Monetary Evaluation according to BUWAL

Procedure

A technique to evaluate the noise is described in the study BAFU301-1998. This method has been implemented into CadnaA.

This method takes into account the reduction in value of rented flats that results from high noise levels. This is done by converting the noise load of residential areas into amounts of money. If the value of a noise reduction measure is to be evaluated, then this is done by calculating the noise distribution with and without this measure. The difference in the two amounts of money is represented by the reduced value according to the noise expressed in value of the measure.

The philosophy behind this procedure tends to underestimate the negative aspects of noise. The effect of noise impact on the rental rates of residential areas does not take into account many other negative consequences of noise. Nevertheless, this procedure is a pragmatic way of assessing cost-benefit relations in conjunction with noise.