Construction Companies Create a Collective Platform to Discuss Noise Offsetting

The World Health Organization (WHO) considers sound pollution a matter of public health, as it impacts quality of life for millions of people every day. According to the UN agency, noise pollution is the #2 cause of diseases worldwide, second only to air pollution. In major cities, the construction industry is one of the main sources of high levels of noise. This is especially true in São Paulo, the largest city in Brazil.

Noise Neutral is a platform aimed at fostering discussions about innovative solutions to compensate for noise pollution - much like the carbon offsetting that is already practised as a way to compensate for air pollution.

To Juan Pierrard, acoustic engineer and managing partner at Bracústica, one of the companies that collaborated to develop the platform, “simply bringing this debate out to society is already a huge step. Noise pollution has always been a neglected problem, and it’s high time it got the attention it deserves,” he said.

One of the alternatives developed by the platform is a calculator, available here, in which users can point out a construction site on a map and input an estimated total area for the site and how long the construction will last. The tool then presents the total noise footprint of that construction, and lists projects capable of compensating for it, located in city regions with high levels of noise.

The unit of measure

The site’s noise footprint is calculated in NI (“Noise Impact”), a unit of measure developed exclusively for the project. It takes into account the estimated decibels generated by the construction project and the impact it has on people around the site over time.

Compensation projects

Noise Neutral also offers a collaborative space for architecture and urban planning firms, designers, and acoustic experts to share their projects, connecting them with interested construction companies and real estate developers who want to reduce the noise impact from their construction sites.

Since its launch in early March, Noise Neutral has attracted architects, engineers, innovation organisations, construction companies, and real estate developers.

Natalia Vieira, an architect and urban planner at Zoom who is also part of the project, emphasised that "compensation projects must take into account more than just functionality. They need to understand how the city interacts with people."

The project was conceived by FCB Brasil, the advertising agency for real estate developer Tegra Incorporadora. Ricardo John, CEO and CCO of the agency, stated that "Noise Neutral is a project that combines technology and ESG in a unique way, and it has prompted us to delve deeper into a topic that is still widely overlooked but has significant implications for people's health and the planet."

Noise Neutral is supported by Tegra, Bracústica Consultancy and Zoom Architecture.