The potential of comprehensive reference to acoustic overall scenarios and their subjective experience with regard to urban sound planning

Abstract

The refinement of descriptors for subjective sound assessments and growing recognition that comfortable sound environments definitely need more than a limitation of sound levels have changed the scope of engineering acoustics over the last decades. Instead of focusing on objective physical parameters more and more emphasis has been put on understanding and promoting the subjective experience of acoustic environments. However, to what extent such approaches have been applied to practice strongly depends on the applicative environment. While subjective criteria for product sound quality are widely accepted if they immediately serve the user, they apparently face difficulties if applied to the benefits of uninvolved but affected third parties. After a short review of underlying motivations the potential of comprehensive, holistic approaches which relate to the full spectrum of acoustic scenarios from the point of view of subjective experiences will be outlined and demonstrated with particular reference to urban sound planning, the acoustic planning for urban environments.