Environmental TechnologyEnvironmental Technology

Excessive NoiseExcessive Noise

Noise GeneratorsNoise Generators

Obj 7.05: Excessive Noise?Obj 7.05: Excessive Noise?

Physical DamagePhysical Damage Temporary hearing lossTemporary hearing loss Below 80 dBA usually Below 80 dBA usually

OKOK Permanent hearing lossPermanent hearing loss 150 dBA or more can 150 dBA or more can

shatter eardrumshatter eardrum Can increase blood Can increase blood

pressure and pulse ratepressure and pulse rate

Obj 7.05: Excessive Noise?Obj 7.05: Excessive Noise?

Emotional & Emotional & Psychological DamagePsychological Damage

High anxiety, stress High anxiety, stress and irritabilityand irritability

Lack of sleepLack of sleep Mental fatigueMental fatigue Lack of concentrationLack of concentration

Obj 7.06: Noise GeneratorsObj 7.06: Noise Generators Roadway trafficRoadway traffic Railway trafficRailway traffic Air trafficAir traffic Industrial, Industrial,

manufacturing manufacturing (including (including construction), and construction), and other production other production noisenoise

How much is too much?How much is too much?

The various ministries at the The various ministries at the Federal, Provincial levels (e.g. Federal, Provincial levels (e.g. Ministry of the Environment) Ministry of the Environment) establish requirements for noise establish requirements for noise assessment and controlassessment and control

Municipalities will establish by-laws Municipalities will establish by-laws on noise on noise

Roadway TrafficRoadway Traffic

Traffic volumeTraffic volume Operating speedOperating speed Vehicle type and Vehicle type and

mixmix Road gradeRoad grade Pavement typePavement type

Distance from Distance from roadway to roadway to receiverreceiver

Obstacles Obstacles between roadway between roadway and receiverand receiver

Elevation of Elevation of roadway and roadway and receiverreceiver

Railway TrafficRailway Traffic

Volume of trainsVolume of trains Operating speedOperating speed Number of enginesNumber of engines Length of trainLength of train Rail gradeRail grade Rail condition and Rail condition and

maintenancemaintenance Freight vs Freight vs

passengerpassenger

Distance from Distance from railway to receiverrailway to receiver

Obstacles between Obstacles between railway and receiverrailway and receiver

Elevation of railway Elevation of railway and receiverand receiver

Crossing protection Crossing protection and whistlesand whistles

Air TrafficAir Traffic

Number of Number of runwaysrunways

Runway Runway orientationorientation

Number of planesNumber of planes Scheduling and Scheduling and

hours of operationhours of operation Type of aircraftType of aircraft

Distance from Distance from runway to runway to receiverreceiver

Restrictions on Restrictions on power for takeoffpower for takeoff

Restrictions on Restrictions on landing paths, landing paths, heights of heights of approachapproach

Industry NoiseIndustry Noise

Type of industry Type of industry and machineryand machinery

Hours of operationHours of operation Inside vs outside Inside vs outside

noise productionnoise production Heavy vehicle Heavy vehicle

transportation transportation needsneeds

Distance from noise Distance from noise source to receiversource to receiver

Obstacles and Obstacles and barriers between barriers between source and source and receiverreceiver

Elevation of Elevation of source and source and receiverreceiver

Obj 7.07: Maximum Noise LevelsObj 7.07: Maximum Noise Levels

MOEE Ontario is responsible for MOEE Ontario is responsible for guidelines and noise guidelines and noise requirementsrequirements

MOEE has software (STAMSON) MOEE has software (STAMSON) capable of predicting noise capable of predicting noise levels from road & rail trafficlevels from road & rail traffic

estimated noise levels are then estimated noise levels are then compared to the maximums compared to the maximums set by MOEEset by MOEE

MOEE

for a Single Family Homefor a Single Family Home OutdoorOutdoor noise limit is 55dBA for an noise limit is 55dBA for an

