Engineering news
An interdisciplinary network of engineers, policymakers, industry stakeholders and scientists, led by the University of Surrey, aims to tackle what they called “one of the UK’s most overlooked environmental challenges” in a new project.
Known as Noise Network Plus, the work will focus on “promoting conscious design processes to create quieter products, buildings and transportation systems”, an announcement said yesterday (11 February). It aims to reduce noise pollution and create a healthier environment over the next 10-15 years.
“Noise is a frequently neglected pollutant, but it has a big impact on health, society and the environment. For example, road noise can lead to sleep disturbance and heart disease, costing £7-10bn each year in England alone,” said signal processing specialist Professor Mark Plumbley.
“Once noise is out there, it is really hard to remove. We need to rethink how we design noise from the start.”
A collaboration between the University of Surrey, City St George's (University of London), the University of Bath and the University of Salford, Noise Network Plus aims to reduce the impact of noise on people, the environment and the economy.
“As the UK moves toward net zero, the adoption of sustainable energy and emerging technologies – such as wind turbines and drones – will introduce new sources of noise, fundamentally reshaping our soundscapes. This offers us a unique opportunity for a fresh start and, through our initiative, we aim to transform the way noise is managed, embedding innovative solutions into engineering design and policy,” said Professor Antonio Torija Martinez, co-lead on the project at the University of Salford’s Acoustics Research Centre.
Work on underwater noise will be led by Professor Alan Hunter from the University of Bath’s department of mechanical engineering. This will include research into the effects of noise created by human activities at sea and improving the resilience of uncrewed underwater vehicles to noise.
Awarded more than £1.8m in funding, Noise Network Plus is one of six research projects to receive a share of £10m from the Engineering and Physical Sciences Research Council as part of a new initiative focused on the most pressing issues facing the engineering sector.
“Noise Network Plus represents a significant step towards addressing an often-overlooked pollutant and its detrimental impact on people. This interdisciplinary, people-centred approach aims to tackle the complex challenges of noise in our modern world and develop innovative solutions for quieter and healthier communities,” said Professor Adrian Hilton, director of the Surrey Institute for People-Centred Al.
The project launch will take place on 18 March at the Royal Academy of Engineering in London.
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