Urban Soundscapes & Health - Titelbild

Urban Soundscapes & Health

Description

The primary goal of the working group is to investigate the health-promoting potential of urban soundscapes and to develop evidence-based recommendations for the design of urban spaces. In line with the guiding principle of the InUPH, this should enable cities to be developed and designed in such a way that healthy environments, social participation, and good living conditions are created in the places where people live.

The working group will draw on expertise in fields such as acoustics, remote sensing, urban planning, and epidemiology. The research will focus on the following key topics:

Methodological Advancements

Measurement and characterization of urban soundscapes using innovative approaches (e.g., network-based frequency analysis, AI-assisted noise classification, participatory data collection).

Measurement and Modeling

Spatiotemporal description of urban soundscapes in relation to the built environment (e.g., build-up density, traffic volume, green spaces).

Health-related Research

Study of the relationships between urban soundscapes and health outcomes (e.g., stress levels, sleep quality, mental well-being).

Working Group Leader

Dr. rer. medic.
Timo Haselhoff

Researcher

Phone 0201 723 77 217
Biografie

Projects

Publications

Haselhoff T, Moebus S, Jedrusiak M, Lawrence B. T, Weichert F. Modelling the urban acoustic environment using land use-based gradient boosting. Journal of Exposure Science & Environmental Epidemiology. 2026;1-10. https://doi.org/10.1038/s41370-026-00855-w.

Karges N, Haselhoff T, Taubenböck H, Ullmann T, Rauh J. Co-occurrence network analysis of urban acoustic environments: Structural archetypes and perceived quality. Computers, Environment and Urban Systems, 127, 102437. https://doi.org/10.1016/j.compenvurbsys.2026.102437

Schuck M, Haselhoff T, Lawrence BT, Moebus S, Fiebig A. Advancing the characterization of urban acoustic environments through multimetric analysis. Acta Acustica. 2026;9(66). https://doi.org/10.1051/aacus/2025051

Haselhoff T, Moebus S. Necessary steps to advance research on healthy urban sound planning. Forum Acusticum Euronoise 2025; Malaga: European Acoustics Association; 2025.

Haselhoff T, Jedrusiak M, Weichert F, Moebus S. Introducing NORBAERT– an open source software to facilitate the research on complex networks from the acoustic environment. Forum Acusticum Euronoise 2025; Malaga: European Acoustics Association; 2025.

Haselhoff T, SCHRöER K, SCHRöDER J, Moebus S. Associations between acoustic indices and the evaluation of the urban soundscape according to ISO 12913.  INTER-NOISE and NOISE-CON Congress and Conference Proceedings: Institute of Noise Control Engineering; 2024. p. 8209-14. https://doi.org/10.3397/IN_2024_4059

Haselhoff T, Schuck M, Lawrence BT, Fiebig A, Moebus S. Which acoustic dimensions could act as mediators between urban greenspace and human health?  INTER-NOISE and NOISE-CON Congress and Conference Proceedings: Institute of Noise Control Engineering; 2024. p. 9078-85. https://doi.org/10.3397/IN_2024_4182

Haselhoff T, Schuck M, Lawrence BT, Fiebig A, Moebus S. Die akustische Umgebung als Mediator zwischen urbanen Grünflächen und menschlicher Gesundheit? Gesundheit – Gemeinsam Kooperationstagung der GMDS, DGSMP, DGEpi, DGMS und DGPH; 2024; Dresden: German Medical Science GMS Publishing House. https://dx.doi.org/10.3205/24gmds415

Schröer K, Haselhoff T, Schröder J, Moebus S. Zusammenhänge zwischen akustischen Indizes und der Bewertung der städtischen Geräuschumgebung basierend auf Soundwalks in Essen, Deutschland. Gesundheit – Gemeinsam Kooperationstagung der GMDS, DGSMP, DGEpi, DGMS und DGPH; 2024; Dresden: German Medical Science GMS Publishing House. https://dx.doi.org/10.3205/24gmds419

Haselhoff T, Schuck M, Lawrence BT, Fiebig A, Moebus S. Characterizing acoustic dimensions of health-related urban greenspace. Ecological Indicators. 2024;166:112547. https://doi.org/10.1016/j.ecolind.2024.112547

Hornberg J, Hemker F, Schröer K, Hinse M, Moebus S, Schröder J. Association between perceived sound type dominance and overall assessment of the acoustic environment using ISO 12913 soundwalks. The Journal of the Acoustical Society of America. 2024;156(4):2827-37. https://doi.org/10.1121/10.0032472

Fiebig A, Schuck M, Haselhoff T, Moebus S. Psychoacoustic analyses of urban noise from long-term monitoring—Findings and outlook. The Journal of the Acoustical Society of America. 2024;155(3_Supplement):A114-A. https://doi.org/10.1121/10.0026997

Schuck M, Fiebig A, Haselhoff T, Moebus S, Lawrence B. Charakterisierung akustischer Räume in der Stadt durch psychoakustische Parameter in der Langzeitperspektive. DAGA 2024; Hannover: Deutsche Gesellschaft für Akustik eV (DEGA); 2024. https://pub.dega-akustik.de/DAGA_2024/files/upload/paper/300.pdf

