CITY OF BARCELONA, SPAIN
Program Name
Barcelona: Towards a Noiseless City
Municipal Profile
Population: 1.5 million
Budget: US$1.8 billion
Land Area: 101 square kilometers
Economic Activities: tourism, commercial, and service sectors
Environmental Expertise: water management, noise management, energy, Local Agenda 21
Issue Addressed
Noise Reduction
Key Management Concept
Reducing urban noise requires municipalities to implement a broad range of measures and work with a variety of stakeholders to address different sources of noise.
Program Goals
The program aims to encourage the implementation of noise reduction initiatives to improve the acoustic climate of the city.
Program Abstract
The BCNsensesoroll Noise Reduction Framework Program is a cross-disciplinary council project in which different municipal departments (urban planning, traffic, maintenance) and the ten city districts work together. Over 50 different noise reduction initiatives are being implemented, including the installation of noise reducing road surfaces on city streets, the promotion of subsidies for the acoustic insulation of buildings, and education and awareness activities.
To coordinate this cross-disciplinary program an executive technical committee called the Sound Board was created. Composed of 20 people from different municipal departments and districts, the Sound Board meets four times a year. Community participation is incorporated via the municipal environment website (www.bcn.es/mediambient) and a suggestion and complaint box.
After an internal participatory process five working groups were set up to address different topic areas.
Motorcycles-City council is working with the Barcelona Provincial Guild of Automobile Repair and representatives of Spanish food delivery companies to reduce the noise emitted by the more than 230,000 motorcycles in Barcelona. Motorcycle repair people have agreed to inform their customers about noise problems when checking their vehicles and propose solutions as well as promote the use of quieter motorcycle exhaust pipes. Food delivery companies will make their motorcycle delivery people aware of the need to decrease noise and have their fleet of motorcycles and mopeds regularly checked and maintained to minimize noise.
Summer Night-time Terrace Bars-A list of recommendations was drawn up to reduce the noise from terrace bars, which was used as a guideline for the renewal of activity permits in the summers of 2002 and 2003. Every summer, awareness campaigns to reduce noise are directed at terrace bar employees and clients. Participation in the terrace bar noise reduction campaign has grown from two districts in 2001 to all ten Barcelona districts in 2003.
Roadwork-Council and the Chamber of Roadwork Contractors of Catalonia have set up a workgroup to analyze actions to minimize noise from roadwork. In 2003, major roadwork companies in Barcelona joined the campaign and committed to reducing noise in their daily activities in accordance with a jointly developed good practices code.
Incidents/Complaints-There has been an exhaustive analysis of noise-related incidents and formal complaints processed by the police and city districts. While noise-related incidents are informal complaints made by citizens, formal complaints can have administrative consequences and result in penalties. The purpose of the analysis was to assess the current situation in order to develop and implement initiatives to optimize the receipt, handling, and resolution of noise-related incidents and complaints. Initiatives included improving the collection of information on the type of noises reported and informing citizens of how to report a noise-related problem.
In 2003, use of a mobile acoustic analysis unit began. The van is equipped with equipment that can measure and record sound in order to facilitate the identification of the noise source. The mobile unit is used for complex noise cases or when districts require long-term noise measurements. Solar cells on the roof of the vehicle allow the equipment to function when the van is stationary. The mobile unit is also used as an awareness raising tool at schools and public events.
Sound-Reducing Road Surface-From 2001 to 2002, over 1 million square meters of road surface were covered with noise reducing asphalt, which represents 70% of the city's main roads and 28% of all asphalted streets in Barcelona. From 2002-2003, an additional 2.2 million square meters of noise reducing road surface will be installed in Barcelona.
Financing
The cost of the project is US$8 million for the period 2001-2003, financed by the City of Barcelona. Ninety percent of this budget is allocated to the installation of noise reducing road surfaces.
Staff
The program is staffed by the director of the Environmental Surveillance Department, and a two-member Coordination Team. The Sound Board consists of a president, vice-president, and representatives of the city council's 5 departments and 10 districts.
Lessons Learned
Although cross-disciplinary projects can be difficult to implement, the people involved are able to learn many things from the initiatives and experiences of other departments.
