Did you know that when sound intensity is measured through an open window, it tends to increase up until the fifth floor. And talking of noise, ever heard of Bruitparif? That’s the French noise observatory based in Paris. As a non-profit association, they provide reliable noise information in the bustling city in the form of heat maps that the public can access online. These maps display the “Lden” regulatory indicator (level day, evening, night), which represents the overall noise level over the course of the day. It’s calculated based on the average sound level recorded at intervals from 6am-6pm, 6pm-10pm and 10pm-6am. Similar maps exist for most major world cities, so make sure to take a look before you next move house!