Problem with LRA: Location of heat pump

that the builder did everything right: facing the street and not towards the neighbors!

and on the opposite side there is also a neighbor, or rather on the street, there you are in the:

public space

and with what right does someone put something there that bothers others?

With the "But my energy advisor said so-right"?

It is about distances. These are increased by the minimum distances to the property boundary plus the street/sidewalk if the heat pump faces the street. In my opinion, the disturbance to a passing pedestrian can also be neglected if the alternative is continuous noise exposure of an outdoor seating area or bedrooms. Furthermore, the pedestrian is walking right along a street where every passing vehicle is significantly louder than a heat pump.

By the way, since you ask about the law, this is exactly what is required in our building area (plus visually hiding the heat pump so that it is not immediately visible) and, in my opinion, absolutely correct. However, we ourselves are planning with geothermal energy. There is no gas, by the way.

In my opinion, the harassment of a passing pedestrian is also negligible when the alternative is continuous noise pollution of an outdoor seating area or bedrooms. Furthermore, the pedestrian is walking right along a street where every passing vehicle is significantly louder than a heat pump.

In my opinion, moving something annoying to a place where it annoys less is still by far the worse "alternative" than simply heating your house in a non-disruptive way.

With soundproofing in some sort of trash bin enclosure, such a device can, for all I care, also be placed by the street.

As far as the relativity of noise pollution is concerned: I am not talking here about locations in residential areas or even mixed-use areas with through traffic. Rather, I mean side streets in quiet residential areas, where people specifically chose their property because of the peace. And there I myself, even just as a walker, do not want to be a crash zone for the side effects of a trendy heating technology, especially since there are other ways—that, to me, are "alternatives."

I agree with you that air-to-water heat pumps are a major nuisance in today’s new buildings (imho just like air-polluting decorative stoves). But: What chance do you see of banning air-to-water heat pumps in WA or even MI? I see none at all, since the alternative, fossil fuels, are equally undesirable and other decentralized systems (pellets, etc.) ultimately require high investment sums due to land consumption. Since building is already a luxury anyway... the discussion about banning air-to-water heat pumps is nonsense. It makes sense to create guidelines and to influence the position of the outdoor units from the authorities’ side.

Hello smartsurfer

something to think about: A geothermal heat pump is initially more expensive to invest in, but much cheaper to maintain. And you can cool with it in summer. Pure math exercise.
I have one and I am enthusiastic.
Before you have the house built, the probes could be installed.

Steven

What chance do you see of banning air-to-water heat pumps in WA or even MI?

Banning is out of the question. The whole thing needs to be regulated more precisely. The LAI guideline is headed in the right direction.
There is a law regarding the requirements for small combustion plants (1st BImSchV) that sets requirements and monitoring. For air-to-water heat pumps, there's nothing in that regard.
In my opinion, when applying for approval, the acoustic compatibility with the neighborhood must be demonstrated. This proof can easily be provided using the sound power levels from the data sheets. Before commissioning the system, an emission measurement must then be carried out (similar to small combustion plants), but not with respect to air pollutants, rather with respect to noise. Because my practical experience shows that, on the one hand, the sound power levels specified by the manufacturer often seem to be "far-fetched," and on the other hand, the installation situation of the devices is unusually often not at all in line with the state of the (noise reduction) technology.
Furthermore, the air-to-water heat pump units—also by analogy to the 1st BImSchV—must be monitored periodically, say every three years.

@TE: As has already been hinted here many times, you are legally, technically, and above all interpersonally on a losing streak with your installation situation. If the system location comes from the planner's pen: then I would have it redesigned. Cost-neutral, of course.