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Noise Disturbance

Tenant in Yishun Industrial Complex accuses neighbor of hammering a lorry and obstructing the fire escape route, causing a standoff.

A man going by the name Wang has reportedly been bothered for the last two months by his neighbor, who was playing loud music.

Wang, who operates a storage company on the third floor of the YS-One industrial building in Yishun, claimed to Lianhe Zaobao that both he and his clients were disturbed by the noise coming from his neighbor, an event company.

He claims that for the previous three years, the event company has been dumping its products along the shared driveway. Additionally, they pile their belongings in the shared space, obstructing the path to the fire extinguisher and the fire escape.

Every time I use the driveway, I have to tell them to move their truck, which is really annoying.

We also offer eyelash extension products, but customers are unable to enter my business due to a lorry that is blocking the entrance. It has an impact on my business,” Wang remarked.

On January 31, a fight broke out between Wang and his neighbor over the latter’s unloading of items and obstruction of the path, which further infuriated the tenants. They called the police to ask for help.

Wang said that ever since, his neighbor has been blasting loud music through speakers facing his apartment.

Wang said that nothing had changed despite his repeated complaints to the police and building management.

Neighbour used hammers to hit his lorry
Neighbour used hammers to hit his lorry

In addition to the noise, Wang told Zaobao that on April 8, one of the event company’s employees struck his truck with two hammers.

A man was seen wandering the parking lot with two hammers in his hands while wearing a green T-shirt on CCTV footage. In addition, the man was observed beating on the iron railings close to Wang’s apartment with the hammers, seemingly in an attempt to scare the residents.

Wang called the police again, this time feeling scared by the man’s behavior.

“As far as I’m aware, my employees asked him to quiet down, but he responded that since this is an industrial building and not a residential neighborhood, noise is acceptable.

“When the police came, he went back into his unit and refused to respond.”

An employee of the event company with the last name Lin claimed in an interview that her coworkers were in the habit of listening to music while at work.


However, the 58-year-old claimed that there was never any intention of causing a commotion.

Lin didn’t think Wang would be affected by the music because the industrial building was already noisy.

“We don’t want to create trouble, making money is more important,” she stated.

Lin stated that the items in the common area are only left outside when taking stock.

“We don’t leave the items there for long, we’ve been careful since the authorities warned us.”

In response to Zaobao’s inquiries, a JTC Corporation representative stated that they had heard from a renter regarding noise disruption and unapproved item storage within the building.

According to the spokesperson, tenants have been reminded to keep their noise levels down and stay within the National Environment Agency’s allowed bounds.

To guarantee a secure working environment for all tenants, they further stated that they are collaborating with the Singapore Civil Defense Force (SCDF).

The SCDF notified Zaobao that they had received a report of an unauthorized item storage in the YS-One building’s common area, which constituted a fire safety violation.

They are trying to get the tenant to fix the problem by working with JTC Corporation.

Categories
Building Accoustics Environment Home Noise Technology

Use technology to mitigate disruptive noise

Singapore, a city-state renowned for its densely populated residential high-rises, consistently struggles with noise pollution.

Noise complaints increased dramatically during the Covid-19 pandemic; in 2021, the Housing Board received as many as 3,200 complaints per month, which was a marked increase over pre-pandemic levels.

The government has urged locals to address noise complaints with their neighbors directly or with the assistance of community leaders. If that doesn’t work, there is always mediation and, as a last resort, legal action. But given the volume of complaints, we ought to reconsider how we handle noise-related problems.

More forceful responses to severe noise-related conflicts include the creation of a specialized enforcement unit with the authority to look into complaints, the installation of noise sensors with permission, and the issuance of abatement orders. Although these are positive steps, given the number of cases and the current manpower shortage, will these initiatives be sufficient?

A comprehensive approach that makes use of technology ought to include defining precise noise guidelines, enforcing them, and requiring soundproofing in all upcoming building projects.

Furthermore, it might be worthwhile to think about creating simple-to-install “self-help” Internet of Things-enabled noise sensor kits for ongoing monitoring to assist impacted citizens.

