LUSTA - Livable Urban Soundscape Test Arena

Research Project, 2017 – 2018

LUSTA addresses the noise problem in our cities. Today, 125 million Europeans are annoyed by noise! Urbanization and densification of cities increases the problem. Materials, products and services to solve noise problems in cities are needed. LUSTA contributes to development of solutions through a test arena in existing urban environment, combined with a virtual living lab experience. The goal is to get better guidance on how the city should be planned for a good quality of life.

LUSTA can be divided into four steps:

1. LUSTA creates opportunities for material manufacturers to test products in a real urban environment. It is important that the test arena is established in an urban environment that is as similar to a future dense and mixed city as possible. Tested materials are evaluated from several aspects. Data from the evaluations are published and it becomes possible for others to develop planning tools, etc.

2. Results are auralized within LUSTA in a virtual acoustic environment in which the sound image can be simulated to the real scale. It will be possible to vary noise-damping material and test them with various noise sources. The results are spread.

3. In a living lab, stakeholders, focus groups, citizens and professionals can experience the sound image and effect. This will result in a dialogue about the perceived sound environment.

4. From the results and experience in auralization, LUSTA also aims to assess the health effects on humans.