An investigation on indoor soundscape in high school environment

Abstract

This study presents an evaluation of the students’ preferences and acoustic comfort perception to understand the indoor soundscape in a computer laboratory, Ankara, Turkey. To understand the existing acoustical conditions, sound level (LAeq) was measured. In subjective survey, 43 students participated an acoustic comfort and sound preference questionnaire. Results showed that motorized transport sound sources are perceived as annoying sound sources whilst human-based sound sources are evaluated as relaxing sound sources. Although sound levels were measured higher than recommended, students evaluated sound levels as both high and low. Therefore, it is found that soundscape cannot be evaluated by only physical indicators as sound levels, it should cover the information about the context which sound is heard.