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Revisiting the Concept of Quietness in the Urban Environment—Towards Ecosystems’ Health and Human Well-Being

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  • Aggelos Tsaligopoulos

    (Acoustic Ecology Laboratory, Department of Environment, University of the Aegean, 81100 Mytilene, Greece)

  • Stella Kyvelou

    (Department of Economics and Regional Development, School of Sciences of Economics and Public Administration, Panteion University of Social and Political Sciences, 17671 Athens, Greece)

  • Nefta-Eleftheria Votsi

    (Institute for Environmental Research & Sustainable Development, National Observatory of Athens, 15236 Athens, Greece)

  • Aimilia Karapostoli

    (School of Architectural Engineering, Democritus University of Thrace, 67100 Xanthi, Greece)

  • Chris Economou

    (Acoustic Ecology Laboratory, Department of Environment, University of the Aegean, 81100 Mytilene, Greece)

  • Yiannis G. Matsinos

    (Acoustic Ecology Laboratory, Department of Environment, University of the Aegean, 81100 Mytilene, Greece)

Abstract

There is plenty of proof that environmental noise is a major pollutant in the urban environment. Several approaches were successfully applied for its calculation, visualization, prediction and mitigation. The goal of all strategy plans regards its reduction and the creation of quietness. This study aims to revisit the concept of quietness in the urban environment and attempts to portray a new understanding of the specific phenomena. “Quietness” as a term retains an ambiguity, and so far, it can be described as the lack of something, meaning the lack of noise that is portrayed by means of intensity. Several studies describe quietness as the combination of perceptual soundscape elements and contextual factors that can be quantified, combined, weighed and used as indicators of healthy soundscapes. In this research, the focus is on setting aside all indicators, either measuring the intensity or contextual ones and use solely quantifiable metrics regarding the acoustic environment, thus introducing a new composite index called the composite urban quietness index (CUQI). After testing the CUQI, in order to verify the results of previous research regarding the identification of quiet Areas in the city of Mytilene (Lesbos Island, Greece), the study concludes that CUQI is efficiently functioning even in this early stage of development.

Suggested Citation

  • Aggelos Tsaligopoulos & Stella Kyvelou & Nefta-Eleftheria Votsi & Aimilia Karapostoli & Chris Economou & Yiannis G. Matsinos, 2021. "Revisiting the Concept of Quietness in the Urban Environment—Towards Ecosystems’ Health and Human Well-Being," IJERPH, MDPI, vol. 18(6), pages 1-19, March.
    • Handle: RePEc:gam:jijerp:v:18:y:2021:i:6:p:3151-:d:519836
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    3. Małgorzata Sztubecka & Marta Skiba & Maria Mrówczyńska & Michael Mathias, 2020. "Noise as a Factor of Green Areas Soundscape Creation," Sustainability, MDPI, vol. 12(3), pages 1-18, January.
    4. Massimiliano Masullo & Francesca Castanò & Roxana Adina Toma & Luigi Maffei, 2020. "Historical Cloisters and Courtyards as Quiet Areas," Sustainability, MDPI, vol. 12(7), pages 1-21, April.
    5. Mercede Erfanian & Andrew J. Mitchell & Jian Kang & Francesco Aletta, 2019. "The Psychophysiological Implications of Soundscape: A Systematic Review of Empirical Literature and a Research Agenda," IJERPH, MDPI, vol. 16(19), pages 1-20, September.
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    Cited by:

    1. Feng Li & Jiali Xiang & Tao Li & Danni Shen & Tian Li, 2022. "Active Indoor Soundscape Design: A Case Study of Ceramic Passive Amplifiers," IJERPH, MDPI, vol. 19(18), pages 1-22, September.
    2. Aggelos Tsaligopoulos & Stella Sofia Kyvelou & Michalis Chiotinis & Aimilia Karapostoli & Eleftheria E. Klontza & Demetris F. Lekkas & Yiannis G. Matsinos, 2022. "The Sound of a Circular City: Towards a Circularity-Driven Quietness," IJERPH, MDPI, vol. 19(19), pages 1-22, September.
    3. Benjamin Guinaudeau & Mark Brink & Beat Schäffer & Martin A. Schlaepfer, 2023. "A Methodology for Quantifying the Spatial Distribution and Social Equity of Urban Green and Blue Spaces," Sustainability, MDPI, vol. 15(24), pages 1-19, December.
    4. Chunguang Liu & Xinyu Zuo & Xiaoning Gu & Mengru Shao & Chao Chen, 2023. "Activity Duration under the COVID-19 Pandemic: A Comparative Analysis among Different Urbanized Areas Using a Hazard-Based Duration Model," Sustainability, MDPI, vol. 15(12), pages 1-28, June.
    5. Xiaodan Hong & Weichen Zhang & Yiping Chu & Wenying Zhu, 2022. "Study on Subjective Evaluation of Acoustic Environment in Urban Open Space Based on “Effective Characteristics”," IJERPH, MDPI, vol. 19(15), pages 1-19, July.

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