Noise monitoring in primary schools: comparisons between different time-dependent parameters for acoustic performance evaluation

The A-weighted equivalent sound level is commonly used to describe or regulate environmental noise over a defined time interval. Although it is very convenient and easy to compare noise limits or requirements, it does not provide summary information on how noise evolves. On the other hand, the detailed analysis of the history of the measurements over time is too burdensome in the case of long-term monitoring. As part of a large study that aims to investigate the effects of noise on the cognitive abilities of primary school children, long-term unattended monitoring was carried out using low-cost instrumentation based on smartphone apps and calibrated external microphones. From the data obtained, acoustic indices and parameters were calculated, which allowed the assessment of the time-dependent noise exposure of the students based on the type of activity carried out in class. This analysis can be useful for validating the acoustic design requirements in schools.