The influence of outdoor thermal comfort on acoustic comfort of urban parks based on plant communities

Abstract

As human beings live in an environment where various factors interact and integrate, it seems vital to examine the effects of these factors on environmental perceptions. Outdoor thermal and acoustic environments are the main factors affecting the overall comfort of urban spaces. This research uses measurements and questionnaire surveys to explore the effects of outdoor thermal comfort dimensions on acoustic comfort, emphasizing the plant community in a city park (the El Goli Park of Tabriz, Iran). In this regard, the general comfort of the psychological equivalent temperature (PET) under different conditions of the thermal-acoustic environment has been evaluated and predicted. The results showed that a higher thermal sensation vote (TSV) and PET result in a significant decrease in soundscape quality (SQ), overall impression (OI), and the percentage of reported natural dominant sound (%RNDS), while an inverse trend has been reported in thermal comfort vote (TCV). On the other hand, by increasing TSV and PET, reported loudness (RL) has recorded an upward trend. However, this process was completely reversed in TCV. Furthermore, the analyzes showed that PET has a lower effectiveness compared to TSV and TCV and, it should be stated that the three indicators of thermal comfort did not show any significant relationship with landscape quality (LQ) and sound pressure level (SPL). These findings are important for managing and improving outdoor acoustic comfort and soundscapes, and it is expected that future studies will consider the acquired results in various green urban environments and provide a practical framework for landscape architects and urban planners.