People who are easily startled by loud noises may be more willing to pay the price.

Furthermore, giving residents more authority communicates to the neighborhood that proactive noise control measures are expected.

These developments could lead to a significant decrease in the need for court cases and mediation, improve community harmony, and establish Singapore as a world leader in intelligent, sustainable urban planning.

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Noise-th

A few observations regarding Bangkok traffic

While it may look very similar, Bangkok’s transportation management is worlds apart. PHOTO BY FRANK SCHUENGEL

We recently traveled to Thailand, where we had the opportunity to witness firsthand the traffic in and around Bangkok, the country’s capital. We discovered some intriguing similarities and differences with Metro Manila.

Quite busy but polite. Although Bangkok’s traffic can be congested, particularly during rush hour, there aren’t many parallels between this city and Metro Manila beyond that.

Behind the wheel, people seem to be much more polite and relaxed here. There are plenty of spaces in the traffic, even during peak hours, unlike in Metro Manila, where it would be impossible to squeeze a single peso coin between the car in front and the one behind it.

Better lane discipline, observance of traffic laws, and a pleasantly conspicuous absence of human enforcers at every intersection are all present. Though far superior to our own city, it’s far from perfect. I sincerely don’t know why there seem to be so many hotheads in the Philippines on the road, and I wish Metro Manila was like this.

With strict noise regulations, straight-piped motorcycles and jeepneys could be a thing of the past. PHOTO BY FRANK SCHUENGEL

Sounds? What sound? Bangkok has remarkably quiet roads for a busy Asian megacity. There aren’t any jeepneys with exhausts shaped like Jericho trumpets, no buses making a loud announcement of their arrival, and very few people honking their horns.

Bangkok’s roads have a soundtrack that is positively serene in comparison to Metro Manila’s insane cacophony. This is so quiet that you could put it on a CD and market it as a meditation track. LGUs in the Philippines, listen up!

Chinese EVs seem to be popular in Bangkok. PHOTO BY FRANK SCHUENGEL

EV usage is growing. Advertisements for electric vehicles can be found everywhere you look. Thailand is currently being heavily targeted by mostly Chinese brands. Though they aren’t very common yet, EVs are still visible on the road.

It appears that BYD is well-represented here. Even though it’s just as hot and muggy as it is at home, the air feels much cleaner here. That is most likely due to both functional and appropriately enforced vehicle emission regulations as well as EVs.

Finally, a country that actually uses pickups as intended instead of as an extension of one's ego. PHOTOS BY FRANK SCHUENGEL

They play pickup like pros. You’ll see a lot of these cars on our roads as well. But Thai drivers are in a different league than Filipinos when it comes to pickup trucks.

It’s amazing how people here make the most out of these vehicles by putting enormous cargo bays on the back of these dependable cars. With a Hilux, who needs a heavy-duty truck?

This is one thing that we can look forward to—if the subway is built properly. PHOTO BY FRANK SCHUENGEL

An excellent subway has a profound impact. Bangkok traffic is still a problem; rush hour there can resemble our shores’ never-ending metal avalanche. However, you can at least take the subway in the capital of Thailand to get away from it.

It’s a cheap, clean, modern subway. Additionally, data coverage and a full mobile signal are included. I am eagerly awaiting the launch of Metro Manila’s underground train in the coming years, and I sincerely hope that the designers will learn from and incorporate the best features from other metro systems across the world.

Overground adjustments will also be needed for Metro Manila. As I discovered in Bangkok and numerous other cities, a subway is only completely functional if people can walk to it with ease. Sadly, sidewalks are frequently overlooked in the Philippines; hopefully, this project will address this.

It may be more tourist-oriented, but boats are still additional forms of transportation. PHOTO BY FRANK SCHUENGEL

Among them are boats. Even though the majority of the boats speeding up and down Bangkok’s Chao Phraya River are packed with tourists, they nevertheless contribute significantly to the city’s transportation system. One that would be simple to greatly expand throughout Metro Manila.

