Airport Noise Research Articles

Impact of Airport Noise on Property Values

The impact of airport noise on home prices has received much attention in North America, where many hedonic price studies have been performed to examine the issue. In developing countries, however, extremely limited academic work on this topic has been conducted. The recent opening of Suvarnabhumi Airport in Bangkok, Thailand, presented a unique opportunity to address this research gap. In this paper, sales data of new homes near the airport that were sold between 2002 and 2008 are used to examine both the anticipatory effect and actual effects of airport noise on home prices. On the basis of this data set, hedonic price models are estimated and subjected to various diagnostic tests, including those for heteroscedasticity and spatial autocorrelation. The results show no anticipatory effects of airport noise on prices before the beginning of airport operations in 2006. More important, prices of new properties sold after 2006 are 19.15% lower in the most severely affected area and 8.55% lower in moderately affected areas. These estimates imply a noise depreciation index of 2.12% per decibel, which is in the high range of values found in the literature and implies that the potential benefits of a noise reduction program at Suvarnabhumi Airport might be substantial.

Aircraft Noise and Blood Pressure in the Populations Living Near the Ciampino Airport in Rome

ISEE-0213 Background and Objective: Evidence from HYENA study suggests that aircraft noise exposure increases the risk of hypertension and that night-time aircraft noise is associated with raised blood pressure (BP). Airport traffic noise has been increasing in recent years in Ciampino (Rome) because of the large rise in low cost flights. We aimed at evaluating these associations in local residents. Methods: We studied a randomly selected sample of subjects aged 45–70 years who had lived in the study area for at least 5 years. Data collected via interview included personal characteristics and pharmaceutical use. BP was measured five times for each participant (three times during the interview, once before sleeping and once in the morning before getting up). We defined three aircraft noise levels (Laeq,24h <65, 65–74, and 75+ dB) using the Integrated Noise Model linked to each participant's address using a GIS. As a proxy for road traffic noise, we calculated morning rush-hour traffic volume. The effects of airport noise on hypertension (WHO 2003 definition), nocturnal and early morning BP were analysed through adjusted regression models. Results: The response rate was 50%, resulting in a study population of 578 subjects. We did not find a statistically significant association between aircraft noise levels and hypertension (RR 0.72, 95%CI 0.36–1.45 for level 75+ dB vs <65 dB). However, there was an increase in nocturnal systolic pressure (5.4 mmHg, 95%CI 0.45−10.4) for subjects in the highest exposure category (75+ dB). There was no effect on nocturnal diastolic pressure or on early morning measurements. Conclusions: Our results confirm the impact of aircraft noise exposure on nocturnal systolic pressure. This effect may be related to a sympathetic nervous system response to stress and may be transient in nature.

Spatio-temporal Analysis of Noise Pollution near Boston Logan Airport: Who Carries the Cost?

Airports are often located near densely populated residential areas, affecting a large number of people. Thus, knowing socio-demographic characteristics of the noise-affected areas is important for the development of policies on noise control and abatement. This study proposes a new methodology that combines airport noise models with spatial statistics and geographical information systems to identify spatial clusters of socio-demographic characteristics in relationship to the noise level. Statistically significant ‘hot’ and ‘cold’ socio-demographic clusters represent spatial concentrations of certain social groups, corresponding to various levels of vulnerability to environmental impacts. Results show that the population ‘paying’ for the cost of noise from Logan International Airport in Boston, USA, is highly vulnerable as there are more minority and lower-income populations, and lower house prices in the noise-affected areas. These results should draw the attention of policy-makers and the public as policies for noise abatement are being developed.

Effectiveness of Embankment and Afforestation for Countermeasures against Airport Noise

Effectiveness of Embankment and Afforestation for Countermeasures against Airport Noise

Recent Research on Evaluation of Airport Noise Impact

Recent Research on Evaluation of Airport Noise Impact

How much noise reduction at airports?

