City of Zurich
Expert report and workshop on acoustic quality assessment
The City of Zurich aims to improve the quality of stay in its outdoor urban spaces. Müller‑BBM was commissioned to prepare a scientifically grounded expert report on practical methods for assessing acoustic quality, followed by conducting an expert workshop for methodological deepening – based on our expertise in urban sound design.
At a glance
| Client: | City of Zurich, Environmental and Health Protection (UGZ) |
| Industry: | Environmental and health protection |
| Object: | Urban area |
| Expertise: | Urban Sound Design (including soundscape) |
| Location & time period: | Zurich, Switzerland September 2025 to Januar 2026 |
Initial situation
The City of Zurich has set itself the goal of enhancing the quality of stay in outdoor urban spaces for its residents. As part of the Stadtgrün program, the aim is also to ensure and improve acoustic quality. This requires assessment methods for determining acoustic quality that can be implemented in practice with a reasonable level of effort. The methods must be clearly defined, adequate, and transparent.
Mission
Preparation of a Scientifically Grounded Expert Report
To evaluate practical and scientifically robust methods, the Environmental and Health Protection Department of Zurich commissioned two independent expert reports. The expectation was a critical and open analysis of both established and lesser‑known methods for determining the acoustic quality of outdoor spaces.
The focus was on:
- How reliable and practical are current acoustic and psychoacoustic methods?
- Where are the limitations or blind spots of existing approaches?
- Which innovative methods can cities use in the future?
The expert report prepared by Müller‑BBM provides a solid basis for evaluation, which—together with a second expert report—fed into a joint synthesis report.
Conducting a Workshop
In the next step, Müller‑BBM participated in a workshop moderated by UGZ, bringing together experts from public administration, research, and acoustic practice for knowledge exchange and methodological discussions.
The objectives were:
- to identify suitable evaluation methods for different planning phases and types of open‑space use
- to combine experiences from research and practice
- to specify the requirements of the City of Zurich
This resulted in a practical, broadly coordinated understanding of how cities can assess their soundscapes and, based on this, shape them in a targeted manner – contributing to a livable environment with high acoustic quality.
Result
Based on the results of the two expert reports and the workshop, a synthesis report was prepared. It concludes that the City of Zurich will systematically integrate acoustic quality into future planning processes. Noise exposure, user needs, green space proportions, and soundscape aspects will be assessed together in order to define suitable requirements for each open space. This creates a solid foundation for better soundscapes, more meaningful investments, and a long-term pleasant acoustic environment.
Learn more about our area of expertise
Urban Sound Design
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