Sensing the City.

Cities are shaped by forces that are often invisible: sound, vibration, climate and air quality. They influence how urban environments perform and how people experience them. At Müller-BBM Industry Solutions, we combine advanced measurement technologies, engineering analysis, simulation and consulting to make these processes visible. We help cities, infrastructure operators, developers and industry understand environmental impacts, assess future scenarios and make informed decisions. THE URBANSPHERE explores how sound, vibration, climate and air quality shape healthier, more resilient and more liveable cities.

Urban Sound

Designing the Sound of the City

Sound is part of urban life. It can support well-being, strengthen social ties and contribute to the identity of neighbourhoods. Through Urban Soundscape Planning, Müller-BBM expands traditional noise control by adding a qualitative perspective, developing acoustic environments that are positively perceived and appropriate to their context. Working with planners, architects and municipalities, we develop soundscape concepts that enhance quality of stay, prevent conflicts and strengthen urban identity.

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Urban Climate

Shaping Cities for a Changing Climate

More frequent heatwaves and rising temperatures place new demands on urban planning. Trees, parks, green facades and water features cool urban environments while enhancing the quality of public spaces and influencing the acoustic character of a location. Understanding these interactions at street level requires high-resolution climate data. Müller-BBM combines physical modelling with artificial intelligence to make detailed urban climate analysis faster and more accessible for planners and municipalities.

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Vibration Protection

Protecting What Cannot Afford to Fail

Construction, traffic and industrial activities generate vibrations that can pose serious risks to sensitive infrastructure and mission-critical operations. Modern monitoring goes beyond recording vibration levels. Intelligent trigger logic continuously interprets measurement data, distinguishes relevant events from background activity and identifies critical conditions early. Müller-BBM combines engineering expertise with measurement, prediction and real-time monitoring to help protect what cannot afford to fail.

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Smart Energy

The Sound of the Energy Transition

The energy transition is bringing new technical infrastructure closer to where people live and work. Charging stations, battery storage systems, hydrogen refuelling stations and photovoltaic inverters can all introduce new sound sources into the urban environment. Green technology does not necessarily equate to silent technology. Müller-BBM combines acoustic consulting, measurement and prediction to help integrate new energy infrastructure in a way that supports both environmental goals and urban quality of life.

Drones

When Drones Enter the Urban Soundscape

Operating at low altitudes and often close to people, drones are introducing a new dimension to the urban soundscape. Research shows that drone noise can be perceived as more intrusive than conventional traffic noise at comparable levels, yet current assessment frameworks do not fully account for it. Müller-BBM conducts noise measurements in accordance with current standards and complements them with psychoacoustic analysis, supporting manufacturers, operators and authorities in developing quieter drones and assessing the impact of drone hubs and vertiports.

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TORUS

Acoustic Torus Measurement for quieter roads

Road traffic noise depends not only on the number of vehicles, but also on the acoustic quality of the road surface. Acoustic Torus Measurement (ATM) analyses the sound generated inside a rolling tyre to assess road-surface conditions during normal vehicle operation. For cities and road authorities, ATM supports targeted maintenance, more realistic noise assessments and better-informed planning decisions.

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HEDS

Finding the Vehicles That Make Cities Too Loud

While cities have reduced average noise levels, residents are often disturbed by individual exceptionally loud vehicles. HEDS (High Emitter Detection System) automatically identifies these vehicles in real traffic using acoustic measurement technology and artificial intelligence. The system provides authorities with a clear picture of when, where and why excessive noise events occur, and which vehicles are responsible. As a scalable smart-city solution, HEDS turns individual noise events into actionable data.

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acoust IQ

Capturing the Acoustic City

Planning requires reliable, comparable acoustic data. Developed by Müller-BBM, acoust IQ combines professional mobile measurement with digital workflows for capturing, managing and analysing acoustic information. The iOS app turns a smartphone into a standards-compliant measurement system and adds psychoacoustic analysis alongside conventional sound levels. For municipalities, planners and operators, acoust IQ creates a shared evidence base that connects acoustics with fields such as urban climate, mobility and environmental assessment.

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