2025 Theses Master's

Noise Exposure And Complaint Disparities In NYC: A Contextual And Community-Based Approach Using The Composite Noise Rating System

Yin, Shu

In dense metropolitan environments like New York City, noise pollution is a persistent urban stressor with deeply uneven impacts. While official complaint systems serve as the primary channel for addressing noise issues, they often reflect social inequalities more than acoustic realities. This thesis investigates how urban noise, as both a physical exposure and a social construct, reveals disparities in who is heard, who complains, and who is ignored.

Focusing on Manhattan, the study models the disjunction between measured noise levels and complaint data using a newly developed Composite Noise Rating System (CNRS). By integrating sensor data, 311 records, land use information, and demographic variables, the analysis shows that non-English-speaking and lower-income communities are significantly underrepresented in formal complaints despite comparable or higher noise exposure.

In contrast, more affluent and demographically privileged neighborhoods exhibit higher complaint rates under lower exposure conditions. Strengthening community-based and inclusive complaint systems becomes essential in addressing these representational gaps.

In response, the thesis introduces Noize, a participatory prototype that reframes noise governance as collective witnessing rather than isolated grievance. By connecting empirical analysis with design intervention, the research calls for more equitable and context-sensitive approaches to urban sound management.