BOSTON, MA – October, 24 2016 Erica Walker, a doctoral candidate at the Harvard T.H. Chan School of Public Health, is releasing The Greater Boston Neighborhood Report on October 24, 2016. This report is a detailed analysis of her findings from 2016 – 2017 The Greater Boston Neighborhood Noise Survey.

HOW LOUD? This was the motivating question for Walker, who, two years ago, set out to find the answer to this question within the City of Boston as a part of her dissertation entitled: Noise and Health: Exposures, Experiments, and Epidemiology. From February 2015 – February 2016, she measured the ambient sound levels at over 400 sites within the City of Boston. However, while out in the field collecting noise measurements, residents routinely approached her to vent their frustration about noise in their community. Her goal for developing and conducting the National Neighborhood Noise Survey was to address what she felt to be an ignored aspect of urbanization—noise pollution and, in particular, the human response to environmental noise. The survey gave residents a space to express their feelings about noise in their community as well as note any physical and psychological reactions they may experience as a result of their exposure. This survey was administered from late fall 2016 until May of 2016 and close to 1,100 survey responses were received.

Using both the data from her sound field measurements along with survey results, Walker (along with researchers Julio Cesar Roman and Marcos Luna) created The Greater Boston Noise Report. This comprehensive and interactive report is the first of its kind in the nation and contains:

1. Sound Mapping: Interactive and static maps detailing sound levels, noise sensitivity, noise annoyance to particular urban sounds ranging from horns to leaf blowers, noise complaints for the City of Boston, and self-reported health impacts.
2. Survey Results: Responses from the Greater Boston Neighborhood Noise Survey, including demographics, responses to questions on sound perception, health impacts, and noise abatement strategies. Here, we also present findings from noise complaint data gathered from the City of Boston.
3. Neighborhood Noise Report Cards: Each Boston neighborhood was given a grade based on determinants we found both positively and negatively influenced sound levels and sound perception. This is the first of any such report card in the nation and we are super excited to share our results with you. We invite you to see which neighborhood came in first as well as see the score/grade in your neighborhood.
4. Community Sound Portraits and Urban Sound Bites: These two series take are aural and visual case studies of sound in our environment. The Community Sound Portrait Series consists of an interview of real-life residents about noise issues in their neighborhood. We take their photograph and collect sound bites and record the sound levels near their home so you can experience their neighborhood visually and aurally. The Urban Sound Bites series is a collection of images and accompanying sounds that are typically found in an urban environment. We invite you to visit these galleries and transport your senses to another dimension.

Some Key Findings and Facts:

• Close to 1,100 individuals in the Greater Boston Area completed our survey. Participating cities included Boston, Somerville, Cambridge, Watertown, Chelsea, Milton, Quincy, Winthrop, Brookline, and Newton.
• We have 12 Community Sound Portraits and 21 current Urban Sound Bites.
• We have 18 interactive and 18 downloadable maps.
• We’ve given over 20 community, academic, and conference talks on our work
• Decibel level wise—some of the loudest places in the city are Chinatown and Downtown, However, the perception of noise is highest in places like East Boston.
• Those residents who live in some of the quietest places are most sensitive to sound.
• Those individuals who live in shared space environments (apartments, condos, etc) tended to report their street and neighborhood louder than those who do not live in shared space environments.
• Dorchester, Brighton, and Allston led the pack with the highest number of noise complaints this past year. Loud Parties on the weekend tended to be the most often complained noise source.
• Four Boston neighborhoods received a grade of F, in terms of neighbourhood soundscape.
• Most residents in Greater Boston feel imprisoned by noise, stating that noise is annoying because it is unwanted, loud, and inescapable.
• The most common self-reported health effect stemming from community noise is sleep and relaxation disruption.
• Most residents respond to community noise by doing absolutely NOTHING about it.
• We will be adding the cities of Somerville and Cambridge, by the end of this year.