A conceptual framework for the practical use of predictive models and Soundscape Indices: Goals, constraints, and applications

With the recent standardization of soundscape, there has been increased interest in bringing the soundscape approach into an engineering context. While traditional assessment methods, such as those given in the ISO 12913 series, provide information on the current status quo of an environment, they offer limited insight into hypothetical environments and are therefore less relevant for design purposes. This conference paper presents a conceptual framework for the practical use of predictive soundscape models and indices. The framework outlines the goals, constraints, and potential applications of these models and highlights the need for further research in this area to better understand the dynamics of soundscape perception and to put predictive models to practical use. Predictive soundscape models can be integrated with soundscape indices - such as those being developed by the Soundscape Indices (SSID) project - for assessment purposes, providing a comprehensive approach to evaluating and designing sound environments. The use of predictive models is necessary to address the challenges faced in practical applications of the soundscape approach and to fill the gap between traditional assessment methods and the design of sound environments.