“outdoor living area” 56m“outdoor living area” 56m22, , centred 3m from the back of centred 3m from the back of the house (other sizes for the house (other sizes for other housing types)other housing types)

Obj 7.07: EXAMPLEObj 7.07: EXAMPLE this means that the this means that the

maximum tolerable noise in maximum tolerable noise in a backyard is 55dBA a backyard is 55dBA (conversational speech)(conversational speech)

when these limits cannot be when these limits cannot be met due to occasional air or met due to occasional air or rail traffic, a “Noise Warning rail traffic, a “Noise Warning Clause” is registered on the Clause” is registered on the title of property to warn title of property to warn prospective buyers, as with prospective buyers, as with easementseasements

Obj 7.07: EXAMPLEObj 7.07: EXAMPLE indoorindoor noise limits are much lowernoise limits are much lower they depend on the room they depend on the room

type and the time of daytype and the time of day noise levels in a bedroom noise levels in a bedroom

between 11 pm and 7 am between 11 pm and 7 am must not exceed 40dBA must not exceed 40dBA (library)(library)

Apart from zoning by-laws that can restrict Apart from zoning by-laws that can restrict what activities can be carried out on what activities can be carried out on particular parcels of land and at what times particular parcels of land and at what times of the year, week or day, what strategies of the year, week or day, what strategies can be used to abate the effects of noise?can be used to abate the effects of noise?

Obj 7.08: Noise ControlObj 7.08: Noise ControlReduce Noise Level at its SourceReduce Noise Level at its Source an ongoing objective of vehicle and machinery an ongoing objective of vehicle and machinery

manufacturersmanufacturers isolation of machinery using acoustical isolation of machinery using acoustical

enclosures and absorbent mountsenclosures and absorbent mounts regular and thorough maintenanceregular and thorough maintenance

Increase Source-to-Recipient DistanceIncrease Source-to-Recipient Distance high demand for transporation and accessiblityhigh demand for transporation and accessiblity ““space economics” in modern urban areas space economics” in modern urban areas

makes this a non-viable approach after the factmakes this a non-viable approach after the fact Site Planning can address thisSite Planning can address this

Obj 7.08: Noise ControlObj 7.08: Noise Control

Protect RecipientProtect Recipient ear protection such as ear plugs or ear muffsear protection such as ear plugs or ear muffs only an option in certain working environmentsonly an option in certain working environments cannot apply this approach to everyone cannot apply this approach to everyone

(analogous to fitting everyone with breathing (analogous to fitting everyone with breathing apparati or “bubble suits”)apparati or “bubble suits”)

Intercept NoiseIntercept Noise Site Planning TechniquesSite Planning Techniques noise barriersnoise barriers special building components and materialsspecial building components and materials

Obj 7.09: Site Planning TechniquesObj 7.09: Site Planning Techniques

easiest and most cost-effective way to easiest and most cost-effective way to abate noise is during development abate noise is during development when site plans are being producedwhen site plans are being produced

Figure 6 in Course Notes shows a site Figure 6 in Course Notes shows a site plan for an office building, adjacent to a plan for an office building, adjacent to a noise source (road or rail)noise source (road or rail)

several simple noise abatement techniques used:several simple noise abatement techniques used:

parking lots in frontparking lots in front

(noise insensitive)(noise insensitive)

use topographyuse topography

hills, berms,hills, berms,landscapinglandscaping

vegetationvegetation

coniferous trees, coniferous trees, hedges, busheshedges, bushes

use building itself to use building itself to block noiseblock noise

““sacrificial townhouse units are placed sacrificial townhouse units are placed next to expressways or railways to next to expressways or railways to “insulate” the rest of the subdivision “insulate” the rest of the subdivision from the noisefrom the noise

townhouse wall facing noise source is townhouse wall facing noise source is constructed as a noise barrierconstructed as a noise barrier