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A case study investigation of the indoor environmental noise in four urban South African hospitals
Dissertation (MSc)--University of Pretoria, 2015.
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| Format: | Thesis |
| Language: | English |
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University of Pretoria
2019
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| _version_ | 1867613622207774720 |
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| access_status_str | Open Access |
| author2 | Vosloo, Pieter Tobias |
| author_browse | Vosloo, Pieter Tobias |
| author_facet | Vosloo, Pieter Tobias |
| collection | Thesis |
| dc_rights_str_mv | © 2019 University of Pretoria. All rights reserved. The copyright in this work vests in the University of Pretoria. No part of this work may be reproduced or transmitted in any form or by any means, without the prior written permission of the University of Pretoria. |
| description | Dissertation (MSc)--University of Pretoria, 2015. |
| format | Thesis |
| id | oai:repository.up.ac.za:2263/69065 |
| institution | University of Pretoria (South Africa) |
| language | English |
| last_indexed | 2026-06-10T12:39:04.068Z |
| license_str | Other — see source repository |
| provenance_str_mv | Harvested via OAI-PMH from UPSpace — University of Pretoria Institutional Repository |
| publishDate | 2019 |
| publishDateRange | 2019 |
| publishDateSort | 2019 |
| publisher | University of Pretoria |
| publisherStr | University of Pretoria |
| record_format | dspace |
| source_str | UPSpace — University of Pretoria Institutional Repository |
| spelling | oai:repository.up.ac.za:2263/69065 A case study investigation of the indoor environmental noise in four urban South African hospitals Vosloo, Pieter Tobias coralievr@gmail.com Van Reenen, Coralie Anne Architecture UCTD Indoor environmental noise Hospital acoustics Acoustics architecture Engineering, built environment and information technology theses SDG-03 Engineering, built environment and information technology theses SDG-09 Engineering, built environment and information technology theses SDG-10 Engineering, built environment and information technology theses SDG-11 Dissertation (MSc)--University of Pretoria, 2015. The field of acoustics in architecture is often neglected by spatial designers, being thought of as a specialist field only applicable for complex acoustic requirements. However, research shows that environmental noise has a significant effect on humans and thus should be considered in all indoor environment design, no matter the occupancy type. This case study research seeks to investigate acoustics within healthcare facilities, specifically in multi-bed general wards in four urban South African hospitals. Sound can have either an auditory or non-auditory effect on humans, meaning it can either cause hearing damage or result in subjective responses that affect performance and physiology. This is an important consideration in a healthcare setting as the principle of ‘do no harm’ should apply to clinical treatment as well as the clinical environment. Noise control in healthcare environments can be a challenge since most of the surface finishes are hard and smooth, making them easily cleanable but also acoustically reflective, which can potentially cause spaces to become very noisy. Guidelines have been developed internationally by the World Health Organisation (WHO) (Berglund, Lindvall & Schwela 1999) and nationally by the South African Bureau of Standards (South Africa 2008) defining noise limits in various contexts, including hospitals. Prior research in the area of evidence-based design has shown that a quiet environment is conducive to patient healing and has been shown to improve staff work performance and decrease stress, irritation and tiredness. However, numerous international studies have revealed that few hospitals world-wide, if any, comply with the WHO guidelines (Busch-Vishniac, West, Barnhill, Hunter, Orellana & Chivukula 2005), highlighting the challenge that exists in designing quiet hospital environments. Since the research in this regard is extremely limited in the South African context, the goal of this research is to investigate the acoustic environment of a selection of South African hospitals to determine whether there is a likely need to design hospitals for improved noise control. This research project was designed as a multiple case study with the purpose of identifying possible areas for future research. The existing acoustic conditions in a ward of each of four urban hospitals were assessed in terms of sound levels, user opinions and architecture. The research objective was firstly to establish whether the selected hospitals are too noisy according to national and international guidelines, and then to determine the cause of the noise, whether it is actual or perceived noise, and whether design factors have an influence on the noise. Environmental noise was assessed by means of a Class 1 integrating sound level meter, questionnaires and direct observation. It was found that the average sound levels exceeded both local and international guidelines. In spite of this, however, the overall opinion of users was that noise levels were not disturbing. A combined assessment of the data revealed that layout may influence the acoustic environment and is worthy of more extensive research, particularly with regard to the difference between patient and staff member perceptions of sound. Other recommendations pertain to the establishment of design noise guidelines that address occupied noise levels in hospital wards, which would require an extensive study of human responses to noise exposure as well as factors that can either influence the response to noise or the noise level. Council for Scientific and Industrial Research mi2025 Architecture MSc (Applied Science) Unrestricted SDG-03: Good health and well-being SDG-09: Industry, innovation and infrastructure SDG-10: Reduced inequalities SDG-11: Sustainable cities and communities 2019-05-07T09:46:55Z 2019-05-07T09:46:55Z 2015-09-03 2015 Dissertation Van Reenen, C 2015, A case study investigation of the indoor environmental noise in four urban South African hospitals, MSc (Applied Science) Dissertation, University of Pretoria, Pretoria, viewed yymmdd <http://hdl.handle.net/2263/69065> http://hdl.handle.net/2263/69065 en © 2019 University of Pretoria. All rights reserved. The copyright in this work vests in the University of Pretoria. No part of this work may be reproduced or transmitted in any form or by any means, without the prior written permission of the University of Pretoria. application/pdf University of Pretoria |
| spellingShingle | Architecture UCTD Indoor environmental noise Hospital acoustics Acoustics architecture Engineering, built environment and information technology theses SDG-03 Engineering, built environment and information technology theses SDG-09 Engineering, built environment and information technology theses SDG-10 Engineering, built environment and information technology theses SDG-11 A case study investigation of the indoor environmental noise in four urban South African hospitals |
| title | A case study investigation of the indoor environmental noise in four urban South African hospitals |
| title_full | A case study investigation of the indoor environmental noise in four urban South African hospitals |
| title_fullStr | A case study investigation of the indoor environmental noise in four urban South African hospitals |
| title_full_unstemmed | A case study investigation of the indoor environmental noise in four urban South African hospitals |
| title_short | A case study investigation of the indoor environmental noise in four urban South African hospitals |
| title_sort | case study investigation of the indoor environmental noise in four urban south african hospitals |
| topic | Architecture UCTD Indoor environmental noise Hospital acoustics Acoustics architecture Engineering, built environment and information technology theses SDG-03 Engineering, built environment and information technology theses SDG-09 Engineering, built environment and information technology theses SDG-10 Engineering, built environment and information technology theses SDG-11 |
| url | http://hdl.handle.net/2263/69065 |