Everyone encounters sound every day. It is only when that sound causes an adverse effect on a listener, such as annoyance, that the sound becomes noise. And noise is not always just about how loud the sound is - there is a complex set of factors that drive annoyance based upon both the noise itself and what that noise means to an individual.
To understand the noise impact on the local community, the Dublin Airport has 25 fixed and two mobile noise monitors deployed in the local area, generally under or near flight paths. The monitors detect and send the noise levels to a central system every second, 24 hours a day, seven days a week.
A ‘noise event’ is created when the monitor detects noise exceeding the background or local noise level for an appreciable amount of time. This could be due to any number of factors, be it barking dogs, cars or an aircraft. By continuously monitoring the noise level and integrating data from Air Traffic Control (ATC), our systems can determine if the noise event was generated by an aircraft, or another source.
Noise and Flight Track Monitoring reports are published quarterly. These reports detail the monitored locations and measurement results both in time-averaged and single event noise metrics. The report aims to provide a comprehensive guide and understanding of noise levels regarding noise mitigation and management strategies. To view these reports, click here.
Frequently Asked Questions
A noise monitor measures the noise levels received at its microphone. A noise monitor is “blind” in that it simply sends a stream of noise data to the Airport Noise Monitoring System (ANOMS). The ANOMS system monitors the noise data from each noise monitor. When the noise levels rise above a pre-set threshold specific to the location, remains above that threshold for a specific period (e.g. a few seconds to a minute), and then drops below the threshold, ANOMS stores this data as a ‘Noise Event’. ANOMS accesses flight radar data and if the timing of a noise event and location of the noise monitor matches a flight in the area, the event becomes an ‘Aircraft Noise Event’. Noise events that do not correlate to an Aircraft Noise Event are deemed to be non-aircraft noise and can include vehicles, sirens, animals or wind in trees. These events are referred to as ‘Community Noise Events’.
Noise event data (including aircraft and non-aircraft or community noise) is included in our published Quarterly Reports which can be accessed here.
This data helps Dublin Airport to monitor aircraft noise around the airport and in communities in line with our responsibilities under the Dublin Airport Noise Act (2019) and as required by the Aircraft Noise Competent Authority (ANCA). This data is also used for noise contour modelling, and noise contours are published on an annual basis.
Currently, there are 25 fixed noise monitors in place across Dublin, Meath and Wicklow with an additional two mobile noise monitors in situ in locations nominated by community groups.
To view the noise monitors’ locations and their near live information please click here.
Most noise monitors are located within 10 kilometres of Dublin Airport with six located further afield in surrounding areas. The 25 fixed noise monitor locations are Ardgillan, Ashbourne, Ballyboughal, Balcultry, Bay Lane, Bishopswood, Bray, Clondalkin, Donabate, Dunboyne, Feltrim, Kilcoscan National School, Lucan, Malahide, New Park, Ongar, Portmarnock, Ratoath, Roundwood, St. Davids, St. Doolaghs, St. Margarets, Summerhill and Swords.
Noise monitoring sites are usually selected to measure aircraft noise in communities near the airport and at locations underneath frequently used flight paths.
In some cases, Dublin Airport has been directed by the Aircraft Noise Competent Authority to install monitors quite far from the airport. Further from the airport, overflights are fewer in number and aircraft are at higher altitudes therefore generating lower aircraft noise levels. However, these further out noise monitors can be useful for providing confidence in the calculated airport noise contours both in high noise and low noise areas.
In some cases, noise monitors can be located to target specific data such as the noise levels of individual flights.
When considering on a mobile noise monitoring location, our main aim is to achieve an equitable geographical spread around the airport so that as many communities as possible are included in our programme.
