In Abu Dhabi, the Environment Agency – Abu Dhabi (EAD) is launching an initiative to map noise levels. The aim of this initiative is to identify various noise sources and pinpoint the most affected residential areas. With this data, EAD can evaluate the impact on each district and create a map to target the most affected areas.
Parallel to this initiative, a noise committee has been formed, including more than 10 government entities, according to Eng. Faisal Al Hammadi, Executive Director of Environmental Quality Sector at EAD. He noted that the emirate has been monitoring ambient noise since 2007 through the air quality monitoring network. The current initiative aims to build a comprehensive and accurate representation of noise pollution across Abu Dhabi and continue the commitment to the environment, Al Hammadi added.
The data collected through the initiative will also aid in developing mitigation measures. Health authorities, city planners, and engineers will all benefit from this initiative. Necessary measures can be taken to identify potential health risks upon determining areas with the highest noise levels. City planners can also use noise modeling to protect residential zones or schools from high noise sources. Sound barriers, green spaces, and infrastructure changes can be implemented by engineers.