Contact
Pau RodrÃguez, Director
Environmental Surveillance Department
City of Barcelona
c/ Torrent de l'Olla 218 - 220, 2nd floor
08012 Barcelona, Spain
Tel: +34-93/291-40-03
Fax: +34-93/291-40-32
Email: prodriguezm@mail.bcn.es
Website
www.bcn.es
Barcelona: Towards a Noiseless City
Municipal Profile
Population: 1.5 million
Budget: US$1.8 billion
Land Area: 101 square kilometers
Economic Activities: tourism, commercial, and service sectors
Environmental Expertise: water management, noise management, energy, Local Agenda 21
Issue Addressed
Noise Reduction
Key Management Concept
Reducing urban noise requires municipalities to implement a broad range of measures and work with a variety of stakeholders to address different sources of noise.
Program Goals
The program aims to encourage the implementation of noise reduction initiatives to improve the acoustic climate of the city.
Program Abstract
The BCNsensesoroll Noise Reduction Framework Program is a cross-disciplinary council project in which different municipal departments (urban planning, traffic, maintenance) and the ten city districts work together. Over 50 different noise reduction initiatives are being implemented, including the installation of noise reducing road surfaces on city streets, the promotion of subsidies for the acoustic insulation of buildings, and education and awareness activities.
To coordinate this cross-disciplinary program an executive technical committee called the Sound Board was created. Composed of 20 people from different municipal departments and districts, the Sound Board meets four times a year. Community participation is incorporated via the municipal environment website (www.bcn.es/mediambient) and a suggestion and complaint box.
After an internal participatory process five working groups were set up to address different topic areas.
Motorcycles-City council is working with the Barcelona Provincial Guild of Automobile Repair and representatives of Spanish food delivery companies to reduce the noise emitted by the more than 230,000 motorcycles in Barcelona. Motorcycle repair people have agreed to inform their customers about noise problems when checking their vehicles and propose solutions as well as promote the use of quieter motorcycle exhaust pipes. Food delivery companies will make their motorcycle delivery people aware of the need to decrease noise and have their fleet of motorcycles and mopeds regularly checked and maintained to minimize noise.
Summer Night-time Terrace Bars-A list of recommendations was drawn up to reduce the noise from terrace bars, which was used as a guideline for the renewal of activity permits in the summers of 2002 and 2003. Every summer, awareness campaigns to reduce noise are directed at terrace bar employees and clients. Participation in the terrace bar noise reduction campaign has grown from two districts in 2001 to all ten Barcelona districts in 2003.
Roadwork-Council and the Chamber of Roadwork Contractors of Catalonia have set up a workgroup to analyze actions to minimize noise from roadwork. In 2003, major roadwork companies in Barcelona joined the campaign and committed to reducing noise in their daily activities in accordance with a jointly developed good practices code.
Incidents/Complaints-There has been an exhaustive analysis of noise-related incidents and formal complaints processed by the police and city districts. While noise-related incidents are informal complaints made by citizens, formal complaints can have administrative consequences and result in penalties. The purpose of the analysis was to assess the current situation in order to develop and implement initiatives to optimize the receipt, handling, and resolution of noise-related incidents and complaints. Initiatives included improving the collection of information on the type of noises reported and informing citizens of how to report a noise-related problem.
In 2003, use of a mobile acoustic analysis unit began. The van is equipped with equipment that can measure and record sound in order to facilitate the identification of the noise source. The mobile unit is used for complex noise cases or when districts require long-term noise measurements. Solar cells on the roof of the vehicle allow the equipment to function when the van is stationary. The mobile unit is also used as an awareness raising tool at schools and public events.
Sound-Reducing Road Surface-From 2001 to 2002, over 1 million square meters of road surface were covered with noise reducing asphalt, which represents 70% of the city's main roads and 28% of all asphalted streets in Barcelona. From 2002-2003, an additional 2.2 million square meters of noise reducing road surface will be installed in Barcelona.
Financing
The cost of the project is US$8 million for the period 2001-2003, financed by the City of Barcelona. Ninety percent of this budget is allocated to the installation of noise reducing road surfaces.
Staff
The program is staffed by the director of the Environmental Surveillance Department, and a two-member Coordination Team. The Sound Board consists of a president, vice-president, and representatives of the city council's 5 departments and 10 districts.
Lessons Learned
Although cross-disciplinary projects can be difficult to implement, the people involved are able to learn many things from the initiatives and experiences of other departments.
Contact
Pau RodrÃguez, Director
Environmental Surveillance Department
City of Barcelona
c/ Torrent de l'Olla 218 - 220, 2nd floor
08012 Barcelona, Spain
Tel: +34-93/291-40-03
Fax: +34-93/291-40-32
Email: prodriguezm@mail.bcn.es
Website
www.bcn.es
