1) In 2015, the government of Catalonia organized a noise pollution measurement campaign called "Am I Living with Noise?" on International Noise Awareness Day. Over 2,000 noise measurements were collected from citizens, schools, councils and companies across Catalonia using sound level meters and a mobile app. 2) The results of the campaign showed that 30% of the population lives with noise levels above recommended guidelines. Measurements were highest in large cities like Barcelona. The campaign achieved wide participation across stakeholders and raised awareness about noise pollution. 3) The campaign was deemed a success based on its large participation, media coverage and introduction of noise education in schools. Future efforts will continue engaging different administrations, companies and citizens

1. ACTIVITY: LIVING WITH NOISE ?
Eduard Puig Solé, epuigs@gencat.cat
Service for the Prevention of Pollution Acoustics and Light
Directorate General of Environmental Quality
Working Group Noise Eurocities
9 and 10 November of 2015 - Barcelona

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History
20th International Noise Awareness Day – April 29, 2015
Center of Hearing and Communication (CHC) is an non-profit
organization to encourage people to do something about bothersome
noise where they work, live, and play.
In Catalonia, every year, Councils and Catalonia Government organized a
technical workshops to discuss and share, management strategies for
reducing the noise pollution:
• Terrassa – 2014, Sabadell - 2013
• Girona, Manresa, Mataró, Torres de Segre - Schools workshops 2012
• Barcelona 2011, 2010, ….
http://chchearing.org/noise/day/

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EFECTES
3
Activity : Living with noise ?
But this year, for the INAD, the idea was involve all stakeholders in an
activity with the citizen’s participation.
Objective: To sensitize and raise
awareness of the importance of noise
pollution .
Everybody suffers it and everybody
contributes
Noise measurements massive campaign
HOW ?

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Stakehoders involved
Citizens
Councils and other
authorities
(technicians)
Schools and
Institutes
Consulting companies,
engineering,
EPCA 's,
equipment suppliers
ACTIVITY

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Noise measurements
Schools &Citizens
We divided de stakeholders in two groups, one with knowledge and
precision instrumentation and other without
Councils & Suppliers
equipment
• Sound Level Meters type 1
•Following ISO 1996 and
D176/2009 (Catalan law)
• According points (noisy and
also calm city points)
• Mobile app
• Noise guides and posters
were produced and distributed
• Points around schools

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Mobile app
After a preliminary study it was decided to work with the NOISE WATCH
APP.
1. Free, and developed by a public body, the European
Environmental Agency (EEA)
2. Available for Android and iOS platforms
3. Record a Leq 10 s , not instant SPL
4. The app allows to associate with a kind of source
5. The record is upload, with the position, in an app
database
https://play.google.com/store/apps/details?id=com.tsystems.humanSensor&hl=ca
https://itunes.apple.com/us/app/noisewatch/id486395795?mt=8

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Publicity campaign activity
Before, during and after, publicity of the activity was made and distributed
via the Ministry’s information channels.
• Series of logos and images were specifically
designed to promote the “Am I Living with
Noise?”
• Video posted in the YOUTUBE channel :
• Social media channels
• News in radio, TV and newspapers :
https://youtu.be/yTTeK4K88as
http://www.ccma.cat/324/el-30-de-la-poblacio-viu-per-sobre-dels-nivells-de-soroll-recomanables/noticia/2660546/
http://www.ara.cat/societat/Vius-soroll-Comprova-ho-compara-
resultats_0_1347465344.html?utm_medium=social&utm_source=twitter&utm_campaign=ara
http://www.lavanguardia.com/vida/20150412/54429851251/catalunya-foto-acustica.html
http://cadenaser.com/emisora/2015/04/29/radio_barcelona/1430300627_827971.html

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Measurements
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A total of 2.017 measurements were
made: 1.832 were done using the
NoiseWatch app and 185 using sound
level meters.
Some interesting numbers:
48 local authorities
28 relevant companies took part
20 participating schools
234 different municipalities on the
same day across Catalonia.
908 participation tweets #diasoroll

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During de measurements
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The NoiseWatch app allow to upload the measurement, and see it in a online
viewer (not immediately)
http://discomap.eea.europa.eu/map/NoiseWatch/
To spread the activity is asked to
make a tweet with the hashtag
#diasoroll, value level , location and
photo or Whatsapp to the Service

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Results
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 Finally the personal of the Service, collected all the
information from Twitter, WhatsApp, email (this way was
used for the councils and also the acoustics companies –
a datasheet was specifically designed for the INAD)
 EEA , all facilitated data measurements NoiseWatch app,
made ​​in Catalonia, during the day of the activity.
The information was worked on, statistically and graphically
processed.

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The map shows the
information about the
point, the value and the
device utilized
Results - Cartography
Google Earth maps
Also maps by ArcGis were made

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The location-city
of the sound level
meter
measurements.
Results - Statistically
0,0%
5,0%
10,0%
15,0%
20,0%
25,0%
30,0%
Alella
Badalona
Banyoles
Barcelona
CerdanyoladelVallès
CornellàdeLlobregat
Crespià
EspluguesdeLlobregat
Gavà
Girona
Granollers
L'HospitaletdeLlobregat
Lleida
MalgratdeMar
Manresa
Navàs
PinedadeMar
PremiàdeMar
Reus
Sabadell
SantCugatdelVallès
SantFeliudeLlobregat
SantJoanDespí
SantJustDesvern
SantaColomadeGramenet
Terrassa
Viladecans
%mesuraments
Municipi
Mesuraments amb sonòmetre per municipi
82%
8%
5% 5%
Distribution for zones
Barcelona Girona
Lleida Tarragona
1,7% 25,7%
12,9
%
46,9
%
12,5%
0,2%
Hourly distribution
Matinada Matí Migdia
Tarda Vespre Nit
NoiseWatch app
measurements

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If it’s checked the goal compliance, with the activity
"Living with noise ?" results, we would see:
 Great participation of the stakeholders ≈ 2.000
entries
 Well received by schools , which served to
introduce and specify activities and school
workshops .
 Good media coverage.
Conclusions
http://mediambient.gencat.cat/ca/05_ambits_dactuacio/atmosfera/contaminacio_acustica/jornades_cursos_i_arti
cles_tecnics/2015/
More information in the web site, in Catalan (some information is in Spanish and English):
The goal was the participation and mobilization of the
different administrations, companies and citizens.

14. Thank you for your attention
Eduard Puig Solé, epuigs@gencat.cat
Service for the Prevention of Pollution Acoustics and Light
Directorate General of Environmental Quality