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Currently, due to the experience of a global pandemic -COVID 19-, older people in situations of vulnerability and social risk have presented significant demands. Faced with this scenario, the present work was developed from a research exercise, based on the framework of Popular Education for field research, seeking to articulate theory and practice. Therefore, from our concerns arose the questions: How could we help, during isolation, older people in situations of vulnerability and social risk? What possibilities exist to intervene in this process? To start this discussion, it was necessary to briefly contextualize the reflections of capitalism in the conduct of public social assistance policies, under the tutelage of a far-right federal government in Brazil. We also reflect on the rights of the elderly population at this juncture, what possible attributions exist within the Assistance Reference Center (CRAS) and how Popular Education can contribute to a process of confronting what has been raised, elucidating the vision of the whole. Thus, the authors carried out a qualitative research, in which, by sampling, they selected elderly people, with an average age between 60 and 72 years, in vulnerability, who attended the CRAS Vila Mathiensen and Jardim Nossa Senhora Aparecida, municipality of Americana / SP, Brazil, in peripheral neighborhoods and in situations of extreme social vulnerability, to respond to these concerns through a semi-structured questionnaire, in order to know what they have seen and heard about COVID-19 and what measures they have sought to face this scenario. Through the responses obtained, possible forms of intervention were analyzed and how we could contribute to promoting information. In this way, we seek to contribute with an analysis and reflection of the moment in which we live and, finally, to elucidate some possible actions with these people, without breaking the health protection measures., Actualmente, debido a la experiencia de una pandemia global -COVID 19-, las personas mayores en situaciones de vulnerabilidad y riesgo social han presentado demandas significativas. Ante este escenario, el presente trabajo se desarrolló a partir de un ejercicio de investigación, basado en el marco de la Educación Popular para la investigación de campo, buscando articular teoría y práctica. Por tanto, de nuestras inquietudes surgieron las preguntas: ¿Cómo podríamos ayudar, durante el aislamiento, a las personas mayores en situación de vulnerabilidad y riesgo social? ¿Qué posibilidades existen para intervenir en este proceso? Para iniciar esta discusión, fue necesario contextualizar brevemente los reflejos del capitalismo en la conducción de las políticas públicas de asistencia social, bajo la tutela de un gobierno federal de ultraderecha en Brasil. También reflexionamos sobre los derechos de la población anciana en esta coyuntura, qué posibles atribuciones existen dentro del Centro de Referencia Asistencial (CRAS) y cómo la Educación Popular puede contribuir a un proceso de confrontación de lo planteado, dilucidando la visión del conjunto. Así, las autoras realizaron una investigación cualitativa, en la cual, por muestreo, seleccionaron personas mayores, con edad promedio entre 60 y 72 años, en vulnerabilidad, que asistían al CRAS Vila Mathiensen y Jardim Nossa Senhora Aparecida, municipio de Americana/SP, Brasil, en barrios periféricos y en situación de extrema vulnerabilidad social, para responder a esas inquietudes a través de un cuestionario semiestructurado, con el fin de conocer qué han visto y oído sobre el COVID-19 y qué medidas han buscado para enfrentar este escenario. A través de las respuestas obtenidas, se analizaron las posibles formas de intervención y cómo podríamos contribuir a fomentar la información. De esta manera, buscamos contribuir con un análisis y reflexión del momento que vivimos y, finalmente, dilucidar sobre algunas posibles acciones con estas personas, sin quebrantar las medidas de protección a la salud., Atualmente devido à vivência de uma pandemia mundial -COVID 19-, as pessoas idosas em situação de vulnerabilidade e risco social têm apresentado demandas significativas. Frente a esse cenário, o presente trabalho foi realizado a partir de um exercício investigativo, tendo base no referencial da Educação Popular para a pesquisa de campo, buscando articular teoria e prática. Por tanto, a partir de nossas inquietações surgiram as perguntas: Como poderíamos auxiliar, durante o isolamento, os idosos em vulnerabilidade e risco social? Quais as possibilidades existentes para intervir nesse processo? Para o início dessa discussão, se fez necessária uma breve contextualização acerca dos reflexos do capitalismo na condução das políticas públicas de Assistência Social sob a tutela de um governo federal de ultradireita no Brasil. Refletimos também sobre os direitos da população idosa nessa conjuntura, quais atribuições possíveis dentro do Centro de Referência de Assistência Social (CRAS) e como a Educação Popular pode contribuir num processo de enfrentamento do que está posto, ao elucidar a visão sobre o todo. Desta forma, as autoras realizaram uma pesquisa qualitativa, que por amostragem, selecionaram pessoas idosas, com idade média entre 60 a 72 anos, em vulnerabilidade, frequentadoras do CRAS Vila Mathiensen e Jardim Nossa Senhora Aparecida, município de Americana/SP, Brasil, em bairros periféricos e em situação de extrema vulnerabilidade social para responder que por meio de um questionário semiestruturado, a fim de descobrir o que essas têm visto e ouvido sobre a COVID-19 e quais as medidas que tem buscado para enfrentar esse cenário. Através das respostas obtidas, foram analisadas quais as possíveis maneiras de intervenção e como poderíamos contribuir para fomentar informação. Desta forma, buscamos contribuir com uma análise e reflexão do momento em que vivemos e, por fim, elucidar algumas ações possíveis a essas pessoas, sem desrespeitar as medidas protetivas de saúde.