By now, anything that gets people off the road and out of cars has to be good, and for both commuters and tourists, a breezy ferry ride up and down the Pasig River might be just the thing.

The Philippines could learn so much from Bangkok. PHOTO BY FRANK SCHUENGEL

Unfortunately, it doesn’t appear to be very popular. Thankfully, Metro Manila is now moving in the right direction and adding more and more bike lanes. However, it appears that there aren’t many two-wheelers driven by people in Bangkok, and there aren’t many designated bike lanes. Perhaps there is less of a need to move around by using physical strength because the metro system is so expansive and contemporary.

In summary, Bangkok evokes visions of the metropolis that Metro Manila might become if it were to finally get its act together.

References
visor.ph

Categories
Asia Noise News Environment Home

Drilling holes in the wall, tapping the floor, or pulling furniture at night for ten years

SINGAPORE: A resident has had enough of her noisy upstairs neighbor of ten years and has taken to social media to seek guidance from other Singaporeans.

The internet user stated on Monday, February 26, that for ten years, “literally every single day, either they are drilling the wall for more than thirty minutes (don’t know drill what also) or knocking the floor with a walking stick and dragging furniture at night.”

Although it’s manageable, there are moments when it becomes unbearably loud.

I went upstairs one night to confront them, and when they didn’t answer the door, they kept knocking on the floor with what sounded like an old-fashioned metal hollow walking stick. That’s how I knew it was a walking stick.

Every time it gets really loud at night, I also call the police, but the noises only stop for a few days before they start knocking and dragging again.

After knocking and getting no response, I’m at a loss for what further action to take. Because my estate is close to IMH, the only conclusion I can think of is that the person may be a patient there.

I’m not sure what I should or can do with that knowledge. Is there anyone who can offer advice on what to do? Asking, “Legal or not-so-legal ideas accepted,” the writer continued.


Remarkably, the post inspired a few more people to share their own tales of “nuisance neighbors.” Numerous people related their personal experiences of coping with neighbors of this type.

Some agreed that a confrontation was necessary, while others went so far as to involve the authorities by calling them. Some countered that these actions didn’t offer long-term fixes.

One resident who had experienced noisy neighbors firsthand wrote, “I feel you.”

“My neighbors next door have noisy kids upstairs as well as persistent floor knocking.” It is possible that they have a platform in their room because every time they run, jump, or walk on it, a hollow sound is heard.

Not something I could handle once at midnight. went up and reprimanded them angrily. The 15-year-old boy denied knocking; when his mother arrived at the door, I reprimanded her as well.

Since then, there has been some but not much less noise. I had previously provided HDB with feedback, but it was also ineffective.

Another said, “We left notes for this specific household.”

“I spoke with them directly and gave them my contact information to let them know when it became too loud.” It was effective for a while, but then it got worse.To cut a long tale short, we made several calls to HDB, the town council, and the police.

When we got our neighbors together, we noticed that they were all growing irritated and they also reported this family. Then we repeated the process, reiterating our earlier reports (i.e., telling HDB that everyone had called the police several times and that this was the last straw).

The next day, I got a call from HDB, who sounded like an intern reading from a script and didn’t know how to assist. However, we never had any problems (with) this family again after that day.

Categories
Asia Noise News

China is going after airport noise pollution

BEIJING: In an effort to encourage the green transformation of civil aviation, China has published a three-year action plan for the prevention and control of noise pollution at civil airports.

The plan was jointly released by the State Administration for Market Regulation, the Ministry of Natural Resources, the Ministry of Ecology and Environment, and the Civil Aviation Administration of China.

The action plan states that by 2025, a standard system for preventing and controlling pollution at airports should be essentially established and that significant advancements in the development of important monitoring technologies should be made.

By 2025, it was stated, airports handling at least 5 million passengers annually ought to be able to track the source of civil aircraft noise events in real time.

According to the action plan, by 2027, the environs of airports with a minimum yearly passenger throughput should have improved environmental quality.

