Acoustics and Sound Design
Environmental noise is increasingly recognized as a major public health issue, with strong and growing scientific backing from institutions like the World Health Organization and the European Environmental Agency. Unlike other environmental problems, noise pollution has not reached a turning point toward improvement and is projected to worsen in the coming years. Urban environmental officers across Europe consistently rank it among the top two environmental concerns.
In Flanders, awareness is rising fast. Landmark infrastructure projects such as the multi-billion euro Oosterweel project in Antwerp are now placing noise abatement high on the political agenda. This marks a shift in both policy and public engagement.
Environmental noise assessment
UGent’s WAVES research group plays a central role as Flanders’ leading expertise hub in environmental acoustics, providing scientific support for policy at both the Flemish and European levels. Where once the main concern was industrial noise exposure, today the spotlight includes recreational sound environments and the risks posed by personal listening devices.
Measurements and simulations are at the heart of our contribution:
- Measurements provide high-credibility, evidence-based input for assessing real-world sound exposure, validating models, and shaping local and regional policy. These measurements underpin health assessments, inform environmental planning, and are vital in legal and regulatory contexts. The principle “meten is weten” (to measure is to know) remains a cornerstone.
- Simulations are essential for predicting the acoustic impact of urban development, transportation networks, and noise mitigation measures. Using advanced numerical models of environmental sound propagation, including the effects of meteorology, vegetation, and complex topographies, researchers can explore future scenarios, optimize design choices, and support smart city planning. These models are continuously refined using real-world measurement data.
Urban Sound Planning
Simulation and optimization of urban soundscapes, integrating acoustic data with smart city planning to design more livable, quiet, and healthy urban environments.
Product Sound Design
Engineering sound as a design feature to improve product usability, brand identity, and user experience.
More information
For more information on our research activities, please visit the website of the WAVES-research group