From "being able to hear" to "being able to control": How to create a new model of "quiet city"?

Decoding the "Technology + Governance" Dual Engine of the Noise Prevention and Control System

When the city is trapped in the siege of "sound"

The roar of construction sites in the early morning, the clatter of cars at midnight, the endless blaring of promotional horns on shopping streets... urban noise has become "invisible pollution." According to the Ministry of Ecology and Environment, noise complaints nationwide accounted for 56% of all environmental issues in 2024, far exceeding air and water pollution. How can cities shift from "passive fire suppression" to "active noise reduction"? China is breaking through with a comprehensive noise monitoring and precise prevention and control system, quietly unfolding a "quiet revolution."

1. Technological breakthrough: equipping cities with “smart ears”

1. Building a dense monitoring network: From "random checks" to "global awareness"

Grid-based deployment: For example, 109 smart monitoring points have been deployed in Jingyang County, Shaanxi Province, covering five functional areas including residential areas, transportation arteries, and industrial areas. There is at least one point per square kilometer, transmitting decibel values ​​and spectrum data in real time.

Mobile monitoring stations: Beijing and Shanghai are piloting "noise patrol cars" equipped with acoustic cameras to automatically identify horn honking and excessive noise levels at construction sites and locate pollution sources, shortening enforcement response time to 10 minutes.

Public participation: Shenzhen launched the "Quiet Pengcheng" APP, where citizens can take photos and upload noise clips. AI automatically identifies the type and generates governance work orders, forming a "national governance" network.

2. Big data-driven: making noise visible and manageable

Dynamic heat map: Hangzhou uses the GIS system to draw a temporal and spatial distribution map of noise. Red alert areas automatically trigger law enforcement dispatches, such as automatically increasing patrols in areas with dense construction sites after 10 pm.

Intelligent early warning model: Guangzhou has established a traffic noise prediction system that combines traffic volume and road structure data to optimize the setting of sound insulation screens or adjust traffic light timing in advance, improving noise reduction efficiency by 40%.

II. Governance Upgrade: From "Individual Operations" to "Full-Chain Closed Loop"

1. Rigid legislative constraints

New national standards are implemented: The "Residential Project Specifications" implemented in May 2025 will raise the floor sound insulation standard to 65 decibels, forcing developers to adopt technologies such as shock-absorbing partitions and silent pipes.

Pollutant Discharge Permit System: 177,000 enterprises nationwide are subject to noise emission permits, and those exceeding the standards face a veto. For example, a machinery factory in Qingdao was fined 500,000 yuan and had to suspend production for rectification because of excessive noise levels at night.

2. Cross-departmental collaboration

Joint law enforcement mechanism: Wuhan has established a "noise control task force", and the four departments of environmental protection, urban management, public security, and housing and construction share data to implement "multiple investigations for one case" for night construction, square dancing that disturbs the public, etc.

Innovation in source control: Chengdu requires that newly built subway lines be fully enclosed and installed with "sound barriers", which, combined with sound-absorbing materials and green noise reduction belts, can reduce noise levels in residential areas along the line by more than 10 decibels.

Make tranquility the city's competitive advantage

From passive complaints to proactive prevention and control, China is leveraging technology to empower noise management and reshape the urban acoustic environment. When monitoring networks become the "ears of the city" and big data becomes the "brain" of noise reduction, we are witnessing not only a reduction in decibel levels but also a city's ultimate pursuit of quality of life. In the future, perhaps "a peaceful and tranquil place" will become a more appealing city brand than "a bustling location."