Categories
Asia Noise News Environment

How the construction industry is becoming quieter thanks to a Hong Kong start-up’s use of recycled plastic

  • Acoustic Metamaterials Group produces noise-cancelling barriers for the construction industry using recycled plastic.
  • The Green Tech Fund of the Hong Kong government provided US$435,000 to the startup’s founder so they could test technology for producing more noise-efficient products.

The goal of the smart materials and acoustics company Acoustic Metamaterials Group (AMG), situated in Hong Kong, is to increase the utilization of recycled plastic in the construction sector in order to assist in reducing noise pollution and the industry’s carbon footprint.

Chen Shuyu, the founder and director of the start-up, claims that their manufacturing technology can recycle plastic waste to create noise-control products that have an acoustic performance that is on par with or better than that of conventional materials like rockwool, fiberglass, and foam.
“Recycled plastic could replace nearly all types of materials used for acoustic purposes in buildings and in noise-cancelling barriers,” stated Chen. Chen is scheduled to participate in a panel discussion on construction at the GreenTech Summit on Monday, which is a part of the government-organized Hong Kong Green Week.

By altering the structure of solid surfaces like plastic, metamaterials can achieve sound absorption comparable to or even greater than that of conventional acoustic materials without the need for additional components, according to AMG’s product catalogue.

Chen added that this lowers the overall manufacturing cost. The recycled plastic is gathered from factories in mainland China where AMG’s products are made.

AMG was established in 2014 in Hong Kong, and the company claims that its products are used commercially in a variety of industries, such as consumer electronics, automobiles, hi-fi and smart wearables, construction, electrical and mechanical systems, and home appliances.

The government’s Green Tech Fund awarded HK$3.4 million (US$435,000) to Chen’s research and development platform Lumi method in 2022 so that it could test its manufacturing method for further high-efficiency, noise-absorbing materials made from recycled plastic.

The Green Tech Fund was established in 2020 with HK$400 million from the Hong Kong government to fund research and development projects that advance the city’s decarbonization efforts and enhance environmental advantages.

AMG can produce 200,000 square meters of metamaterials annually, part of which are derived from recycled plastic.

Developers in Hong Kong have been using AMG’s road and noise barriers at development sites since 2020. Additionally, China, Japan, the EU, and the UK are recipients of AMG’s exports.

According to Chen, the company wants to use more recycled plastic in the production of noise-cancelling goods for use in road barriers and construction.

He declared, “We are the leaders in [promoting] this concept.”

References

www.scmp.com

Categories
Asia Noise News

Does the noise grow with the city?

Does the noise grow with the city?

Bangkok City Plan Revision is underway.

The Thai  Department of City Planning and Urban Development has announced a plan to review and revise the city plan of Bangkok to be in line with the changing conditions and environment of urban development. It was present in the last year of 2023 when new metro and sky train lines were started to be used, giving citizens not only in central Bangkok to access public transport and travel across the city. The new Bangkok city mentioned an opportunity to change the restrictions of land use for some areas. Not only expanding the density of residential zones but also allowing some new areas to be developed e.g. for commercial, while still maintaining the conservation zone for agricultural zones as well as Thai art and cultural zones. While the city seems to be growing, what else may arise along with it behind the scenes?

                News and articles are reporting cases where citizens are disturbed or annoyed by noise (Noise pollution destroying condo life). Statistics also show a trend of increasing numbers of noise complaints and becoming the first-place compliant source in 2023 (Report of complaints of the 3rd quarter, year 2023, Office of the Prime Minister). Noise pollution can be caused by many events and sources, for example, road traffic noise may be one of the major causes in a dense city like Bangkok with a population of more than 5 million people. Imagine the road keeps developing and the population grows denser, more people may be affected by noise pollution without a city noise study to plan a noise control strategy.

                City noise mapping has become a well-known tool used to study the noise exposure of the residents across the city and help governments plan new strategies for noise control, land use planning, or develop new building and housing laws. It is presented that there are noise monitoring stations located in various areas of Bangkok, some station shows that the level does exceed the recommended noise level (Online noise monitoring system from the Pollution Control Department). The monthly noise level report is also available on the PCD website (Noise Monitoring Report from the Pollution Control Department).

