Environmental Engineering Reference
In-Depth Information
it more difficult to think and to do their work in their classrooms [46]. Evans and
Lepore [40] believe that noise exposure interferes with auditory discrimination and
attentional mechanisms, making it more difficult for children to learn to read in
noisy environments. Two other factors, namely lack of motivation and feelings of
helplessness, may also contribute to poorer reading scores in children exposed to
noise in their classrooms. A few years later, Bronzaft had the opportunity to revisit
the school in which her earlier study was done to examine the effect of two noise
abatement procedures, namely, the installation of acoustical tiles in the ceilings of
the classrooms adjacent to the tracks and the installation of noise-absorbing materi-
als on the tracks, which reduced noise in the class 6-8 dB. She found that children
on both sides of the building were now reading at the same level, indicating that
when noise is lessened children's learning improves [47].
In their review of more than 20 studies, the Federal Interagency Committee on
Aviation Noise [48] concluded that children's reading, language, and memory skills
can be negatively affected by aircraft noise. Similarly in their London study, Haines
et al. [49] found chronic aircraft noise exposure was associated with impaired read-
ing comprehension. In their cross-national and cross-sectional study of over 2800
school children attending schools in different countries, Stansfeld et al. [50] con-
cluded that aircraft noise could impair cognitive development in children, especially
in reading comprehension. They did not find similar results for road traffic noises,
as had been found in other studies, but believed the low noise levels in this study
may have been a factor.
The studies linking noise to decrements in children's learning and achieve-
ment has resulted in the Acoustical Society of America partnering with the Noise
Pollution Clearinghouse (www.nonoise.org) to create a web page to inform parents,
teachers, and school administrators about the importance of quieter school learn-
ing environments. Information on the National Standard for Classroom Acoustics
is included on this web page as well as strategies for achieving good classroom
acoustics.
4.7 Noise and Sleep
Noise can disrupt sleep, leading to increased awakenings during the night.
Significant numbers of residents living with the roar of overnight jets have reported
that noise disrupts their sleep [28, 51]. Passchier-Vermeer and Passchier [43], after
reviewing a number of epidemiological studies on night time noise disturbances,
report that noise does indeed increase awakenings. With a good night's sleep being
a prerequisite for normal physiological and psychological functioning, one can con-
clude that such awakenings may lead to health problems. In addition, noise-induced
sleep loss may impair job performance the next day as well as make one less
receptive to cues of danger [3, 43, 52].
However, noise can adversely affect health even if it does not awaken the indi-
vidual. With references to a body of evidence that includes both field and laboratory
