Noise emissions

STRICT MONITORING OF DAILY NOISE EMISSIONS

The official licence specifies exactly how many days a year the route may be used in each of the four noise levels (A to D) and which quiet times must be observed within each noise level. Four permanent measuring stations have therefore been installed around the Ring. These stations document the noise emissions at the Ring around the clock and send the data directly to the district office. The noise measurement of these stations is also monitored in Race Control. The measurement technology is replaced regularly and calibrated once a day. The company Genest und Partner has been commissioned since 2002 as an independent measuring institute to monitor the emission protection requirements for the operation of the Ring and also prepares a monthly measurement report in which the daily data collected is summarised and sent to the district administration office (Landratsamt). The measurement report is checked and confirmed there.

DEALING WITH NOISE PHASES

Hockenheim-Ring GmbH endeavours to handle the legally regulated noise quotas and time windows with great care and to relieve the burden on residents by organising a mix of events. This means that the permitted operating days per year are not even close to being fully utilised: Only around 60% of the authorised noise days are currently used on average in a season on the Ring. Most operating days fall into category C with 98 decibels. Here, the company relies on voluntary self-restraint: For test operation in noise category C, the licence provides for maximum operation from 8 am to 8 pm. Since many years, the race has only started at 9am. In the vast majority of cases, the lunch break lasts an hour or more and is therefore longer than the prescribed 30 minutes.

MIX OF EVENTS AND QUIET PHASES

For many years, Hockenheim-Ring GmbH has emphasised the importance of establishing non-motorsport events such as grassroots sporting events on the Ring, as these not only promote loyalty among the public but also have a positive effect on noise protection. The Ring also endeavours to organise economically viable major events that involve race track closure times for set-up and dismantling, thus reducing noise pollution at the same time. (e.g. concerts, festivals, but also major motorsport events such as DTM and NitrOlympX). Cumulatively, this adds up to several weeks of “quiet time” during the season.