2D Heat Pump Sound Propagation

Inputs

Heat pump address / location

Searches OpenStreetMap.

Receiver / neighbour address

Use current map/browser position

Requires browser location permission. After setting the marker, the distance and sound level are recalculated automatically.

Use this to place the receiver marker by address.

Heat pump model

Model data is loaded.

Sound power level LwA

dB(A)

Number of units

Energetic addition of identical sources.

Use OSM buildings as barrier candidates

Beta feature: loads OSM building, building parts/relations, and available OSM barrier/boundary lines in the visible map area. Review geometry before applying positioning, barrier candidates, or qualitative map influence. Please zoom in before loading.

OSM barrier search tolerance

m from direct HP–receiver line. Higher values are more tolerant for OSM footprint inaccuracies.

OSM installation detection tolerance

m around the heat pump marker for detecting wall/corner/niche from nearby building edges. Increase if the HP marker is not exactly at the façade.

Use qualitative OSM influence on map contours (Beta)

Optional visual approximation: loaded buildings/barrier lines can lightly reduce qualitative map contours when they are close to the source-to-point path. Receiver result is still calculated separately.

Map influence distance

m tolerance around each source-to-map-point path

Max map attenuation

dB cap for the qualitative map only

Curved OSM façades: OSM curves are interpreted as short line segments and grouped into one façade direction where possible.

No OSM installation situation detected yet.

OSM buildings not loaded.

OSM barrier candidate: optional, not selected.

Distance [m]

Updated automatically by the map markers.

Air temperature

°C

Automatic directivity

Directivity is calculated automatically from the fan/outlet direction and receiver position.

The correction is derived from the angle between outlet direction and receiver.

Quick rotation

Hold Shift + left mouse button and move the mouse on the map to rotate the outdoor unit and the sound field.

Move heat pump in 1 m steps

Use these buttons for precise positioning.

Heat pump orientation

front direction of the outdoor unit

Positioning / installation situation

Noise barrier / screening

Use frequency-dependent barrier diffraction

Optional single top-edge diffraction. Heights are limited to max. 10 m.

Source height hS

m above ground

Receiver height hR

m above ground

Barrier top height hB

m above ground

Barrier position

50% of distance from source to receiver

Displayed frequency band

Display only; the A-weighted receiver result uses all octave bands from 63 Hz to 8 kHz.

Insert Diffraction element on map

Creates a Diffraction element on the map. Drag the two A/B handles to place it.

Element-path tolerance

m; if the element does not intersect the receiver path, this tolerance decides whether it still counts

Diffraction inactive. Enable the checkbox or insert a diffraction element to use frequency-dependent octave-band attenuation.

Day limit

dB(A)

Night limit

dB(A)

Map view

Sound display

Drag markers to position the heat pump and receiver. Click on the map to set the fan/outlet direction, or hold Ctrl and drag for continuous rotation.

HP: – / Receiver: –

Calculated sound pressure level – dB(A)

Distance – Directivity – Positioning Free field Barrier None Front E

Live preview in browser

–

Result assessment

Move the receiver and heat pump to update the result.

Current calculation info

–

Calculation summary

Distance r–

Geometrical spreading–

Air attenuation–

Directivity–

Reflection / installation situation–

Noise barrier / screening–

Limit check–

Demo calculation model
based on Wernhart, M., Reichl, C., Rieberer, R., 2026, A Web-Based Tool for Visualizing Sound Propagation from Air-to-Water Heat Pumps Using a Map Interface, 15th IEA Heat Pump Conference, Vienna, Austria

This is a simplified early-stage sound propagation of residential heat pumps, not a legally binding expert noise assessment.

How to use the 2D noise tool