---
_id: '14069'
abstract:
- lang: eng
  text: As automation is progressively more present in buildings, it is important
    to understand its impact on people’s experience of urban environments. This case
    study investigated how one automated shading system with motorized venetian blinds
    affects sound perception of the acoustic environment in the immediate outdoor
    surroundings of a university campus building in Detmold, Germany. Procedures of
    ISO 12913 series for soundscape research were followed to conduct acoustic measurements
    and derive psychoacoustic indicators. Additionally, soundwalks involving 41 participants
    and a laboratory study using immersive virtual reality (VR) with 34 participants
    were conducted to assess how individuals perceive the acoustic environment. The
    results show that the operation of automated blinds increases sound levels above
    reference thresholds at short distances, and has a consistent effect on the soundscape,
    shifting it from pleasant and calm to annoying and chaotic. These trends are notable
    in both on-site and laboratory data. Additionally, when participants evaluated
    the soundscape in direct visual connection with the operating façade shading system,
    they perceived the sounds to be less chaotic than when they were not seeing the
    façade. These findings highlight that automated buildings and façades are active
    sound sources capable of influencing environmental quality through acoustic and
    non-acoustic effects; therefore, their influence on the soundscape should be considered
    within performance assessments, smart/automation policy, and sustainability frameworks.
article_number: '111498'
author:
- first_name: Alvaro
  full_name: Balderrama, Alvaro
  id: '74171'
  last_name: Balderrama
  orcid: 0000-0002-4118-2838
- first_name: Alessandra
  full_name: Luna-Navarro, Alessandra
  last_name: Luna-Navarro
- first_name: Jian
  full_name: Kang, Jian
  last_name: Kang
- first_name: Hussam
  full_name: Al Basha, Hussam
  last_name: Al Basha
- first_name: Eric
  full_name: Verschuur, Eric
  last_name: Verschuur
- first_name: Daniel
  full_name: Arztmann, Daniel
  id: '58805'
  last_name: Arztmann
- first_name: Ulrich
  full_name: Knaack, Ulrich
  id: '27160'
  last_name: Knaack
citation:
  ama: Balderrama A, Luna-Navarro A, Kang J, et al. Influence of automated façades
    on the soundscape outside of buildings. <i>Applied Acoustics</i>. 2026;254. doi:<a
    href="https://doi.org/10.1016/j.apacoust.2026.111498">10.1016/j.apacoust.2026.111498</a>
  apa: Balderrama, A., Luna-Navarro, A., Kang, J., Al Basha, H., Verschuur, E., Arztmann,
    D., &#38; Knaack, U. (2026). Influence of automated façades on the soundscape
    outside of buildings. <i>Applied Acoustics</i>, <i>254</i>, Article 111498. <a
    href="https://doi.org/10.1016/j.apacoust.2026.111498">https://doi.org/10.1016/j.apacoust.2026.111498</a>
  bjps: <b>Balderrama A <i>et al.</i></b> (2026) Influence of Automated Façades on
    the Soundscape Outside of Buildings. <i>Applied Acoustics</i> <b>254</b>.
  chicago: Balderrama, Alvaro, Alessandra Luna-Navarro, Jian Kang, Hussam Al Basha,
    Eric Verschuur, Daniel Arztmann, and Ulrich Knaack. “Influence of Automated Façades
    on the Soundscape Outside of Buildings.” <i>Applied Acoustics</i> 254 (2026).
    <a href="https://doi.org/10.1016/j.apacoust.2026.111498">https://doi.org/10.1016/j.apacoust.2026.111498</a>.
  chicago-de: Balderrama, Alvaro, Alessandra Luna-Navarro, Jian Kang, Hussam Al Basha,
    Eric Verschuur, Daniel Arztmann und Ulrich Knaack. 2026. Influence of automated
    façades on the soundscape outside of buildings. <i>Applied Acoustics</i> 254.
    doi:<a href="https://doi.org/10.1016/j.apacoust.2026.111498">10.1016/j.apacoust.2026.111498</a>,
    .
  din1505-2-1: '<span style="font-variant:small-caps;">Balderrama, Alvaro</span> ;
    <span style="font-variant:small-caps;">Luna-Navarro, Alessandra</span> ; <span
    style="font-variant:small-caps;">Kang, Jian</span> ; <span style="font-variant:small-caps;">Al
    Basha, Hussam</span> ; <span style="font-variant:small-caps;">Verschuur, Eric</span>
    ; <span style="font-variant:small-caps;">Arztmann, Daniel</span> ; <span style="font-variant:small-caps;">Knaack,
    Ulrich</span>: Influence of automated façades on the soundscape outside of buildings.
    In: <i>Applied Acoustics</i> Bd. 254. Amsterdam [u.a.], Elsevier  (2026)'
  havard: A. Balderrama, A. Luna-Navarro, J. Kang, H. Al Basha, E. Verschuur, D. Arztmann,
    U. Knaack, Influence of automated façades on the soundscape outside of buildings,
    Applied Acoustics. 254 (2026).
  ieee: 'A. Balderrama <i>et al.</i>, “Influence of automated façades on the soundscape
    outside of buildings,” <i>Applied Acoustics</i>, vol. 254, Art. no. 111498, 2026,
    doi: <a href="https://doi.org/10.1016/j.apacoust.2026.111498">10.1016/j.apacoust.2026.111498</a>.'
  mla: Balderrama, Alvaro, et al. “Influence of Automated Façades on the Soundscape
    Outside of Buildings.” <i>Applied Acoustics</i>, vol. 254, 111498, 2026, <a href="https://doi.org/10.1016/j.apacoust.2026.111498">https://doi.org/10.1016/j.apacoust.2026.111498</a>.
  short: A. Balderrama, A. Luna-Navarro, J. Kang, H. Al Basha, E. Verschuur, D. Arztmann,
    U. Knaack, Applied Acoustics 254 (2026).
  ufg: '<b>Balderrama, Alvaro u. a.</b>: Influence of automated façades on the soundscape
    outside of buildings, in: <i>Applied Acoustics</i> 254 (2026).'
  van: Balderrama A, Luna-Navarro A, Kang J, Al Basha H, Verschuur E, Arztmann D,
    et al. Influence of automated façades on the soundscape outside of buildings.
    Applied Acoustics. 2026;254.
date_created: 2026-09-30T10:13:50Z
date_updated: 2026-10-01T14:28:02Z
department:
- _id: DEP1634
doi: 10.1016/j.apacoust.2026.111498
intvolume: '       254'
keyword:
- Urban
- Soundscape
- Acoustic
- Perception
- Comfort
- Sustainability
language:
- iso: eng
place: Amsterdam [u.a.]
publication: Applied Acoustics
publication_identifier:
  eissn:
  - 1872-910X
  issn:
  - 0003-682X
publication_status: published
publisher: 'Elsevier '
quality_controlled: '1'
status: public
title: Influence of automated façades on the soundscape outside of buildings
type: scientific_journal_article
user_id: '83781'
volume: 254
year: '2026'
...