Reducing Outdoor Noise in an Apartment Complex through Building Arrangement

Abstract

This study investigated the arrangement of apartment buildings within an apartment complex using computer simulations to maximize the tranquility of the outdoor environment. For the analysis, we selected an apartment complex with a typical layout consisting of eight apartment buildings with identical Y-shaped floor plans. To predict outdoor noise, the target complex was modeled in 3D and implemented using a commercial noise mapping software. The simulation model was validated by comparing it with the field measurements. The criterion for tranquility was set to below 45 dBA based on the literature. As a result, the average value of outdoor noise within the complex remained almost unchanged, with a decrease of less than 1 dB despite the variation in building layout. However, the outdoor area with noise levels below 45 dB in the apartment complex increased from a minimum of 12 m2 to 300 m2, depending on the variation in building arrangement. In addition, strategies for planning apartment complexes with more tranquil outdoor spaces were discussed based on the simulation results.