The paper is focused on the prioritization process in noise action plans. The available indicators (noise scores) and methodologies for defining hotspots are analysed and discussed. Indicators and methodologies are classified in order to highlight their suitability for different specific aims. The revised annex II of the European Directive 2002/49/EC fixed population exposure and modelling issues leading to different approaches in the prioritization process. Unfortunately, the indicators for rating areas are not commonly defined and a validated procedure is still not recognized at EU level. Furthermore, the importance of considering annoyance in the mitigation process arose, and this paper summarizes the pros and cons of their use for the purpose of prioritization process. A recent attempt to combine annoyance evaluations with limits compliance in noise score for the priority definition is presented. The paper classifies various priority indicators basing on their inclusion of compliance limits compliance, annoyance or both. Then, the methods for merging index values at dwelling for hotspot identification are classified according to their approaches, particularly between those using geometrical approaches, or needing reference administrative areas. The paper highlights the suitability of each method to specific sources, contexts and aims of the prioritization process. Merging methods resulted necessary whenever the epidemiological study is not the aim of the calculation; indeed, the mitigation measures could be planned for delimited and prioritized areas and not directly derived from building noise scores.

The use of road surfaces with low noise emission characteristics is one of the actions mostly applied all over the world to decrease the number of road traffic noise annoyed people. Since many Italian roads are going to be paved with such surfaces, the LEOPOLDO project (funded by the Tuscany Region and the Italian Ministry of Transportation) was planned to check the efficacy in time of this action. Among all solutions, rubberized road surface is one of the most applied in USA, Canada, Europe and Asia. This paper describes results obtained by monitoring four rubberized surfaces one year after the laying and by evaluating the time stability of LEOPOLDO one by means of the Close Proximity method (CPX). All surfaces here analyzed are laid in real scenarios, so the actual efficacy of this action is evaluated. The results on the LEOPOLDO surface show spatial homogeneity, a good time stability and a significant noise emission reduction. Instead, analysis of the four rubberized surfaces shows variability in the results, probably due to the pavement installation quality, as supported by the data. Thus, the rubberized road surface looks to be a very efficient mitigation technology, providing the installation have been carried out with care and proficiency. 2015 The Authors. Published by Elsevier Ltd. This is an open access article under the CC BY-NC-ND license

The European Noise Directive 2002/49/EC requires to draw up noise action plans. Most of the implemented solutions consist in using barriers, even if some studies evidenced that annoyance could increase after their installation. This action dumps the high frequencies, decreasing the masking effect on low ones. Therefore, people annoyance and complaints may increase despite the mitigation. This can happen even in pedestrian zones near main roads due to the screening effect of first buildings row. In this paper, the authors analyze the post-operam screening effects in terms of low frequency noise. The difference between C- and A-weighted levels is calculated as annoyance indicator (LC-A). Different methods able to map noise with octave bands detail are tested in order to establish differences in the estimates of annoyance exposure. In particular, a comparison is carried out between data from interim method NMPB 96, its updated version 2008, NORD 2000 and those provided by a customized procedure through ISO 9613 propagation and Statistical Pass By measurements. Test sites are simulated in order to validate each model results through measurements. Results are discussed for real locations in Pisa city center and virtual scenarios in a rising scale of complexity.

The LIFE GIOCONDA is an ongoing project that aims to provide an innovative methodology to the authorities for supporting the environment & health policies by involving the young people in the decision-making processes. The project suggests a web platform able to relate air and noise pollution data in the schools with the students’ pollution awareness. GIOCONDA aims to enhance the awareness of students, teachers and local administrations on the noise issues in schools, presenting suitable tools to improve the public participative processes. This paper presents a new method that has been developed within the Project. It aims to evaluate the acoustic performances of a classroom and to suggest the use of a global indicator based on a group of acoustic parameters compared with their limit values. Whit the new method the comparison between different classrooms or different schools becomes possible, together with a homogeneous evaluation of the priority for planning noise mitigation actions. Several noise measurement campaigns have been performed to characterize the students’ exposure in eight Italian schools. The results are useful to describe the acoustic performances of classrooms.

The effects of noise on students’ health, well-being, and learning are of growing concern among both the general public and policy-makers in Europe. Several studies have highlighted the consequences of noise on children’s learning and performance at school. This study investigates the relationship between noise judgment in school goers aged 11–18 and noise measurements aimed at evaluating their exposure at school. For this purpose, a questionnaire was administered to 521 individuals in 28 classrooms in eight schools of four cities in Italy, with different environmental characteristics. Using a Likert-type scale, a selected set of responses related to noise generated an Annoyance Index (AI) score for each student and a classroom median score (MAI). From the noise data acquired, a global noise score (GNS) was assigned to each classroom. A higher AI was found in industrialized areas and among younger students. No significant differences in noise judgment were found by gender. A significant inverse correlation was described between MAI and GNS, thus the better the acoustic quality of the classrooms, the less the perceived noise and annoyance. The results show that noise perception and consequent disturbance are highly correlated with classroom acoustics, and confirm that annoyance represents the most widespread subjective response to noise.