Airport noise nuisance is a negative externality especially when it occurring near urban areas. Like all externalities, noise nuisance may be a reason for government intervention. When intervening, governments should set quantitative policy targets with care. In practice, this issue is generally neglected. This line of research sets the first step towards determining optimal policy targets in the case of noise nuisance near airports, more specifically in the case of Amsterdam Airport. We use hedonic pricing to establish the benefits of noise reduction. Furthermore, we develop a bottom-up cost function to analyze the costs of reducing noise for airlines. We then equate marginal costs and benefits to establish the optimal level of noise reduction, which appears to be 3 dB in the case of Amsterdam Airport. Welfare increasing measures include alternative approach procedures, regional substitution of planes within existing fleets and early depreciation of noisy planes increase welfare. Reducing the number of flights has a negative effect on net welfare.

NOISE ASSESMENT AND MITIGATION SCHEMES FOR ESTONIAN AIRPORTS

In recent years, concern over airport noise and its impact on surrounding communities has been spurred by the continual growth in air traffic together with urban development in close proximity to many airports around the world. This paper aims at studying the cases of Tallinn Airport and Tartu Airport, both in Estonia, with a focus on evaluating the airport noise and its impact on the neighbouring residential districts. Tallinn Airport is located within the city limits (only 4 kilometres from the city centre), and therefore the inhabited areas are also exposed to aviation noise. The main water catchment area for the city – Lake Ülemiste – and the nearest residential district are situated about 0.5 km from the airport. In 2003 stationary noise monitoring equipment was installed at Tallinn Airport to measure the noise level caused by starting and landing aircraft so that the necessary measures and sanctions can be taken. At Tartu Airport, the noise was recurrently measured in 2008, by using a TES 1352A sound level meter. The monitoring system at Tallinn Airport and the measurements at Tartu Airport enable operating noise and aircraft noise to be analyzed and predicted as a way to differentiate the landing fees for aircraft depending on noise and flight trajectory. According to the noise monitoring and measurements results, noise maps can be drawn. Santrauka Pastaraisiais metais nerimo faktorius, atsirades del triukšmo, sukeliamo oro uostuose ir jo poveikio aplinkiniams gyvenamiesiems rajonams, tapo rimtesnis, nes gauseja orlaiviu, taip pat oro uostai isikuria per arti gyvenamuju rajonu. Šiu tyrimu tikslas buvo nustatyti Talino ir Tartu oro uostu keliamo triukšmo lygi bei jo itaka aplinkiniams gyvenamiesiems rajonams. Tarptautinis Talino oro uotas yra isikūres miesto ribose (tik 4 km atstumu nuo miesto centro). Tai reiškia, kad nemažai gyventoju kenčia nuo orlaiviu keliamo triukšmo. Pati artimiausia gyvenviete yra nutolusi nuo oro uosto tik 0,5 km atstumu. Julemistes ežeras, kuris yra miesto geriamojo vandens šaltinis, taip pat yra oro uosto apylinkese. 2003 m. Talino oro uoste buvo pastatyta triukšmo lygio matavimo iranga, kuri turejo ne tik nustatyti kylančiu ir besileidžiančiu orlaiviu sukeliamo triukšmo lygi, bet ir numatyti būtinas priemones jam sumažinti bei taikyti sankcijas. 2008 m. Tartu oro uoste triukšmas matuotas kelis kartus naudojant triukšmo matuokli TES 1352A. Ši triukšmo matavimo sistema leidžia pirmiausia išanalizuoti ir nustatyti orlaiviu bei kitos irangos keliamo triukšmo lygi ir tuomet diferencijuoti rinkliavas už nusileidima, kurios priklauso nuo sukeliamo triukšmo lygio ir skrydžio trajektorijos. Priklausomai nuo triukšmo kontroles ir jos rezultatu, galima nupiešti triukšmo žemelapius.

Fly or Cry: Is Airport Noise Costly?

This paper examines new evidence on the costs of airport-related noise (and other disamenities of airports) for individuals. In contrast to previous work which has mainly focused on property prices to document the costs of airport noise, I analyze voting results from a recent city-wide ballot poll on airport closure; direct voting should provide useful insights on the overall assessment of the costs and benefits of an airport by residents. Using data from a referendum on the closure of one of Berlin’s inner-city airports, Tempelhof, I find that voting behavior is neither affected by airport distance nor by airport-related noise exposure. In contrast, strong opposition to closure in the vicinity of Tempelhof indicates that adaptive preferences may be important.

Into the black hole: Do local governments implement their spatial policies?

