The Sound of a Circular City: Towards a Circularity-Driven Quietness

Int J Environ Res Public Health. 2022 Sep 27;19(19):12290. doi: 10.3390/ijerph191912290.

Abstract

The circular economy paradigm can be beneficial for urban sustainability by eliminating waste and pollution, by circulating products and materials and by regenerating nature. Furthermore, under an urban circular development scheme, environmental noise can be designed out. The current noise control policies and actions, undertaken at a source-medium-receiver level, present a linearity with minimum sustainability co-benefits. A circular approach in noise control strategies and in soundscape design could offer numerous ecologically related co-benefits. The global literature documenting the advantages of the implementation of circular economy in cities has highlighted noise mitigation as a given benefit. Research involving circular economy actions such as urban green infrastructure, green walls, sustainable mobility systems and electro-mobility has acknowledged reduced noise levels as a major circularity outcome. In this research paper, we highlight the necessity of a circularity and bioeconomy approach in noise control. To this end, a preliminary experimental noise modeling study was conducted to showcase the acoustic benefits of green walls and electric vehicles in a medium-sized urban area of a Mediterranean island. The results indicate a noise level reduction at 4 dB(A) when simulating the introduction of urban circular development actions.

Keywords: bioeconomy; circular economy; electric vehicles; green walls; noise control; noise map; noise model; quietness; soundscape.

Publication types

  • Research Support, Non-U.S. Gov't

MeSH terms

  • Acoustics
  • Cities
  • Noise / prevention & control
  • Sound*
  • Sustainable Growth*

Grants and funding

We acknowledge support of this work by the project “Center of Sustainable and Circular Bioeconomy [Aegean_BIOECONOMY]” (MIS 5045851) implemented under the Action “Reinforcement of the Research and Innovation Infrastructure”, funded by the Operational Programme “Competitiveness, Entrepreneurship and Innovation” (NSRF 2014–2020) and co-financed by Greece and the European Union (European Regional Development Fund).