Increasing population density in urban centers demands adequate provision of services and infrastructure to meet the needs of city inhabitants, encompassing residents, workers, and visitors. The utilization of information and communications technologies to achieve this objective presents an opportunity for the development of smart cities, where city management and citizens are given access to a wealth of real-time information about the urban environment upon which to base decisions, actions, and future planning. This paper presents a framework for the realization of smart cities through the Internet of Things (IoT). The framework encompasses the complete urban information system, from the sensory level and networking support structure through to data management and Cloud-based integration of respective systems and services, and forms a transformational part of the existing cyber-physical system. This IoT vision for a smart city is applied to a noise mapping case study to illustrate a new method for existing operations that can be adapted for the enhancement and delivery of important city services.

An Information Framework for Creating a Smart City Through Internet of Things

Social and behavioral research is crucial for securing environmental sustainability and improving human living environments. To put the following articles into broader perspective, we first give an overview of worldwide developments in environmental quality and trends in resource use. Second, five general driving forces of global environmental change are distinguished: population, affluence, technology, institutions, and culture; these are considered in view of critical transitions in the evolution of human society. Third, inspired by a four-stage model approach to common resource dilemmas, our introduction describes this issue’s specific topics for research and policy support concerning environmental sustainability at different scale levels. Finally, the necessity of multidisciplinary collaboration and desirable developments in environmental psychology are discussed.

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⊡ Human Behavior and Environmental Sustainability: Problems, Driving Forces, and Research Topics

Road-traffic noise and factors influencing noise annoyance in an urban population.

Predictors of noise annoyance in noisy and quiet urban streets

Quality of life and sustainability: Toward person–environment congruity

Because effects of environmental noise do not require extremely high or long exposures, they occur, with different degrees of intensity, in a substantial part of the world population, especially in areas with a dense population and dense transportation networks. As a consequence, noise is a global issue that continues to detract from sustainable development. This article attempts to contribute to evidence-based noise policies by providing a review and systematization of noise-effects modeling and findings. The results presented can be used in noise abatement policy to find the best practical ways of reducing noise-induced effects through the reduction of noise exposure. At present, it is possible to calculate noise maps showing the exposures to noise in residential areas. With the relationships between exposure and effects as presented here, these can be translated into estimates of the number of people affected. Estimates of effects can be made on the basis of existing noise exposures, but also on the basis of scenarios for future noise levels, so that the consequences of different scenarios can be explored and decisions with respect to noise abatement measures can be optimized. Such an evidence-based approach may be instrumental in reducing the worldwide burden of environmental noise.

Henk M.E. Miedema

Papers

Annoyance Caused by Environmental Noise: Elements for Evidence-Based Noise Policies