Do local governments implement their own spatial policies? Why or why not? This article examines the outcomes of county comprehensive plan policies and ordinances that prohibit incompatible uses in sensitive areas, specifically floodplains, sensitive soils, and airport noise zones. Based on a six-county case study, the article concludes that implementation is indeed a problem. Comprehensive plan policies were rarely if ever converted into actual development restrictions. The results for ordinances were mixed, with some (e.g., floodplain ordinances) experiencing greater implementation success than others (e.g., airport land use ordinances). Implementation problems stemmed from property rights issues, departmental structure, and other factors.

Aircraft noise-abatement and mitigation strategies

This paper compares and contrasts aviation noise policies and noise-abatement measures currently in effect around the world. With local, national, and regional governments attempting to refine and update their policies towards aircraft and airport noise, this detailed review provides a contextual background to complement aviation noise policy research.

SPATIAL HEDONIC MODELS OF AIRPORT NOISE, PROXIMITY, AND HOUSING PRICES*

ABSTRACT Despite the refrain that housing prices are determined by “location, location, and location,” few studies of airport noise and housing prices have incorporated spatial econometric techniques. We compare various spatial econometric models and estimation methods in a hedonic price framework to examine the impact of noise on 2003 housing prices near the Atlanta airport. Spatial effects are best captured by a model including both spatial autocorrelation and autoregressive parameters estimated by a generalized moments approach. In our preferred model, houses located in an area in which noise disrupts normal activities (defined by a day–night sound level of 70–75 decibels) sell for 20.8 percent less than houses located where noise does not disrupt normal activities (defined by a day–night sound level below 65 decibels). The inclusion of spatial effects magnifies the negative price impacts of airport noise. Finally, after controlling for noise, houses farther from the airport sell for less; the price elasticity with respect to distance is −0.15, implying that airport proximity is an amenity.

Noise metrics comparison and its use on urban zoning in airport surveys: A Brazilian case study

This paper considers the environmental acoustics metrics conversion problem in relation to airport noise. In many countries, there is a need to change the metrics used in airport noise studies and to establish the relation between two different metrics, like day night sound level DNL, used in airport noise zoning and L Aeq used in urban areas. Here we present a practical method for airport noise metrics conversion. We present the theoretical basis for a practical way to compare DNL and L Aeq as well as case study examples.

Challenging the Contours: Critical Cartography, Local Knowledge, and the Public

As with many environmental issues, conflicts over airport noise are often grounded in the different experiences and knowledges of those who measure it and those who suffer its effects. The ways that airport neighbors challenge noise maps reflect the critical cartography literature, which does not take the truth of maps for granted but instead considers the political and other subjectivities behind their construction. At the same time, work in science and technology studies shows that conflicts between local residents and state officials and/or scientists are in part based on their different types of knowledge about a place, with state-centered scientific knowledge generally considered to override local knowledges. This paper brings together these two literatures in an analysis of conflicts over airport noise at Minneapolis–St Paul International Airport to show how members of the public construct their own critical cartographies.

Is DNL appropriate for airport noise zoning

The use of the DNL metric in airport noise zoning is based in the works of Schultz, that were later improved by Fidell. The basic idea is to use the percentage of highly annoyed people as a parameter to organize the area around airports. In urban zoning it is recommended to use the equivalent sound level LAEQ, which uses different criteria to day and night periods to define the land use. With regards to airport noise one may use LAD and LAN metrics which are the equivalent sound levels determined for day and night period, respectively. In this case, the maximum levels chosen to the establishment of the zoning are based on the land use. It is possible, through a simple equation, to determine the DNL level associated to a LAD, LAN pair. The inverse problem, however, has not a unique solution, once this relation depends on the number of daily and night flights of the airport. Thus, the use of DNL in airport noise zoning may lead to completely different results for different airports. Exemples are presented and discussed for two main brazilian airports: Recife and Congonhas.

A model based monitoring system for aircraft noise

A new approach for an airport noise monitoring system is presented that comprises not only a number of measuring stations, but also a dedicated sound propagation model and an aircraft noise emission model. This approach enables estimation of noise levels in the whole area around the airport and not only at the location of the measuring stations. An additional advantage is that the locations of the measuring stations can be chosen more freely. Traditionally the measuring stations must be located near residential areas where the influence of other noise sources (such as cars or wind) cannot be eliminated. Better locations can be found that yield more reliable data and therefore more reliable noise levels. To update the sound propagation model frequently, the measuring stations not only measure noise levels, but also other parameters, like temperature and wind profile. The sound emission of the aircraft is derived from a directional aircraft noise emission model. A tool was developed to visualize the power of combining data and models in this model-based monitoring system. The use of models opens possibilities for interesting applications such as i) short term noise forecasts, ii) scenario studies with various aircraft distributions and iii) enforcement of noise limits.

