Yes / The Tranquillity Rating Prediction Tool (TRAPT) has been used to make predictions of the quality of tranquility in outdoor urban areas using two significant factors i.e. the average level of anthropogenic noise and the percentage of natural features in view. The method has a number of applications including producing tranquillity contours that can inform decisions regarding the impact of new anthropogenic noise sources or developments causing visual intrusion. The methodwas intended for use in mainly outdoor areas and yet was developed using responses from UK volunteers to video clips indoors. Because the volunteers for this study were all UK residents it was important to calibrate responses for other ethnic groups who may respond differently depending on cultural background. To address these issues further studies were performed in Hong Kong using the same video recording played back under the same conditions as the study in the UK. The HK study involved recruiting three groups i.e. residents fromHong Kong, Mainland China and a diverse group from 16 different nations. There was good agreement between all these groups with average tranquillity ratings for the different locations differing by less than one scale point in most cases. / The studywas supported by the Bradford Centre for Sustainable Environments at the University of Bradford and by the Research Grants Council of the Hong Kong Special Administrative Region, China (RGC/GRF. CUHK 449612)

yes / The findings of a wildness study are presented where audio–visual stimuli (video footage), were assessed by experimental subjects under controlled conditions, in order to obtain reliable estimates of perceived tranquillity together with a number of other rated qualities including calmness and pleasantness. A wide range of mainly natural scenes totalling 46 were presented including footage from the Scottish Highlands and Dartmoor National Park. The findings clearly demonstrate that rated tranquillity relates closely to rated calmness and pleasantness and this agrees with earlier studies of soundscape categorisation. The effect of adding man-made sounds to the soundscape was shown to seriously degrade perceived tranquillity though ratings of wildness were not nearly as affected. Attempts to improve the level of tranquillity further by adding natural sounds were largely unsuccessful. It was considered important to determine if the previously employed Tranquillity Rating Prediction Tool (TRAPT) successfully validated for mainly urban open spaces could usefully predict tranquility in remote wildland areas. In fact results demonstrated the relatively close relationship between predicted and actually rated tranquillity in these remote areas which further extended the range of validity of the prediction tool. The findings of this study will challenge the notion that characterization of landscapes is purely a visual exercise and that soundscape quality needs to be considered as an integral part of this assessment process. For this reason the findings will be of interest to those responsible for managing and marketing protected areas such as National Parks, practitioners involved in carrying out landscape character assessments, cartographers and landscape architects involved in designing tranquil spaces across a range of scales. / Full text was made available 1st March 2016 at the end of the publisher's embargo.

Yes / Tranquillity trails (TTs) are designed to provide a quiet and peaceful walk through mainly leafy lanes and roads and connect green open spaces where visitors can stop for thought and relaxation. There are numerous health benefits from being in close proximity to nature and TTs can facilitate this contact in mainly urban areas. This study involved the design of a trail in Tramore, a coastal town in south east Ireland. The trail links an old coastguard station, now converted to a cultural centre and coffee shop, with a Japanese garden. The trail includes a coastal path with fine views across a bay, wooded areas as well as leafy residential streets. The design of the trail was facilitated by the use of a previous developed tranquillity rating prediction tool (TRAPT) that involved the estimation of the level of man-made noise and the percentage of natural features in view. Participants who had completed the whole of the trail were encouraged to complete a questionnaire to gauge any benefits. As expected, it was reported that there were increased levels of relaxation and reduced stress. It was concluded that the approach can be used elsewhere to improve the well-being of residents and visitors.

Yes / Tranquillity characterized by a pleasant but calming environment is often to be found in natural environments where man-made noise is at a low level though natural sounds can be relatively high. Numerous studies have shown a link between such restorative environments and hospital recovery rates, stress reduction, longevity, pain relief and even how the brain processes auditory signals. In hospitals and primary care facilities there is a need to improve patient waiting rooms as current designs are largely based solely on medical need. There are often long waits in such spaces and patients are coping with the stress and anxiety caused by their medical condition. Attention should therefore be given to creating ‘‘restorative environment” as a component to their medical treatment. The study describes the effects of introducing natural sounds and large images of natural landscapes into a waiting room in a student health center. Using self reported levels of anxiety and tranquillity it was possible to assess the impact that these targeted auditory and visual interventions had in affecting the quality of the patient experience. Following the changes results show that levels of reported tranquillity were significantly improved but there were smaller change in reported reductions in anxiety.

