The role of acoustics in building clean urban and architectural environment

Built environment of polish cities, both external and internal is polluted not only with chemical and physical harmful particles, but also with a number of diversified, continuous sounds, which may in substantial way negatively affect psychological and physical well-being of humans. Moreover, in extreme situations sound may damage vital organs of organisms and at daily occasions negative exposure may cause a number of problems in a longer time perspective. Noise produced by traffic, loudness of school brakes, shouts and car-horns, humming of air condition devices and ducts, air traffic, plus many more, are exposing city users not only on shorter or longer hearing losses, but also on vibration of internal organs and raising of overall anxiety. At the same time, cities are also filled with positive sounds, which allow to lower the blood pressure, calm and relax residents, like: birds singing, leaves and rain humming, water floating, and so on. Hence, this article was devoted towards presentation of research outcomes on pursuit for ‘cleaner’ and higher quality of sound environment in everyday city, in order to create safer and more ergonomic permanent, day-to-day living conditions.