Urban noise evaluation during the COVID-19 pandemic: a case study in the center of São Paulo/SP (Brazil)

Abstract

Due to the context of the COVID-19 pandemic and the need to better understand noise conditions in large urban centers, already considered a public health problem by the World Health Organization, this research was motivated by the possibility of recording and analyzing such conditions in the city of São Paulo, Brazil, during the pandemic (April, 2020). Thus, this study investigated whether the social distancing measures imposed by the state government influenced urban noise pollution. The central area of the city of São Paulo, a microscale of urban space, was chosen as the case study location due to the availability of measurements carried out prior to the pandemic. During the beginning of social isolation, new measurements were taken in the same places. The compared acoustic parameters were: sound pressure levels in octave bands, A-weighted equivalent continuous sound pressure levels, LAeq, and statistical sound pressure levels, LA10 and LA90. Finally, the urban noise conditions before and during the pandemic were analyzed and compared, in order to verify the changes between the two scenarios. The results show a reduction in the measured values, confirming the hypothesis that the adopted measures of social restriction impacted the urban soundscape. These results are expected to stimulate discussion about both the impact of urban noise on health as well as its management, control and prevention through public initiatives.