Figure 1.
![Noise map of Lodz for the years 2017–2022Source: WFOŚiGW, https://mapa.lodz.pl/akustyczna/ [date: 04.05.2025]](https://sciendo-parsed.s3.eu-central-1.amazonaws.com/69209a43a2cfbc128b1c420d/j_oszn-2025-0013_fig_001.jpg?X-Amz-Algorithm=AWS4-HMAC-SHA256&X-Amz-Content-Sha256=UNSIGNED-PAYLOAD&X-Amz-Credential=ASIA6AP2G7AKJZDO63ND%2F20260310%2Feu-central-1%2Fs3%2Faws4_request&X-Amz-Date=20260310T121440Z&X-Amz-Expires=3600&X-Amz-Security-Token=IQoJb3JpZ2luX2VjEHsaDGV1LWNlbnRyYWwtMSJHMEUCIQDBoEl4DsdZ8KV%2FOfHnjx67Uzq6gCqlXiaFfpNf%2Bk6s5QIgNrA8AIOQr0XYKc5EE8d%2Fbf8hgWr2H6%2BaTzGaMJRPcH0qvQUIRBACGgw5NjMxMzQyODk5NDAiDHCDhaTVPMH21cbhaiqaBb9DqUr5Z%2BqEAdrRFPtLBKhuLhjlimMYx%2F2mTVshFnGX6l4h6u12QVjEvYdH2%2BYwdDjjJ9bkYGZ8aK98MgDQFKNfhXG3Fs1VlyAhGWazD1Xz6Cl7XPf0hwv68G845nesLs5OBCyYryAZMGw2hvnr8y5vseAv9lXJ9GFJPkiFHCrbzdMKqyflMPsaFlMp5aLHXLoE%2BfBZSG38UU%2B5jta7BuiTuF9Sjca%2B466GzHaUDhuk8%2BZxBxUa4v8Ng4C1Sm7u6UJKMpGrD9Tqg618WCnsnMDG%2B1LZx3yemF5rkO7oFYBmqrbRg3TJBrdppoTY93rtGFtcmhCN9U2iLB9vFxZ9%2F1e5PUCV5k%2BemlZFwjLTUYSGAGWXrT0dVGg%2BwaTu8WQ7cW1UJ6EkYfRRD2yzJ2A%2FkHYHLppmYggEiHbwSlE0GaKP9%2B8i8wT12%2F5ZMPpBOL7Kh8OGc0L%2Bx%2FLpkEzxtNcreKSUnqrijWFSn3VebM0APMIpEbbKCNWFNLTUXpUNYVnAKEb1NOkzdgdNO78b0kOpyaaWM341z7MZxye49szn%2F3YXmkfrXHxLbZcBYk2wsZ1wpQAXCVnIZrhcUsDkvrGlW6Z1BRJSxyzv4rggeMn0nAARS%2FmpXGIXoB0m5twmIkmDfLxYtsTz8x2KkNhm88wWPaoNqG8Te%2BJRkb%2Ffd%2FrhnG2c1C%2FhRC1fVzYQMo9ENltPO9x0246xDi8t0Z9GnXvoitO%2F7F83hBpSxx2Ba%2Bg5umSJqmKQaEacSuwKU1uyj%2BnxWXARLqVR8ROgbohUJTjGd9HORl2ZAXYn7z9i%2FMtLypM%2BNkd9w0vjKnUvkOIkP4ASMmqv8rIKtcDXcfCYvd7CcqGeDidBAgrXkAnnd8WLAcLMGQYbkXFs36b89jCD5L%2FNBjqxAXJm68A%2FNGd6jE2IAsVg0D%2FKroj8zYCz0%2FAo%2FL7KUxWyS15Liv43ZuCGQMnmNifuZdLrgtboQnIgWgBc%2BFAbDh6SiL06pgrDIlygrQ9jJbb%2Fo6VyRmEsqgXj%2BeK6iKFKxmkA1mDWI3xDMx7dQ3dz56YLifEdSyo1rGT69l7ttIVDPU6M7E6TGEczur3VeA8p3GQh2DCgxL2GwrywsbzEife48KfkdSmam1fA6BUFi3sZoA%3D%3D&X-Amz-Signature=5310b02d006805d5e749084fd05ad9faba84647abd77e65e56b6fc20f50ebe1c&X-Amz-SignedHeaders=host&x-amz-checksum-mode=ENABLED&x-id=GetObject)
Figure 2.
