Soundwalk, Questionnaires and Noise Measurements in a University Campus: A Soundscape Study

Abstract

In order to manage noise pollution and reduce its environmental impact and health outcomes, several regulations have been issued in the last few decades, defining acoustic indicators and their thresholds. However, the acoustic environment can be considered a resource, focusing on people’s subjective perception of sounds in accordance with the soundscape approach. The integration of the tools, already applied by the legislation, and the soundscape technique produces a more thorough and comprehensive evaluation of the environmental noise that is necessary for its management. Starting from the best practice of the soundscape in urban planning, this paper presents an application of this approach at the Fisciano campus of the University of Salerno (Italy). The overarching goal is the comparison between the physical parameters, obtained by measuring the sound pressure level, and the psychoacoustic ones, derived by questionnaires given to a group of local experts during a soundwalk. The results will show, for example, some areas characterized by high sound pressure levels and a good perception of the soundscape. As a consequence, the application would seem to have discrepancies between the results of the two methods, but a deeper analysis can reveal further information to the traditional measurements that allow a more accurate knowledge of the acoustic environment.