`Week 2b: Acoustic environment & introduction real estate

What are the three parts of the human ear and what are their functions

1. Outer ear: reception of sound waves

2. Middle ear: strengthen and transport vibrations

3. Inner ear: vibrations converted into signals

What is the outer ear made up of

Auricle, ear canal and eardrum

What is the middle ear made of

Ossicles: hammer, anvil and stapes

What is the inner ear made of

Cochlea and cilia

How does sound work

1. Sound sources causes adjacent air particles to vibrate

2. Particles in a medium move on their turn

Formula sound

wavelength = c/frequency

Unit of frequency

Hertz

Unit of wavelength

Meter

In the formula, c is the propagation velocity sounds that depends on the medium. What is it in air

344 m/s

When you see a flash of lightning and 9 seconds later you hear impact. How far away was the impact

3 km

Three types of sound sources

1. Spherical source

2. Line source

3. Plane source

What does auralization influence

Absorption

Key aspects in acoustic design

1. Sound insulation

2. Sound absorption/reflection in the room

3. Identifying and eliminating noise sources

4. Consider acoustic aspects in (pre)design

Which shape helps to lower the reverbation time

Circle

Unit of sound pressure

Pa

What is sound pressure

Excess pressure with respect to the atmosphheric air pressure

Formula for calculating the resulting dB for two uncorrelated sound sources

Lp = 10log10(p²eff/p²0)

What is the guidelines for 2 uncorrelated, equally strong sources

Lp,tot = Lp1 + 3 = Lp2 + 3

What is the guidelines for n uncorrelated, equally strong sources

Lp,tot = 10log(10^n1+10^n2)

What is the guidelines for 2 sources who differ more than 10db

Discard the lowest one

What is a frequency band?

A frequency band is a range of frequencies grouped together for sound analysis.

Why is a sound signal divided into frequency bands?

Because most sounds contain many frequencies simultaneously

What is a center frequency?

The center frequency is the representative frequency used to label a frequency band.

What is an octave?

An octave is a doubling of frequency

What are octave bands?

Octave bands are frequency bands whose center frequencies are approximately double one another.

What is the difference between octave-band and 1/3-octave-band analysis?

Octave-band analysis divides sound into broader frequency ranges, while 1/3-octave-band analysis divides each octave into three smaller bands, providing more detailed frequency information.

Give an example of 1/3-octave center frequencies between 100 Hz and 200 Hz.

100 Hz, 125 Hz, 160 Hz, and 200 Hz

We need the least energy for a frequency around (…) Hz

1,000

What is an isophone

Line at which the loudness level is constant

What is a weighing

Correcting for hearing sensitivity

What does Leq stand for?

Equivalent Continuous Sound Level

Why can't sound levels in dB simply be averaged using a normal mean?

Decibels are a logarithmic scale, so sound levels must be averaged based on their energy content.

What does a higher L eq indicate?

A higher L eq indicates a greater overall sound energy exposure during the measurement period.

Calculate the equivalent sound level

80 dB

80 dB for 8 hours is the same as 100 dB for (…)

5 minutes

What are the 5 factors that make dwellings special

1. Highly expensive

2. Spatially immobile

3. Highly durable

4. Heterogeneous

5. Modifiable

4 functions of a house

1. Shelter and basic needs

2. Centre for domestic activities

3. Base for daily external activities and social contacts

4. Economic and symbolic values

Name the types of houses

Detached, semi-detached, row/terraced, apartment, maisonette, studio, tiny

4 tenure types

• Own outright

• Owner with mortgage

• Rent (private)

• Rent (subsidised)

4 reasons that cause the lack of affordable houses in the Netherlands

1. Supply and demand imbalance (insufficient new construction of affordable houses)

2. Rising construction and land costs

3. Income disparity and affordability gap

4. Stagnation in throughflow (high income people live in cheaper homes)

What is the life-cycle model

Housing needs change during the life cycle

What are the four main influences on why people would relocate

1. Education career

2. Work career

3. Family career

4. Housing career

What is the difference between housing preference vs housing choice

What people would ideally like to have vs. the actual behaviour that is influenced by many constraints

Trends in office real estate

• Hybrid working reduces office occupancy leading to inefficient use of office use

• Rise of AI might impact jobs

• Low quality buildings with low location score have more vacancies

Trends in retail real estate

• Renewed appreciation for physical shopping experience because retailers offer unique en personalised services

• Mix of functions in a street

• Interest in energy and sustainability

• Local and circular concepts

What are example channels in multi-channel retailing vs. omni-channel retailing

• Physical store

• Website

• Mobile app

• Social media

• Marketplace

Why is walkability important

• Encourage active mobility

• Support local retail

• Reduce car dependency

• Enhance public health

• Enhance social interaction

15 minute city concept definition

City model where all essential services are within a 15 minutes walk or bike ride

Key principles of 15 minute city concept

• Proximity

• Diversity

• Sustainability

• Community

Hotel trends

• Experience economy (create demand for adaptive reuse, placemaking and distinctive architecture)

• Sustainability

• Mixed-use

What is interesting about the hostel Fabrika in Tbilisi, Georgia

Mixed use creative hub

Downside of overtourism

• Lower life quality residents

• Lower visitor experience

• Loss of community identity

• Sustainability concerns

• Infrastructure strain

Industrial real estate definition

Umbrella term for manufacturing, production, research and development, storage and distribution facilities

7 stakeholders real estate

• Developers

• Property managers

• Investors

• Planners

• Architects

• Governments

• Users

What makes a good place to live, work, shop or stay

• Responsible

• Connected

• Welcoming

What are benefits of creating healthy environments for homes

• Save energy

• More employment, more jobs to redevelop building

• Higher return on investment

• Less mental health costs

What are benefits of creating healthy environments for workplaces and schools

Higher performance

What are benefits of creating healthy environments for hospitals

• Less patient visits

• Less medical costs

• Lower mortality rate

Three aspects of sociability

• Economic

• Environmental

• Social

Three main principles of shear layers approach/circular building approach

• Adaptable

• Standardised

• Demountable

Three types of health

• Mental health

• Social health

• Physical health

Five dimensions of healthy buildings

• Human centred design

• Environmental sustainability

• Resilience & adaptability

• Empowering & participation

• Improving mental and physical health

What is interesting about the Cambridge Central Mosque

• Timber construction

• Low energy use

• Rainwater collection

• Natural ventilation

• Inclusive space

What is interesting about Bosco Verticale in Milan

• Urban biodiversity

• Green facades

• Urban heat reduction

• Contact with nature