![Map of Lodz used for the analysis of noise intensity in the city centreSource: ŁOG. https://nowy.log.lodz.pl/ [date: 07.01.2024]](https://sciendo-parsed.s3.eu-central-1.amazonaws.com/69209a43a2cfbc128b1c420d/j_oszn-2025-0013_fig_002.jpg?X-Amz-Algorithm=AWS4-HMAC-SHA256&X-Amz-Content-Sha256=UNSIGNED-PAYLOAD&X-Amz-Credential=ASIA6AP2G7AKJZDO63ND%2F20260310%2Feu-central-1%2Fs3%2Faws4_request&X-Amz-Date=20260310T121440Z&X-Amz-Expires=3600&X-Amz-Security-Token=IQoJb3JpZ2luX2VjEHsaDGV1LWNlbnRyYWwtMSJHMEUCIQDBoEl4DsdZ8KV%2FOfHnjx67Uzq6gCqlXiaFfpNf%2Bk6s5QIgNrA8AIOQr0XYKc5EE8d%2Fbf8hgWr2H6%2BaTzGaMJRPcH0qvQUIRBACGgw5NjMxMzQyODk5NDAiDHCDhaTVPMH21cbhaiqaBb9DqUr5Z%2BqEAdrRFPtLBKhuLhjlimMYx%2F2mTVshFnGX6l4h6u12QVjEvYdH2%2BYwdDjjJ9bkYGZ8aK98MgDQFKNfhXG3Fs1VlyAhGWazD1Xz6Cl7XPf0hwv68G845nesLs5OBCyYryAZMGw2hvnr8y5vseAv9lXJ9GFJPkiFHCrbzdMKqyflMPsaFlMp5aLHXLoE%2BfBZSG38UU%2B5jta7BuiTuF9Sjca%2B466GzHaUDhuk8%2BZxBxUa4v8Ng4C1Sm7u6UJKMpGrD9Tqg618WCnsnMDG%2B1LZx3yemF5rkO7oFYBmqrbRg3TJBrdppoTY93rtGFtcmhCN9U2iLB9vFxZ9%2F1e5PUCV5k%2BemlZFwjLTUYSGAGWXrT0dVGg%2BwaTu8WQ7cW1UJ6EkYfRRD2yzJ2A%2FkHYHLppmYggEiHbwSlE0GaKP9%2B8i8wT12%2F5ZMPpBOL7Kh8OGc0L%2Bx%2FLpkEzxtNcreKSUnqrijWFSn3VebM0APMIpEbbKCNWFNLTUXpUNYVnAKEb1NOkzdgdNO78b0kOpyaaWM341z7MZxye49szn%2F3YXmkfrXHxLbZcBYk2wsZ1wpQAXCVnIZrhcUsDkvrGlW6Z1BRJSxyzv4rggeMn0nAARS%2FmpXGIXoB0m5twmIkmDfLxYtsTz8x2KkNhm88wWPaoNqG8Te%2BJRkb%2Ffd%2FrhnG2c1C%2FhRC1fVzYQMo9ENltPO9x0246xDi8t0Z9GnXvoitO%2F7F83hBpSxx2Ba%2Bg5umSJqmKQaEacSuwKU1uyj%2BnxWXARLqVR8ROgbohUJTjGd9HORl2ZAXYn7z9i%2FMtLypM%2BNkd9w0vjKnUvkOIkP4ASMmqv8rIKtcDXcfCYvd7CcqGeDidBAgrXkAnnd8WLAcLMGQYbkXFs36b89jCD5L%2FNBjqxAXJm68A%2FNGd6jE2IAsVg0D%2FKroj8zYCz0%2FAo%2FL7KUxWyS15Liv43ZuCGQMnmNifuZdLrgtboQnIgWgBc%2BFAbDh6SiL06pgrDIlygrQ9jJbb%2Fo6VyRmEsqgXj%2BeK6iKFKxmkA1mDWI3xDMx7dQ3dz56YLifEdSyo1rGT69l7ttIVDPU6M7E6TGEczur3VeA8p3GQh2DCgxL2GwrywsbzEife48KfkdSmam1fA6BUFi3sZoA%3D%3D&X-Amz-Signature=3d8118c46d8b9d077034a96c2029234b7adc3e29daae9be2f1e3b169d86b1894&X-Amz-SignedHeaders=host&x-amz-checksum-mode=ENABLED&x-id=GetObject)
Photograph 1.
