Effects of cultural factors on the environmental noise evaluation

摘要

This study examines the effects of cultural factors on the evaluation of acoustic quality ofresidential areas, within the context of general environmental conditions. A comparative studywas carried out between the UK and Taiwan, with six case study sites, three in Sheffield andthree in Taipei, representing typical urban texture as well as social factors of the residents. Aseries of questionnaire surveys focusing on how people perceive acoustic quality in urbanresidential areas was carried out. The study also included noise measurement and simulation ofthe case study sites using noise-mapping software. The comparative study reveals theimportance of considering cultural factors. This is reflected by the significant differencesbetween the two cultures in a number of aspects, including choosing and evaluating livingenvironment, noise noticeability, annoyance and sleep disturbance, activities, and soundpreference. In the mean time, it has been demonstrated that both in the UK and Taiwan, soundenvironment is an important consideration of overall urban environment.