Jedrusiak MD, Harweg T, Haselhoff T, Lawrence BT, Moebus S, Weichert F. Towards an interdisciplinary formalization of soundscapes. J Acoust Soc Am. 2024;155(4):2549-60. https://doi.org/10.1121/10.0025543

Fiebig A, Templiner J, Haselhoff T, Moebus S. Psychoakustische Analysen von Umgebungsgeräuschen in einer Langzeitperspektive. DAGA 2023; Hamburg: Deutsche Gesellschaft für Akustik eV (DEGA); 2023. https://pub.dega-akustik.de/DAGA_2023/data/articles/000408.pdf

Haselhoff T, Braun T, Fiebig A, Lawrence B, Moebus S. The Urban Acoustic Environment as a Complex Network Forum Acusticum 2023; Turin, Italy: European Acoustics Association; 2023. https://www.doi.org/10.61782/fa.2023.0302

Haselhoff T, Braun T, Fiebig A, Hornberg J, Lawrence BT, Marwan N, Moebus S. Complex networks for analyzing the urban acoustic environment. Ecological Informatics. 2023;78:102326. https://doi.org/10.1016/j.ecoinf.2023.102326

Lawrence BT, Hornberg J, Schröer K, Djeudeu D, Haselhoff T, Ahmed S, Moebus S, Gruehn D. Linking ecoacoustic indices to psychoacoustic perception of the urban acoustic environment. Ecological Indicators. 2023;155:111023. https://doi.org/10.1016/j.ecolind.2023.111023

Hemker F, Haselhoff T, Brunner S, Lawrence BT, Ickstadt K, Moebus S. The Role of Traffic Volume on Sound Pressure Level Reduction before and during COVID-19 Lockdown Measures—A Case Study in Bochum, Germany. International Journal of Environmental Research and Public Health. 2023;20(6):5060. https://doi.org/10.3390/ijerph20065060

Haselhoff T, Braun T, Hornberg J, Lawrence B, Moebus S. Die urbane akustische Umgebung durch Zeit und Raum – Eine Analyse der SALVE Studie. DAGA 2022; Stuttgart: Deutsche Gesellschaft für Akustik eV (DEGA); 2022. https://www.researchgate.net/publication/360065054

Haselhoff T, Braun T, Hornberg J, Lawrence BT, Ahmed S, Gruehn D, Moebus S. Analysing Interlinked Frequency Dynamics of the Urban Acoustic Environment. International Journal of Environmental Research and Public Health. 2022;19(22):15014. https://doi.org/10.3390/ijerph192215014

Haselhoff T, Hornberg J, Fischer JL, Lawrence BT, Ahmed S, Gruehn D, Moebus S. The acoustic environment before and during the SARS-CoV-2 lockdown in a major German city as measured by ecoacoustic indices. J Acoust Soc Am. 2022;152(2):1192. https://doi.org/10.1121/10.0013705

Haselhoff T, Lawrence B, Hornberg J, Ahmed S, Sutcliffe R, Gruehn D, Moebus S. The acoustic quality and health in urban environments (SALVE) project: Study design, rationale and methodology. Applied Acoustics. 2022;188:108538. https://doi.org/10.1016/j.apacoust.2021.108538

Lawrence BT, Hornberg J, Haselhoff T, Sutcliffe R, Ahmed S, Moebus S, Gruehn D. A widened array of metrics (WAM) approach to characterize the urban acoustic environment; a case comparison of urban mixed-use and forest. Applied Acoustics. 2022;185:108387. https://doi.org/10.1016/j.apacoust.2021.108387

Hornberg J, Haselhoff T, Lawrence BT, Fischer JL, Ahmed S, Gruehn D, Moebus S. Impact of the COVID-19 Lockdown Measures on Noise Levels in Urban Areas—A Pre/during Comparison of Long-Term Sound Pressure Measurements in the Ruhr Area, Germany. International Journal of Environmental Research and Public Health. 2021;18(9):4653. https://doi.org/10.3390/ijerph18094653

Hornberg J, Sutcliffe R, Lawrence B, Haselhoff T, Ahmed S, Gruehn D, Moebus S. Health Effects of Urban Sounds beyond Noise: Systematic Review. Das Gesundheitswesen. 2021;83(08/09):[361]. http://www.thieme-connect.com/products/ejournals/abstract/10.1055/s-0041-1732227

Moebus S, Gruehn D, Poppen J, Sutcliffe R, Haselhoff T, Lawrence B. Akustische Qualität und Stadtgesundheit – Mehr als nur Lärm und Stille. Bundesgesundheitsblatt – Gesundheitsforschung – Gesundheitsschutz. 2020;63(8):997-1003. https://doi.org/10.1007/s00103-020-03184-x

Moebus S, Sutcliffe R, Lawrence B, Ahmed S, Haselhoff T, Gruehn D. Acoustic quality and health in urban environments – The SALVE Project. 24th International Conference on Urban Planning, Regional Development and Information Society; 2019; Karlsruhe: CORP–Compentence Center of Urban and Regional Planning. http://repository.corp.at/id/eprint/534

Sutcliffe R, Lawrence BT, Poppen J, Ahmed S, Haselhoff T, Gruehn D, Moebus S. Acoustic quality and health in urban environments – First methodological experiences of the pilot study SALVE. 23rd International congress of acoustics; 2019; Aachen: Karlsruhe Institute of Technology. http://publications.rwth-aachen.de/record/770172/files/770172.pdf