Free & open source · AGPL v3

Heat loss calculation
that shows its work

Room-by-room heat loss using CIBSE Domestic Heating Design Guide 2026 reduced BS EN 12831-1:2017 calculation methods. MCS-compliant design output to MIS 3005-D. Emitter sizing, pipe sizing, SCOP estimation & project management. Open source, for engineers and self-builders alike.

Example project — 3-bed semi-detached
Living room 1,842 W
Kitchen / diner 1,614 W
Master bedroom 924 W
Bedroom 2 807 W
Bedroom 3 631 W
Bathroom 412 W
Ventilation losses 683 W
Generator load 6,913 W
Estimated SCOP (EN 14825) 3.41
BS EN 12831-1 CIBSE DHDG 2026 MCS MIS 3005-D
BS EN 12831-1:2017
CIBSE DHDG 2026 reduced method
MCS MIS 3005-D compliant
RdSAP10 U-value library
AGPL v3 · Public GitHub

Built for engineers by engineers.
Accessible to everyone.

The tool is grounded in the standards MCS and industry leaders require. And the methodology is transparent enough that a technically capable self-builder or DIYer can follow every step. YouTube channel with instruction videos covering all the steps and technical guidance for design decisions.

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Heating engineers

Produce MCS compliant heat loss calculations and system design without opaque black-box calculations. Every calculation & formula traced back to a fully referenced standard and described method.

  • MCS MIS 3005-D compliant PDF report generation
  • Radiator schedule with EN 442 emitter sizing
  • Underfloor Heating (UFH) outputs & schedule to BS EN 1264
  • Pipe sizing report with Hazen-Williams calculation
  • SCOP estimate per EN 14825:2022 Annex C
  • MCS 031 Performance Estimate and MCS 020 Noise Calculation outputs
  • Multi-project Kanban dashboard with project management & BUS Grant tracking
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Self-builders & DIYers

Understand exactly what heat pump your house needs — and why — before talking to any installer (or verifying a heat loss you've received). No black boxes.

  • Room-by-room calculation you can follow and verify
  • RdSAP10 U-value defaults if you don't have specs
  • Guided design temperatures by UK postcode region
  • Emitter sizing — check if your existing radiators need upgrading
  • SCOP estimate to predict running costs
  • No subscription required — free to use

A complete design tool,
not just a calculator

Heat loss is the foundation to all designs. OpenHeatLoss takes you from survey data through U-values, Room-by-Room Heat loss to emitter sizing, pipe design, and SCOP estimation, complete with the set of MCS documentation — all in an auditable chain.

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Heat loss calculation

Room-by-room fabric and ventilation losses to CIBSE Domestic Heat Design Guide 2026 reduced BS EN 12831-1:2017 method. Thermal bridging, ground floor U-values per ISO 13370.

BS EN 12831-1:2017
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Design temperatures

Regional outdoor design temperatures and reference temperatures by UK postcode area. Annual mean and Te,ref to calculate modulation and cycling risk at average temperatures.

CIBSE DHDG 2026
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U-value library

244 RdSAP10 U-values across all UK regions and age bands A–M. Wall, roof, and exposed floor. Postcode-based region detection.

RdSAP10 June 2025
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Emitter sizing

Radiator sizing via EN 442 exponent method. UFH output per EN 1264-2:2021. Emitter status (new / retained / replace) per room.

EN 442 · EN 1264-2
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Pipe sizing

Hazen-Williams calculation across multiple pipe materials. Velocity limits, pressure drop, index circuit identification, pump selection.

MCS MIS 3005-D

SCOP estimation

Seasonal performance from EN 14511 test points and EN 14825 bin hours - in addition to the standard MCS 031 Performance Estimate.

EN 14825:2022
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PDF reports

Heat loss report, radiator schedule, and pipe sizing report. MCS compliant design output.

MCS MIS 3005-D
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MCS noise assessment

MCS 020 sound pressure level calculation for ASHP planning applications/permitted development. Integrated with project data.

MCS 020
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Quoting & materials

Materials list linked to emitter and pipe schedules. Quote builder with markup, category overrides, and snapshot history for Consumer Code compliance.

MCS QMS

The calculation is the
documentation

Every formula, every standard reference, every default value is in the public repository. No black boxes, no locked or hidden methodology. Default values are alway over-rideable.

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Transparent methodology

U-values trace to RdSAP10 (BRE/SAP open data). Bin hours trace to EN 14825:2022 Annex C. Every assumption is documented and made explicit.

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Auditable by anyone

If a figure looks wrong, you can read the source. The calculation chain from input to PDF is fully inspectable — for you, your client, or an MCS auditor.

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Built for the community

Developed by a heating business (Mysa Heating) to address opacity and friction points in existing tools. Open source from the ground up and responsive to user feedback and change requests.

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AGPL v3 licence

You can read, fork, and self-host. If you build on it, you share back. Network use triggers the licence — keeping derivative tools open.

  en12831Calculations.js
// CIBSE DHDG 2026 s.2.5.4 — three outputs
// Emitter, generator design, generator typical

const SPECIFIC_AIR = 0.34; // Wh/m³·K

// ×2 orientation factor on leakage —
// worst-case wind direction, single room
ventEmitter = ((leakageDesign * 2)
  + contVentDesign) * SPECIFIC_AIR;

// No orientation factor — not all rooms
// are simultaneously windward
ventGeneratorDesign = (leakageDesign
  + contVentDesign) * SPECIFIC_AIR;

// At Te,ref — feeds modulation check
ventGeneratorTypical = (leakageTypical
  + contVentTypical) * SPECIFIC_AIR;

From survey to system design

Each step produces an auditable output. The heat loss underpins every downstream decision — emitter sizing, flow temperature, SCOP, and the final MCS documentation.

01

Room survey BS EN 12831-1

Enter room dimensions, construction types, U-values, and internal design temperatures. The RdSAP10 library pre-fills U-values by age band and region — override with calculated or certified values where you have them.

02

Fabric & ventilation losses CIBSE DHDG 2026

Transmission losses calculated element by element, with thermal bridging (ΔU per room), ground floor treatment per ISO 13370, ventilation, building and room air infiltration assessment. Both design and typical loads are produced for maximum load and modulation assessment.

03

Emitter sizing EN 442 · EN 1264-2

Each room's heat requirement is met by new or retained emitters. Radiators sized via the EN 442 exponent method; UFH via EN 1264-2:2021. The tool flags rooms where retained emitters are insufficient at lower flow temperatures.

04

Pipe sizing MCS MIS 3005-D

Circuit-by-circuit Hazen-Williams calculation across copper, MLCP, or barrier pipe. Velocity limits enforced per material. Pressure drop and pump head derived from the index circuit.

05

SCOP & performance estimate EN 14825:2022

Seasonal performance estimated from EN 14511 manufacturer test points and EN 14825 Annex C bin hours. The weather-compensated heating curve is derived from the building's W/K coefficient — building-specific, not a manufacturer preset. This is in addition to standard MCS 031 Performance Estimate.

06

MCS documentation MCS MIS 3005-D · MCS 031 · MCS 020

Heat loss report, radiator schedule, and pipe sizing report generated as PDFs. MCS 020 noise assessment and MCS 031 Performance Estimate completed within the same project.

The calculation is free.
The methodology is open.

No subscription to start. Create an account to save projects, generate PDFs, and access company features. The full calculation is free for as long as we can make it work.

Heating engineer? Multi-project access is free during beta — email to request access