In almost all urban contexts and in many extra-urban conurbations, where road traffic is the main noise pollution source, the use of barriers is not allowed. In these cases, low-noise road surfaces are the most used mitigation action together with traffic flow reduction. Selecting the optimal surface is only the first problem that the public administration has to face. In the second place, it has to consider the issue of assessing the efficacy of the mitigation action. The purpose of the LEOPOLDO project was to improve the knowledge in the design and the characterization of low-noise road surfaces, producing guidelines helpful to the public administrations. Several experimental road surfaces were tested. Moreover, several measurement methods were implemented aiming to select those that are suitable for a correct assessment of the pavement performances laid as mitigation planning. In this paper, the experience gained in the LEOPOLDO project will be described, focusing on both the measurement methods adopted to assess the performance of a low-noise road surface and the criteria by which the experimental results have to be evaluated, presenting a comparison of the obtained results and their monitoring along time.

This work focuses on the methods for noise estimation within the research “Noise and health pollution from road traffic and incidence of coronary and cardiovascular events in three Italian cohort studies.” Outcomes of noise simulations on the Rome agglomeration are reported on the whole territory (1285 km2): grid map and noise levels at residential buildings have been calculated according Directive 2002/49/EC method. An innovative approach to derive noise road traffic model is described. Population exposure has been linked according to a specific protocol that is detailed in the work. Exposure evaluations for epidemiological studies requires assigning noise levels to population according to the probability of being exposed to a specific level in the dwelling. Limitations of simulations will be analyzed and associated uncertainty will be estimated, based on the modeling choices performed. Therefore, uncertainty of linked epidemiological outcomes will be also discussed. Finally, expected results on the thre...

Ten years after the approval of the Environmental Noise Directive 2002/49/EC (END) a large experience have been acquired to develop noise maps and action plans: the Noise Observation and Information Service for Europe maintained by the European Environment Agency (EEA) on behalf of the European Commission contains all data delivered in accordance with the END by Members States within the first round of implementation of the END. This large database should be useful to evaluate the pollution of Europe and to guide policy makers to establish best practices. However, local procedures and national methods do not permit a direct comparison of data reported. A comparison within agglomerations in EU is here carried out in order to find suitable indicators to identify most polluted cities despite different methods used. Critical and quiet areas have been assessed in action plans, but national laws and requirements are various, as different indicators used for their identification. The analysis was performed on noise exposure classes distribution, grouping them together using G(den) and G(night) indicators to offer a new tool for presenting noise maps of the cities to the public permitting their comparison and for drawing detailed action plans. Strong relationship between these indicators and highly annoyed and highly sleep-disturbed people percentages are obtained. Furthermore, a comparison between Gden and Qcity Noise Scoring for local hot spot identification is carried out for the agglomeration of Pisa, where different transportation noise sources are present. The final goal is to define faster methods for suitable indicators calculation in hot spot identifications. (C) 2013 Elsevier B.V. All rights reserved.

Identification and analysis of main quiet areas in Pisa agglomeration has been carried out by the University of Pisa and Tuscany Environmental Protection Agency (ARPAT). According to suggestions given by the Environmental Noise Directive (END) 2002/49/CE, authors measured noise levels (using different indicators) and perceived tranquility of users at four different park/green areas in the city (Monumental site – Miracle square, Botanic Garden, Riverside park “Le Piagge”, City Park “Giardino Scotto”). In order to analyze tranquility, measurements and analysis on site has been carried out including noise levels acquisition, video recording, binaural audio acquisition and users surveys. At first some different methodologies has been tested and compared to identify most suitable measurement instruments and analysis procedures. The survey, based on similar studies carried out by G. Watts in UK, intended to identify most annoying sources and subjective users impression of the park. In the same sites, soundwalks have been recorded to allow a laboratory test to obtain a second evaluation of the park (video and binaural audio reproduction). First results highlighted the negative effects on objective and subjective evaluation of tranquility done by different type of transport ( trains, cars, aircraft) in Pisa's parks.

Since the approval of European Directive 49/2005, in Europe many studies and developments have been done to improve quality and accuracy of noise mapping and action planning. With the end of the first round of agglomerations mapping, a comparison between mapping methods and exposure of cities is available. In Italy, tests have been done to compare procedures and results of different cities to understand how to improve quality and effectiveness of noise maps. In the meantime, EU Community worked to change calculation methods in order to find a procedure adaptable for each country but with a common structure. In fact, we have already seen that each country, also using an interim method has produced very different results. In particular, example within Italian maps will be shown and also between ones of different countries in Europe. The level assignment method to population will change too, in order to move towards a more realistic photograph of health conditions: maximum level was too preventive, when cons...