Figure 3.
Locations in the city centre of Lodz most exposed to noise – distribution of responses obtained from survey participants
| Number of responses | LOCATIONS OF NOISE PERCEPTION |
|---|---|
| Lines (Streets) | |
| 12 | Piłsudski Street |
| 10 | Mickiewicz Street; Piotrkowska Street |
| 7 | Kościuszko Street; Zachodnia Street |
| 4 | John Paul II Avenue; Kiliński Street; Uniwersytecka Street |
| 2 | Dąbrowski Street; Legionów Street; Lutomierska Street; Sporna Street; Struga Street; Wojska Polskiego Street |
| 1 | Bandurski Street; Łąkowa Street; Narutowicz Street; Politechniki Avenue; POW Avenue (Polish Independence Avenue); Północna Street; Przybyszewski Street; 1905 Revolution Street; Scheibler Family Street; Rzgowska Street; Sienkiewicz Street |
Classification of solutions developed during the workshop according to the method proposed by Shinjini Guha [2023]
| Type of Solution (Number of Proposals) | Detailed Description and Examples of Solutions |
|---|---|
| Source-Based Solutions (n = 6) | A shopping mall modelled after Forum Gdansk (noted for being quieter than the Manufaktura shopping and leisure complex); banning car access to Piotrkowska Street during evening hours; designating quiet hours on the street; relocating louder events to enclosed indoor venues; banning cars from entering the city centre; and restrictions on alcohol sales during specific evening/nighttime hours. |
| Environmental Solutions (n = 12) | Quiet hours in stores and shopping centres; quiet zones on buses; soundproof windows; window sealing; barriers separating residential buildings from the street; soundproof chambers; silent bar/club; systems for masking noise from loud neighbours; quiet rooms; audio-based lectures; online events; green walls. |
| Individual Solutions (n = 16) | Apartments with treadmills located in a peaceful green area; noise-cancelling headphones; portable organizers that balance work and rest time; sound-absorbing foam panels; mobile wall soundproofing panels; blood-cortisol level meters; daily planner apps; compact, discreet earplugs; window sealing; camper vans for retreats; soundproof tents; apps to reduce client contact; supplements to reduce sensory noise perception; app for identifying the quietest travel routes; apps showing bus crowd levels. |
Identification of factors contributing to noise pollution in the city centre of Lodz – workshop participants' indications
| Factors Related to Noise Exposure | Respondents' Answers |
|---|---|
| Location of Noise Experiences | Dormitories; university campus; cafeteria; shopping malls; gyms; personal apartments; residential neighbourhoods; trams; workplaces, Piotrkowska Street; along the route to university; public transportation; nightclubs. |
| Time of Day | During the day, in crowded places; in the evening; in the afternoon after returning from work; in the morning; during working hours; always; throughout the day and night; while travelling. |
| Sources of Noise | Loud conversations and music; nightlife on Piotrkowska Street (loud music, cars, conversations, shouting and laughing); conversations with people and clients at work; tram rides (noise caused by trams and passengers); public transportation; old buses; construction works; and the university (loud students, crowds). |
| Effects of Noise Exposure | Sleep deprivation and sleep difficulties; fatigue; lack of energy; difficulty concentrating; sensory overload; headaches; nervousness; becoming more conflict-prone; decreased physical and mental resilience; irritability; tension; anger and frustration; watching TV as a way to mask the noise; reluctance to engage with others; general dissatisfaction with life; difficulties in studying. |
| Desired Immediate Changes | Moving to a new place; finding time to cook; awareness of potential overstimulation; better soundproofing of the apartment; noise-cancelling accessories; using a bicycle/taxi instead of the tram; meditation; protests against construction works; silent parties; a car-free city centre; enforcement of night-time quiet hours. |