Acoustical Perceptions of Building Occupants on Indoor Environmental Quality in Naturally-Ventilated Building Façades

Abstract

Accelerated growth of urban population and motor vehicles has resulted in constant exposure to urban traffic noise that is one of the significant environmental stressors in urban environments. The aim of this research as a preliminary study is to evaluate acoustical perceptions of building occupants on their dwelling satisfaction with outdoor traffic noise through naturally-ventilated glazed building facades in the Seoul metropolitan area. This area has the highest population density among the largest countries of Organization for Economic Co-operation and Development (OECD). First, quantitative data of the A-weighted equivalent continuous sound levels (LAeq) at six sites in the Seoul metropolitan area were analyzed, showing that LAeq exceeded the thresholds of noise level standards, 65 dB(A) for day-time (06:00 AM to 10:00 PM) and 55 dB(A) for night-time (10:00 PM to 06:00 AM) respectively. Second, a questionnaire survey was conducted to find the environmental impacts of urban noise transmission on building occupants’ comfort and their ventilation behaviors. It showed that approximately 87% of building occupants (n = 92) used mechanical ventilation systems rather than window ventilation methods. Eighty-two percent of participants have experienced sick building syndrome (SBS)-related symptoms such as skin irritations or coughs. Thirty-three percent of the respondents were deterred from opening windows for natural ventilation due to outdoor traffic noise transmission, and 49% of respondents complained mostly of poor task productivity. The survey outcomes propose the importance of acoustically-treated ventilation openings in naturally-ventilated glazed building facades for building occupants’ indoor environmental quality in high-noise urban areas.