City of São Paulo approved 77 buildings in the Congonhas noise zone over a decade despite federal pressure

Amid federal pressure for greater oversight, high-rise development continues to advance in the area most affected by noise from Congonhas Airport, in São Paulo's southern zone. Data compiled by Folha show that from 2016 to 2025, construction was authorized for at least 77 buildings in locations exposed to 65 decibels on a weighted average — a level considered incompatible with residential use without acoustic reinforcement.

In the previous decade, a smaller number of buildings was authorized: 59. The most affected area extends beyond the airport's immediate surroundings, reaching properties up to 4.1 kilometers from the runway, particularly in the Campo Belo, Itaim Bibi, Moema, and Jabaquara districts.

The increase in high-rise development is partly linked to municipal incentives introduced under the 2016 Zoning Law to encourage construction near transportation corridors. The airport's surroundings are served by stations on the Blue Line 1, Lilac Line 5, and Gold Line 17, as well as the Avenida Santo Amaro bus corridor. These benefits were retained in the law's revision, signed by Mayor Ricardo Nunes (MDB) in January 2024.

As Folha has previously reported, federal bodies have been calling since at least 2018 for new São Paulo legislation to take into account the noise contours of the Congonhas, Campo de Marte, and Guarulhos airports, with land-use controls or requirements for improved acoustic performance in new constructions, so as to prevent growth in the exposed population. Brazil's National Civil Aviation Agency (Anac) and the Federal Public Ministry (MPF) base their demands on the Brazilian Aeronautics Code of 1986.

In a statement, the city government replied that the revision of urban legislation involved "a broad participatory process, open to the entire population," including stakeholders engaged with the issue. The Nunes administration has signaled that incorporating noise contours into the Zoning Law may be deferred to the next revision, which is not expected to occur until after 2029.

Also in the statement, the city said it is taking steps to improve transparency. These include a resolution issued at the end of June this year requiring that building permits indicate when a development is located in an aeronautical noise zone, as well as the forthcoming publication of noise contours on the city's digital map platform, Geosampa.

In total, the noisiest area around Congonhas covers 6.2 square kilometers, not including the airport itself. The perimeter was estimated in 2022 in the Specific Noise Zoning Plan (PEZR) produced by Infraero, the Brazilian Airport Infrastructure Company.

Representatives of federal bodies say that the city of São Paulo has for decades been allowing the worsening of development around its airports. One of the consequences of population growth in these areas was the closure of Congonhas to flights between 11 p.m. and 6 a.m.

A new meeting between local and federal authorities on the issue is scheduled for late August. The agenda includes compliance with the PEZR in licensing processes, the submission of specific legislation to the City Council, and oversight of acoustic treatment in buildings, among other topics.

Today, there are still entire city blocks of houses, commercial properties, and other low-rise buildings in areas zoned to permit high-rise construction within Congonhas's noisy surroundings. As a result, experts believe vertical development is likely to continue in the coming years.

Among the new developments being marketed, some highlight being "right next to" Congonhas, while others make no mention of the airport at all. Several associate the location with rental income potential and appeal for short-term letting.

The noise curve projections are being updated by Congonhas' concessionaire, Aena. There is a possibility that some of the most affected locations may change with the airport's expansion works, which are expected to be completed in 2028.

**86,000 people live in the area most affected by noise from Congonhas**

An acoustics firm's 2025 estimate indicates that 86,300 people reside within the noisiest perimeter surrounding Congonhas. Commissioned by the airport's concessionaire (Aena), the survey drew on data from the most recent Census, conducted in 2022.

The total is nearly triple the estimate from 2011, as outlined in a technical note by Anac. At the time, the projected figure was 30,800 residents in the area subject to an average weighted noise level of 65 decibels.

Renata Cavion, coordinator of the Transportation and Logistics Engineering program at UFSC (Federal University of Santa Catarina), explains that airports naturally have an attraction effect. "They generate urbanization in their surroundings. It is a historical pattern, seen all over the world," she notes.

She points out that international experiences have signaled the need to control occupation around even new aerodromes, to prevent them from being "swallowed up" by the city in the future. This type of measure is not new, however, with Paris having pioneered it in the 1960s.

Vice-president of SBTA (Brazilian Society for Air Transportation Research), the expert considers noise impact a challenge, given that it propagates dynamically. This is because it is influenced by various factors, such as humidity, wind, and urbanization.

Even the quantity, distribution, height, and cladding of buildings can affect this scenario. "Glass curtain wall" buildings tend to reflect noise more significantly, as the researcher illustrates. Vegetation, on the other hand, tends to be less effective in such cases, unlike ground-level emitters (such as automobiles).

Urban development consultant Marcelo Ignatios believes São Paulo faces a dichotomy. After all, the airport is an important asset, valued by the real estate market and surrounded by transport infrastructure, yet at the same time it generates discomfort for neighboring residents due to noise and pollution.

For this reason, he advocates for the establishment of acoustic protection parameters for new buildings, in order to mitigate the situation. "Anyone living in São Paulo is always weighing up [the pros and cons of where to settle]," he observes.

Another point highlighted by experts is that an increase in buildings does not necessarily mean population growth. Developments still under construction on blocks cleared for the works, the growing availability of short-term rental units in buildings, and the concentration of a portion of properties among investors are among the reasons cited.

This situation is replicated in the vicinity of Congonhas. As shown by a Folha tool using data from the 2010 and 2022 censuses, the number of residents in Itaim Bibi and Campo Belo grew by 9.6% and 8.1%, respectively. On the other hand, it fell by 3.9% in Jabaquara and 1.8% in Moema.

**Impact of airport noise**

The National Aeronautical Plan 2022–2052 identifies noise as one of aviation's main negative impacts, affecting the well-being and health of the population, including cognitive capacity, sleep, and blood pressure.

It also notes that international studies suggest airport noise control curves could potentially encompass areas down to 50 or 55 decibels on a weighted average basis, given that a greater number of areas tend to experience significant impact.