noise barriers (such as trees or green walls), ban of heavy and/or old vehicles within the urban area, building
permit requirements to soundproof new housing construction, and zoning regulations that require wide
building setbacks from traffic streets and do not allow noise sources (night clubs, bakeries, wood workshops,
gas stations) in neighborhoods that are mostly residential.
Due to increasing resident complaints on nighttime noise, some clubs in the Bllok and other central locations
have partially soundproofed their spaces. However, soundproofing of new housing is minimal. One
construction firm has started using inexpensive soundproofing materials, such as polysterol on the internal
walls. However, firm representatives say that this method blocks out only 20-30% of noises. The use of
double pane glass windows (with vacuum between panes) blocks out an additional 5%. The use of
triple/quadruple glass pane windows or the use of special fluid between glass panes would provide much
higher sound insulation but this window technology is too expensive for widespread use in Albania. Another
firm has built a pilot residential building in the Bllok, which is fully soundproof, with exceptionally high
prices by Albanian standards (2000 Euro/sq.m.).
7 CONCLUSION
This research found that noise is a growing concern for residents in Tirana. While it is well known that
central area residents experience serious distress due to noise pollution, even more peripheral neighborhoods
are affected. However, until recently noise pollution has remained mostly untackled because the overall
institutional scheme that deals with noise management issues is beset with redundancies and gaps and a lack
of clear functional division among competing authorities and levels. Furthermore, corruption and favoritism
are rampant at all government levels.
Within this framework, a portion of business owners, who belong to the upper income groups, resist
restrictions on activities that generate nighttime noise and are able to bend the law in their favor. Any past
interventions to protect residents from nighttime noise pollution have been the result of the will of individual
politicians, which makes long-term rule enforcement uncertain. No clear institutional system has been set to
permanently and consistently deal with noise management. In addition, Tirana’s public has no belief that the
citizenry can bring about public action for its benefit or much belief in the legitimacy of the law. The author
speculates that this attitude is due to the legacy of the communist regime, which ended in 1990.
Solutions proposed include the creation of a single office in charge of noise management, preferably
included within the city police, which can also collect and respond to complaints at night. This office must
guarantee the anonimity of complaints and take immediate action, with prompt enforcement against
continuing violations. Another solution would be to group night clubs in areas far from the center, in which
they do not disturb residents. However, the presence of entertainment establishements gives the Bllok district
its character and constitutes its major attraction. In view of this consideration, a solution would be to require
club owners to sound-proof their buildings at the time of licencing, with periodic reviews afterwards.
Awareness-raising is important, too. Public authorities must send notices to residents informing them that
they have a right to object in case of excessive noise levels in their neighborhood.
While it might be technically easier to deal with nighttime noise, it will be more difficult to substantially
improve the daytime noise situation given the growth of motorized transportation in Tirana. Given strong
political will, traffic calming measures could be introduced in neighborhoods that are mostly residential or
centrally located with heavy pedestrian traffic. Other effective measures would be stringent noise emission
criteria for road vehicles, measures at the source (e.g., porous asphalt, speed limitation, high fines for drivers
honking horns in non-emergency situations), with respect to the transmission (e.g., noise barriers, including
trees), or at the receiver (e.g., dwelling insulation, dwelling layouts).