Online Bangkok Risk Map: PM 2.5 Map
Online Bangkok Risk Map: PM 2.5 Map
(SoundPLAN noise mapping)
(SoundPLAN noise mapping)

Sound planning and noise mapping tools nowadays can connect to the GIS database. Since the Bangkok GIS database is available, the city of Bangkok can be imported directly into the noise mapping software using modelling software such as SoundPLAN. The model can be verified to the real data from the PCD noise monitoring system across Bangkok. The software can also calculate the noise level without conducting an onsite measurement. For example, to calculate road traffic noise, the software can do the calculation using the rate of cars per hour, the mean speed, and the road surface type. Online Bangkok Risk Map (Online Bangkok Risk Map, BMA) is also a great example of using GIS and presenting various data on the Bangkok city map, allowing citizens to observe the situation in their area. It is possible to create a city noise map using a similar method to these maps.

                As it is announced that the current stage of Bangkok City Plan Revision is already underway in phase 1 of surveying and analyzing relevant data, the online website is still open for public opinion until 29 February 2024 (PLAN FOR BANGKOK). As an acoustic consultant, we hope to see people express their thoughts on noise and wish that it will be recognized as one of the topics that should be concerned for citizens’ health and well-being alongside other pollution.

References:
PLAN FOR BANGKOK:
https://plan4bangkok.com/

Report of the results of complaints/opinions for the 3rd quarter of year 2023, Office of the Prime Minister:
https://www.opm.go.th/opmportal/index.asp?parent=1232&pageid=1557&directory=13100&pagename=content1

Noise pollution destroying condo life:
https://www.bangkokpost.com/opinion/opinion/2701841/noise-pollution-destroying-condo-life

Online noise monitoring system from the Pollution Control Department:
http://noisemonitor.net/web/index.php

Noise Monitoring Report from the Pollution Control Department: http://noisemonitor.net/web/download_monthly.php

Online Bangkok Risk Map – Department of City Planning and Urban Development, BMA:
https://cpudapp.bangkok.go.th/riskbkk/index.html

by Ms. Punyakorn Sourachai

Categories
Asia Noise News

Authorities at Mall of Asia discover no significant infractions of the noise pollution or parking space limits

Authorities such as police and mall developers present their mutually agreed-upon short- and long-term traffic congestion relief measures to the Karnataka High Court.

The management of the mall, the city police, and other government agencies have mutually agreed to implement short- and long-term measures to ease traffic congestion around the mall at Byatarayanapura on Ballari Road in the city, as there have been no major violations found regarding the use of the parking area or noise regulations by Mall of Asia.

Following three rounds of deliberations, held as recommended by the court earlier, to find solutions for traffic congestion caused by mall visitors’ vehicles and to reduce noise level, the long- and short-term measures were submitted before the Karnataka High Court on Friday.

As of right now
The court was told that the temporary measures will be implemented for a period of 15 days starting on January 6 on an experimental basis in order to evaluate their effects.

Judge M. Nagaprasanna, who heard a petition filed by the mall’s management company, Sparkle One Mall Developers Pvt. Ltd., ordered all parties to prolong the mutually agreed-upon action plan and postponed the next hearing until January 30.

The petitioner-company had contested the validity of the prohibitory order issued by the city Police Commissioner on December 29 under Section 144 of the Cr.PC. On December 31, the court made it clear that the order would not prevent the mall from opening for business or allowing the public to enter.

Noise Level
The developers have agreed to reduce the noise level to the allowable limit. According to the proceedings of the deliberations held, the Karnataka State Pollution Control Board had found that the noise level around the mall measured at 67.61 dB L.Aeq (avg), as opposed to the limit of 65 dB L.Aeq (avg) during the day for commercial areas.


