are difficult to deal with. Their noise goes through the windows. Acoustic experts say that low-frequency noises are the most disturbing to people.

One way to solve this problem is through the design of the windows. The window unit consists of two glass panes. A laminated glass on the exterior and an operable glass on the interior, separated by an air space. The air space is also effective in reducing heat transfer.

Laminated glass is glass that has been covered with a strong transparent plastic to make it noise- and shatter-resistant.

Removing windows on the side of the building near the noise source can reduce noise further.

Noise can also pass through hollow-core type doors. It is advisable then to use heavy solid core doors that are sealed well.

The walls would also have to be heavily insulated and covered in paneling. A smart condominium unit occupant will look for sound-deadening ceiling and wall-panel finishes such as perforated ceiling systems to protect the hearing of unit occupants.

Balconies facing the street may be a practical feature of buildings but acoustically speaking, they may not be such a good idea. Balconies reflect traffic noise into the building interiors. Solution? Locate balconies away from traffic-noise sources.

Construction method

Walls give building occupants the most protection from noise. Their effectiveness in reducing noise depends on their mass and stiffness. In general, the denser the wall the more it will reduce noise. For example, concrete walls are better than wood walls with the same thickness. Another way is to double the thickness of a partition.

A good example is what is called the cavity wall. This is a wall made up of two or more layers separated by an air space. The air space is more effective and less costly than a single wall of equal weight.

Increasing the spacing between studs or nailers from 16" to 24" is also a good way to reduce noise.

Floating floors, although expensive, are effective noise reducers. A floating floor is made up of a wood or concrete platform placed over the structural slab but separated by a resilient material. The resilient material isolates the platform from the structural slab and the surrounding walls.

Thick carpeting, wall drapery and acoustic ceiling tiles also reduce interior noise.

Noise barrier construction

A noise barrier is basically an obstruction located between a noise source and a building to cut off the path of the noise. It can be made up of different materials such as earth berms, fences, cluster of plants and trees or a combination of these elements. (An earth berm is a sloping mound of earth.)

For a barrier to be effective, it must have the right amount of mass, height and distance from the noise source.

As many of our communities get noisier, more and more people will demand not only for beautiful buildings and homes but also comfortable, healthy and quiet spaces that are designed with noise-reduction features. Designers, developers and builders will have to include this health-related factor not as an option but as a standard.

By Amado de Jesus
http://news.inq7.net/lifestyle/index.php?index=1&story_id=54096