Effect of background noise levels on community annoyance from aircraft noise

A study of community annoyance caused by exposures to civil aircraft noise was carried out in 20 sites around Gimpo and Gimhae international airports to investigate the effect of background noise in terms of dose-effect relationships between aircraft noise levels and annoyance responses under real conditions. Aircraft noise levels were mainly measured using airport noise monitoring systems, B&K type 3597. Social surveys were administered to people living within 100 m of noise measurement sites. The question relating to the annoyance of aircraft noise was answered on an 11-point numerical scale. The randomly selected respondents, who were aged between 18 and 70 years, completed the questionnaire independently. In total, 753 respondents participated in social surveys. The result shows that annoyance responses in low background noise regions are much higher than those in high background noise regions, even though aircraft noise levels are the same. It can be concluded that the background noise level is one of the important factors on the estimation of community annoyance from aircraft noise exposure.

Spatial Estimation of the Impact of Airport Noise on Residential Housing Prices

Summary The paper applies spatial econometric techniques to measure the impact of airport noise on the price of single-family homes in the Zurich Airport area. We exploit a large database of geo-referenced noise measurements to investigate the reaction of prices to different noise metrics. The particular institutional setting of Zurich Airport, with changing patterns of runways configurations allows to distinguish the impact of noise at different times of the day. The use of neighborhood fixed-effects is compared to the results given by a costlier modelling strategy involving a rich set of location descriptors. The paper documents the impact of airport noise on housing prices. In the base model specification the Noise Discount Index is 0.97% with typical discounts in the range of −2% to −8%. Accounting for the spatiality of the data has little effect on the results.

Airport noise regulation, airline service quality, and social welfare

This paper explores the impact of airport noise regulation on airline service quality and airfares. It also characterizes the socially optimal stringency of noise limits, taking both noise damage and the various costs borne by airlines and their passengers into account. The analysis also investigates the effect of noise taxes, as well as the optimal level of such taxes. Along with the companion paper by [Girvin, R., 2006a. Airport noise regulation, airline service quality, and social welfare: The monopoly case. Unpublished paper, Program in Transportation Science, UC, Irvine], this work represents the first complete theoretical investigation into the economics of airport noise regulation using a model where the interests of the key relevant stakeholders are captured.

Buyer information and the hedonic: The impact of a seller disclosure on the implicit price for airport noise

Revealed preference methods like the hedonic model generally assume economic agents have access to publicly available information and use it effectively. In the housing market, the recent proliferation of seller disclosure laws suggests that policymakers perceive buyers to be less than “fully informed,” presumably since they face higher information acquisition costs than sellers. The introduction of an airport noise disclosure in the residential housing market surrounding the Raleigh–Durham International Airport is used as a quasi-random experiment to analyze the impact of this type of information asymmetry between buyers and sellers on housing prices. The results from a regression analysis that controls for potential spatial and temporal confounders, suggest that the airport noise disclosure reduced the value of houses most heavily impacted by airport noise by 2.9 percent. This represents approximately a 37 percentage point increase in the implicit price of airport noise. The results provide evidence that publicly available information, such as that available for airport noise, may not be adequately considered by all buyers. They also suggest that the information environment should be carefully considered when using housing data and the hedonic model to value urban amenities and disamenities.

Spatial Hedonic Models of Airport Noise, Proximity, and Housing Prices

Despite the refrain that housing prices are determined by and location, no prior studies of airport noise and housing prices have incorporated spatial econometric techniques. We compare various spatial econometric models and estimation methods in a hedonic price framework to examine the impact of noise on 2003 housing values near the Atlanta airport. Spatial effects are best captured by a model including both spatial autocorrelation and autoregressive parameters estimated by a generalized moments approach. The inclusion of spatial effects magnifies the negative price impacts of airport noise. Finally, after controlling for noise, houses farther from the airport tend to sell for less, implying that airport proximity is an amenity.