The Bangalore Development Authority has approved the development plan for 2,241 residential units, retail commercial spaces, office spaces, and multiplexes on an area of approximately 65 acres, according to the Bruhat Bengaluru Mahanagara Palike (BBMP). The plan also includes a 13-acre mall.

A total of 3,488, comprising 2,029 (retail/commercial), 271 (multiplex), and 1,118 (office space), parking spaces are required. 2,324 parking spaces must be provided in total for the area (commercial retail space and multiplex) for which a partial occupancy was granted. According to the BBMP, surface parking must be allocated 5% of the entire development project area during the meeting.

Upon inspection, the BBMP discovered that 2,599 car parking spaces, including stack parking, were provided in accordance with standard procedure and that both basements were utilized for parking as intended. But according to the BBMP, some of the 225 surface parking spaces that were supposed to be used were instead used for landscaping.

Parking costs for motorbikes
The traffic police’s recommendation to lower the two-wheeler parking fee in order to incentivize people to park inside the mall’s parking area rather than haphazardly on nearby roads has been accepted by the mall developers. All vehicles, including taxis and autorickshaws, must enter and exit in accordance with the traffic police’s recommended traffic circulation plan.

Categories
Asia Noise News Noise-th

Agencies are instructed to handle noise from the extended pub opening hours

Since December 15, when the Surat Thani province’s law permitting pubs, bars, and entertainment venues in specific areas of Bangkok, Phuket, Chonburi, Chiang Mai, and Koh Samui to stay open until 4am went into effect, the public has filed 5,785 complaints regarding noise.

As per a Government House source, the Interior Ministry has been directed by the cabinet to devise strategies to address these disturbances and submit an update to the Office of the Prime Minister on a quarterly basis.

Although national hotel regulations allow services within hotels to run until 4am, any entertainment venues that stay open past that time must strictly abide by the law, particularly the Alcoholic Beverage Control Act and the Entertainment Places Act.

It is against the law to sell alcoholic beverages to anyone under the age of twenty-one or to someone who passes out after drinking.

In fiscal year 2023, 57,399 complaints were filed, down from 67,919 in fiscal year 2022, according to the Office of the Prime Minister.

The majority of complaints were about noisy restaurants, entertainment centers, and festival gatherings. 5,607 out of the 5,785 cases have been settled.

Other complaints from the public included issues with electricity at 3,575. These included requests for more lights to be installed in pedestrian areas, a reduction in electricity bills, and an evaluation of the methodology used to calculate electricity.

With 2,355 cases, political complaints ranked third and included complaints about the general election, the campaign, the formation of the government, and the platforms of political parties.

Categories
Asia Noise News

Delhi has zero noise pollution cases while Rajasthan has the most

December 4, New Delhi, India (ANI): According to the most recent National Crime Records Bureau (NCRB) annual report, Rajasthan accounted for 98.9% of the 7,378 cases overall that were reported under the Noise Pollution Acts in 2022, while Uttar Pradesh reported one case and Delhi recorded none.
The “Crime in India 2022” report is based on information gathered from central agencies, 36 states, and Union territories. It went on sale on Sunday after being released on Friday.
According to the report, there was a marginal increase of only two percent between the number of cases registered under the Noise Pollution Act in 2021 and 2022—a total of 7,217 cases and 7,378 cases, respectively.

There were 52,920 cases under the category of environment-related offenses in 2022 compared to 64,471 cases in 2021, indicating a 17.9% decline. According to crime head-wise cases, the most cases (80.6 percent, or 42,642) were registered under the Cigarette and Other Tobacco Products Act (COTPA), with 13.9 percent (7,378) cases coming from the Noise Pollution Acts (State/Central).
With 7,300 cases, Rajasthan accounted for 98.9% of all cases filed in 2022. Chhattisgarh registered 59 cases, Madhya Pradesh 11, Himanchal Pradesh 3, Haryana 2, and a few lone cases in Gujarat, Punjab, and Uttar Pradesh followed.

The report states that no case has been filed in Jammu and Kashmir, Delhi, or any other Union Territory. (ANI)

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