No / The UK has recently recognized the importance of tranquil spaces in the National Planning Policy Framework. This policy framework places considerable emphasis on sustainable development with the aim of making planning more streamlined, localized and less restrictive. Specifically it states that planning policies and decisions should aim to "identify and protect areas of tranquillity which have remained relatively undisturbed by noise and are prized for their recreational and amenity value for this reason". This is considered by some (e.g. National Park Authorities) to go beyond merely identifying quiet areas based on relatively low levels of mainly transportation noise, as the concept of tranquillity implies additionally a consideration of visual intrusion of man-made structures and buildings into an Otherwise perceived natural landscape. In the first instance this paper reports on applying a method for predicting the perceived tranquillity of a place and using this approach to classify the level of tranquillity in existing areas. It then seeks to determine the impact of a new build, by taking the example of the construction of wind turbines in the countryside. For this purpose; noise level measurements, photographs and jury assessments of tranquillity at a medium sized land based wind turbine were made. It was then possible to calculate the decrement of noise levels and visual prominence with distance in order to determine the improvement of tranquillity rating with increasing range. The point at which tranquillity was restored in the environment allowed the calculation of the position of the footprint boundary. (C) 2014 Elsevier Ltd. All rights reserved. / yes

Yes / his paper reports the findings of a study that presented bi-modal audio-visual stimuli (video footage), to experimental subjects under controlled conditions, in order to obtain reliable estimates of perceived wildness, naturalness, felt remoteness and tranquillity. The research extends beyond the literature and demonstrates that unlike tranquillity, wildness appears to be a more intellectual or cognitive construct. However, it does relate well to remoteness and naturalness and is reduced by the presence of mechanical noise. By using the approach previously employed for the development of a Tranquillity Rating Prediction Tool (TRAPT), it has been demonstrated that a similar methodology is also appropriate for wildness. WRAPT (Wildness Rating Prediction Tool) is the first attempt to predict wildness from physical variables, the values of which can be readily obtained from field surveys supplemented by detailed maps where large areas require assessment. The findings of this study will be of interest to those responsible for managing and marketing protected areas such as National Parks, practitioners involved in carrying out landscape character assessments, cartographers wishing to incorporate reliable acoustic data within their vector or raster based stacks and landscape architects involved in designing wild and tranquil spaces across a range of scales.

Yes / Tranquil spaces can be found and made in the city and their promotion and use by residents and visitors is an important means of building resilience. Studies have shown that spaces that are rated by visitors as tranquil are more likely to produce higher levels of relaxation and less anxiety that should ultimately result in health and well-being benefits. Such spaces can therefore be classed as restorative environments. Tranquil spaces are characterized by a soundscape dominated by natural sounds and low levels of man-made noise. In addition, the presence of vegetation and wild life has been shown to be an important contributory factor. Levels of rated tranquillity can be reliably predicted using a previously developed model TRAPT and then used to design and identify tranquil spaces, improve existing green spaces and develop Tranquillity Trails to encourage usage. Tranquillity Trails are walking routes that have been designed to enable residents and visitors to reflect and recover from stress while receiving the benefits of healthy exercise. This paper describes Tranquillity Trails designed for three contrasting areas. Predictions of the rated tranquillity have been made along these routes and feedback from users was elicited at one site that confirmed the expected benefits. / Bradford Centre for Sustainable Environments in the Faculty of Engineering and Informatics at the University of Bradford.

yes / The UK has recently recognized the importance of tranquil spaces in the National Planning Policy Framework, NPPF. This paper reports on applying the tranquillity rating prediction tool, TRAPT for predicting the perceived tranquillity of a place and using this tool to classify the levels of tranquillity in existing areas. The tool combines soundscape and landscape measures to produce a tranquillity rating on a 0-10 rating scales. For these purposes noise maps, spot noise level measurements, photographic surveys were used to predict tranquillity levels in 8 parks and open spaces in or near the city of Bradford in West Yorkshire in the UK. In addition interviews were conducted with visitors to validate these predictions. It was found that there was a reasonably close relationship between predicted and average assessments given by park visitors which confirmed the usefulness of the tranquillity rating prediction tool for planning and conservation purposes.

Yes / A pilot study had previously demonstrated the utility of a tranquillity prediction tool TRAPT for use in 3 green open spaces in a densely populated area. This allows the calculation of perceived levels of tranquillity in open spaces. The current study expands the range of sites to 8 and importantly considers the views of visitors to these spaces. In total 252 face to face interviews were conducted in these spaces. An important aim of the survey was to determine the extent to which reported tranquillity obtained from the questionnaire survey could be predicted by a previously developed prediction tool TRAPT. A further aim was to determine what additional factors may need to be considered in addition to the purely physical descriptors in TRAPT. The questions included the sounds and sights that were noticed, factors affecting tranquillity as well as questions relating to the benefits of visiting these areas. Predictions were considered satisfactory and could be further improved by taking account of issues surrounding personal safety. Examining the trends in these data it was also shown that the percentage of people feeling more relaxed after visiting the spaces was closely related to overall assessments of perceived tranquillity. Further trends and their implications are presented and discussed in the paper. / Made available in full text March 2014 at the end of the publisher's embargo period.

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