Hello everyone,
we found a plot of land in a rural area: sufficiently large, perfect and quick public transport connections to the big city, no high-voltage power lines – there is only one “but”:
next to it runs a motorway / highway A9. The straight-line distance is about 400 meters (about 440 yards). There is a large noise barrier, so the noise level is definitely acceptable.
We plan to build a detached house (solid construction, sand-lime brick), triple glazing, and controlled mechanical ventilation.
We have a small baby, and my concern is the possible air pollution due to the motorway. There is also a large forest nearby.
Do you have any experience with something like this? Or is the distance large enough to be considered safe? Otherwise, this would be an ideal option for us.
Thank you very much!
Best regards
NilsHolgersson
we found a plot of land in a rural area: sufficiently large, perfect and quick public transport connections to the big city, no high-voltage power lines – there is only one “but”:
next to it runs a motorway / highway A9. The straight-line distance is about 400 meters (about 440 yards). There is a large noise barrier, so the noise level is definitely acceptable.
We plan to build a detached house (solid construction, sand-lime brick), triple glazing, and controlled mechanical ventilation.
We have a small baby, and my concern is the possible air pollution due to the motorway. There is also a large forest nearby.
Do you have any experience with something like this? Or is the distance large enough to be considered safe? Otherwise, this would be an ideal option for us.
Thank you very much!
Best regards
NilsHolgersson
O
Oetzberger17 Mar 2022 08:37A more detailed explanation, based on research I did a few years ago:
- Your neighbor’s fireplace actually poses a much greater health risk than traffic-related pollution.
- Ventilation is extremely important. The worst-case scenario is the well-known Stuttgart bowl, an urban canyon in a large city center where cold exhaust fumes get trapped in winter. Measurement points are usually right in front of a traffic light or intersection.
- Living near the edge of a forest is fantastic for air quality. The only downside might be slightly higher ozone levels, which isn’t a major concern.
- Fast-moving cars on the highway disperse air pollutants much better than stop-and-go traffic in the city center.
- Even noise barriers have a positive effect, as cold exhaust gases first have to rise 6 to 10 meters (20 to 33 feet) before mixing with the wind, instead of lingering at ground level during cold winter days. This benefit is strongest within the first 100 meters (330 feet) from the barrier. Ideally, the side of the highway where you live would be open without a barrier?
- In Upper Bavaria, there is an air quality monitoring station directly on the Inntal freeway behind a noise barrier. The air quality readings are not too bad, despite almost no distance from the road. And you have 400 meters (1,312 feet).
Living directly on a main road through a town is generally worse because of noise and air quality. Loud individual vehicles like tractors or trucks often cause irritating noise spikes. With a large noise barrier and 400 meters (1,312 feet) distance, it’s mostly just background noise that you quickly learn to ignore.
- Your neighbor’s fireplace actually poses a much greater health risk than traffic-related pollution.
- Ventilation is extremely important. The worst-case scenario is the well-known Stuttgart bowl, an urban canyon in a large city center where cold exhaust fumes get trapped in winter. Measurement points are usually right in front of a traffic light or intersection.
- Living near the edge of a forest is fantastic for air quality. The only downside might be slightly higher ozone levels, which isn’t a major concern.
- Fast-moving cars on the highway disperse air pollutants much better than stop-and-go traffic in the city center.
- Even noise barriers have a positive effect, as cold exhaust gases first have to rise 6 to 10 meters (20 to 33 feet) before mixing with the wind, instead of lingering at ground level during cold winter days. This benefit is strongest within the first 100 meters (330 feet) from the barrier. Ideally, the side of the highway where you live would be open without a barrier?
- In Upper Bavaria, there is an air quality monitoring station directly on the Inntal freeway behind a noise barrier. The air quality readings are not too bad, despite almost no distance from the road. And you have 400 meters (1,312 feet).
Living directly on a main road through a town is generally worse because of noise and air quality. Loud individual vehicles like tractors or trucks often cause irritating noise spikes. With a large noise barrier and 400 meters (1,312 feet) distance, it’s mostly just background noise that you quickly learn to ignore.
Hutchinson123 schrieb:
My father lives about 150 m (165 yards) in a straight line from the A1.
It is considered one of the most sought-after residential locations in this area. But it only really becomes desirable if there is a railway running in a straight line 100 m (110 yards) on the other side. 😀
@TE: This can’t be answered in general terms, as there are a "thousand factors" involved.
Just try taking a walk there on a Sunday at noon… when you are basically lying on the sun lounger in your garden…
I don’t think anyone is standing on their property with a measuring device. Therefore, everyone will probably answer based on their intuition. A professional might be pulling their hair out. But if it were really that harmful, people in cities would be dropping like flies. So go ahead, buy it, and enjoy your time there.
O
Oetzberger17 Mar 2022 09:14Evolith schrieb:
Therefore, everyone will only be able to respond based on their feelings. A professional might be completely baffled.In my post, I summarized relevant technical publications. Anyone is welcome to check them and understand the current state of scientific knowledge. There are also extensive simulations and networks of measurement stations. Incidentally, life expectancy in Munich, despite its poor air quality, is significantly higher than in rural areas of Bavaria. This topic tends to be somewhat overestimated.