Human health damages due to road traffic pollutants and noise in life cycle assessment of dwellings

Abstract (2006)

Authors

A. Meijer OLD Housing Quality and Process Innovation
MAJ Huijbregts External organisation
E Hertwich External organisation
Maarten R.L. Reijnders External organisation
Research Group
OLD Housing Quality and Process Innovation
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Published Date

2006

Language

Undefined/Unknown

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Research Group

OLD Housing Quality and Process Innovation

Abstract

Current life cycle assessment methodologies for dwellings often do not address health damages of occupants related to local road traffic. In this study, a methodology has been developed to calculate damages to human health of occupants caused by substances and noise emitted by neighbourhood car traffic. This damage has been compared to the damage to human health associated with the rest of the life cycle of that dwelling.
Fate, exposure and human health effects of road traffic noise, particulate matter (PM10), sulphur dioxide, benzene and benzo[a]pyrene emitted by cars were addressed in the calculation procedure. Health damages were calculated on the basis of disability adjusted life years (DALYs). Human health damage scores for changes in traffic situations have been calculated for differences between three traffic scenarios in residential areas and for the Dutch reference dwellings.
Communication disturbances and sleep disturbances due to noise and health effects of PM10 appear to be dominant in the total damage to human health of occupants caused by neighbourhood car traffic. A sensitivity analysis has shown that a reduction of the car and truck density and an increase of the distance of the façade of the dwellings to the road axis have the largest positive effect on the human health of the occupants. Damages to human health of occupants due to indoor exposure to road traffic noise and pollutants appear to be in the same order of magnitude when compared with damages associated with the life cycle of dwellings. This emphasizes the importance to include the location of dwellings in the life cycle assessment of the dwelling.