Noise Pollution in Urban Environments: The Moderating Role of Housing Conditions on Indoor Noise Perception

Abstract

Contemporary urban environments are characterized by intense and continuous activity, resulting in a significant transformation of the ambient acoustic environment. Noise pollution from sources such as traffic, construction, industry, and recreation propagate throughout these areas, although some residents may report a low perception of disturbance even under high exposure levels. This study investigates the moderating influence of housing conditions on the relationship between outdoor noise levels and perceived indoor acoustic environment in Coimbra, Portugal. The methodology combines primary data on housing characteristics and subjective indoor noise perception, obtained through a questionnaire survey, with secondary data from an environ-mental noise map. Logistic regression models, incorporating interaction terms, were employed to evaluate the moderating effect of housing conditions. The results demonstrate a statistically significant association between outdoor noise exposure and perceived indoor noise, with a limited moderating effect of housing conditions on this relationship.