Noise is often defined as \u2018sound which is undesired by the recipient\u2019.\u00a0 A sound which one person finds enjoyable, such as some music perhaps, could be very annoying to another person who doesn\u2019t want to hear it.\u00a0 Since it is quite probable that whatever the noise, there will be someone who doesn\u2019t like it, there is a common presumption that all sound is bad.\u00a0 This presumption is even the basis of some legislation, which often seeks to limit sound levels on the basis that any sound could be annoying to someone.<\/p>\n
However, this presumption is by no means always true.\u00a0 Individual sensitivity to noise varies greatly and some people are not bothered by noise that would be intolerable to others.\u00a0 Moreover, there are many situations where noise is appropriate: for example a football match conducted in silence would be unnatural and hardly enjoyable for fans.<\/p>\n
In English law, it is illegal to create noise which amounts to a nuisance, but in Common Law, the test is whether an ordinary person, taking account of the circumstances, would find the noise to interfere with the \u2018enjoyment\u2019 of their land to a material degree.\u00a0 Statute Law has changed the situation in recent years, and objective noise tests are becoming more important.<\/p>\n
It is relatively easy to devise\u00a0noise indexes\u00a0that can measure sound level, but because noise perception is subjective (ie it depends on the listener), acousticians have not been able to find a perfect unit or index for measuring noise annoyance or disturbance.<\/p>\n
This means that acousticians use a variety of\u00a0noise indexes\u00a0that describe sound levels in a variety of ways. \u00a0Using these as a guide to the impact of noise on people requires careful interpretation by skilled practitioners.<\/p>\n
However, increasing regulation, both national and European, is changing the situation, so that assessments are now more likely to depend on\u00a0assessing sound levels\u00a0in accordance with a defined procedure and for the result to be compared with objective guidelines.<\/p>\n
Very often it is necessary to show in advance that a scheme will have an acceptable noise impact.\u00a0 This requires noise levels to be predicted or calculated before the scheme is approved. NoiseMap software has been developed and used in this process for over 40 years.<\/p>\n","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":"
Noise is often defined as \u2018sound which is undesired by the recipient\u2019.\u00a0 A sound which one person finds enjoyable, such as some music perhaps, could be very annoying to another person who doesn\u2019t want to hear it.\u00a0 Since it is quite probable that whatever the noise, there will be someone who doesn\u2019t like it, there … Continue reading Noise<\/span>