VisAsim
Visual-Acoustic Simulation for landscape impact assessment of wind farms
Planning of wind farms appears to be a complicated matter. Most significant factors explaining support or rejection of wind farms are their impacts on the visual aesthetical landscape quality and the sense of place in a specific landscape context and noise made by rotating turbine blades. Current planning tools including 2D maps, 3D visualizations and data for noise levels, however, fail to integrate these factors into site-planning for identifying suitable places for wind power technologies.
Developing a visual-acoustic simulation tool
We integrate the realistic soundscape of wind turbine noise into GIS-based 3D landscape visualizations of alternative wind farm scenarios for valuing their impact on the landscape quality. The prototype of an audio-visual reproduction system is tested in experiments to proof the validity of the simulation in comparison to reference movies/sound records. Then, visual-acoustic simulation models for three focus areas with different landscape characteristics are established and used in acceptability studies for valuation of alternative wind farm scenarios.
Improved impact assessment of wind farms for pro-active landscape development
Overall, the simulation tool allows for an improved impact assessment, which provides a better, more comprehensible decision basis for designating suitable locations for wind farms, e.g. in federal concepts on the potential areas for wind farms, in cantonal directive plans or in communal land use plans. Moreover, the application of combined visual and acoustic simulations in acceptability studies further enhances state-of-the-art non-market valuation techniques. Within a broader context, the valuation results allows deriving recommendations for planning wind farms taking into account different landscape types.
Project data
Persons involved
Ulrike Wyssen Hayek
Madeleine Manyoky
Thomas M. Klein
Prof. Dr. Adrienne Grêt-Regamey
In collaboration with
Dr. Kurt Heutschi
Reto Pieren
Kurt Eggenschwiler (EMPA)
Duration
July 2011 – June 2014