Work

Analysis of Acoustic and Perceptual Variables in Three Heritage Churches in Quito Using Structural Equation Modeling

Year: 2025

Type: article

Abstract: Acoustic quality is one of the aspects that contribute to the heritage of cultural and religious spaces. It is increasingly common to find scientific literature detailing the sound characteristics of places of worship, especially those with cultural and historical interests. This article presents a comprehensive acoustic characterization of three colonial heritage churches in Quito. It examines the relationship between objective and subjective parameters that influence the valuation of a space or sound environment. To analyze this relationship, the study employs Structural Equation Modeling (SEM) to evaluate three latent variables using perceptual acoustic indicators. Results from SEM showed statistically confirmed pathways between sociodemographic variables and latent perceptual constructs, which supports the notion that acoustic quality is not entirely captured by more classical measures of intelligibility or clarity.

Source: Buildings

DOI: 10.3390/buildings15152639

Authors: Fausto Espinoza, Luis Bravo-Moncayo, Luis Garzón, Víctor Poblete, Jorge P. Arenas

Institutions: Austral University of Chile, Universidad de Las Américas, Universidad Técnica del Norte

Language: English

Topic: Noise Effects and Management

Subfield: Speech and Hearing

Field: Health Professions

Domain: Health Sciences

Open Access status: gold

Estimated APC paid: $3,137

Funder: Universidad de Las Américas Ecuador