Noise Mapping

In 2002, the European Noise Directive was published relating to the Assessment and Management of Environmental Noise. It concerns noise from road, rail and air traffic and industry and focuses on the impacts of noise on individuals. The Environmental Noise Directive requires Member States to make Strategic Noise Maps for large conurbations, major roads, railways and airports to assist in the production of Noise Action Plans to help manage the effects and impacts of noise.

ACCON has been at the forefront of developing Noise Maps, not just in the England but across Europe. Using the CadnaA software, the noise maps of Bristol and Bournemouth which were created for Defra have demonstrated our capability in this field. The maps were created to provide information on the levels of road traffic noise across the whole of the Bristol and Bournemouth areas to gain knowledge that will assist in the implementation of the EU Environmental Noise Directive. The noise maps were calculated by first creating very large three dimensional computer models including all noise relevant information, including roads, buildings, ground cover, ground absorption and noise barriers. Typically, the mapping includes approximately 350 km2, 2750 km of roads and some 285,000 buildings.

ACCON’s capability in noise mapping extend to the utilisation of GIS tools and software, hot-spot identification and mitigation measure optioneering.

ACCON are now able to utilise the technology used in their noise maps to help determine environmental impacts for EIA’s or other planning applications. Using CadnaA, one of the world’s first integrated air quality and noise models, ACCON is able to build detailed models of factories, road, railways, airports etc, in order to predict the impacts of a development in respect of the noise and air quality pollution impacts upon the environment. These three dimensional computer models can be used to help develop mitigation strategies and can assist in the design of major developments, roads, railways etc, in an environmentally conscious sustainable way.

 

Most recently ACCON have utilised our noise mapping capabilities to determine the noise impacts of a new tram line in Dublin.