diff --git a/app/src/components/HeatMap/HeatMap.tsx b/app/src/components/HeatMap/HeatMap.tsx
index 6344c67..7ae98c9 100644
--- a/app/src/components/HeatMap/HeatMap.tsx
+++ b/app/src/components/HeatMap/HeatMap.tsx
@@ -5,14 +5,10 @@ import { useProductContext } from "../../modules/simulation/products/productCont
 import { useSceneContext } from "../../modules/scene/sceneContext";
 import * as CONSTANTS from "../../types/world/worldConstants";
 import { determineExecutionMachineSequences } from "../../modules/simulation/simulator/functions/determineExecutionMachineSequences";
-import {
-    useAnimationPlaySpeed,
-    usePauseButtonStore,
-    usePlayButtonStore,
-    useResetButtonStore,
-} from "../../store/usePlayButtonStore";
+import { useAnimationPlaySpeed, usePauseButtonStore, usePlayButtonStore, useResetButtonStore } from "../../store/usePlayButtonStore";
 
 const DECAY_RATE = 0.01;
+const GROWTH_TIME_MULTIPLIER = 20;
 const RADIUS = 0.005;
 const OPACITY = 0.8;
 const UPDATE_INTERVAL = 0.1;
@@ -55,6 +51,7 @@ const HeatMap = () => {
         u_radius: { value: RADIUS },
         u_opacity: { value: OPACITY },
         u_debugMode: { value: debugModeMap[debugMode] },
+        u_growthRate: { value: GROWTH_TIME_MULTIPLIER }, // NEW
     });
 
     useEffect(() => {
@@ -168,7 +165,8 @@ const HeatMap = () => {
         uniformsRef.current.u_radius.value = RADIUS;
         uniformsRef.current.u_opacity.value = OPACITY;
         uniformsRef.current.u_debugMode.value = debugModeMap[debugMode];
-    }, [RADIUS, OPACITY, debugMode]);
+        uniformsRef.current.u_growthRate.value = GROWTH_TIME_MULTIPLIER;
+    }, [RADIUS, OPACITY, debugMode, GROWTH_TIME_MULTIPLIER]);
 
     useEffect(() => {
         uniformsRef.current.u_points.value = pointTexture;
@@ -199,6 +197,7 @@ const HeatMap = () => {
                     uniform float u_radius;
                     uniform float u_opacity;
                     uniform int u_debugMode;
+                    uniform float u_growthRate;
                     varying vec2 vUv;
 
                     float gauss(float dist, float radius) {
@@ -214,7 +213,7 @@ const HeatMap = () => {
                         float intensity = 0.0;
 
                         for (int i = 0; i < 10000; i++) {
-                            if (i >= u_count) break; // dynamically stop looping
+                            if (i >= u_count) break;
                             float fi = float(i) + 0.5;
                             float u = fi / float(u_count);
 
@@ -231,9 +230,13 @@ const HeatMap = () => {
                             return;
                         }
 
-                        vec3 color = vec3(0.0);
-                        float normalized = clamp(intensity / 4.0, 0.0, 1.0);
+                        // Apply growth rate BEFORE normalization
+                        float adjustedIntensity = intensity * u_growthRate;
 
+                        // Normalize intensity between 0-1
+                    float normalized = clamp(intensity / max(u_growthRate, 0.0001), 0.0, 1.0);
+
+                        vec3 color = vec3(0.0);
                         if (normalized < 0.33) {
                             color = mix(vec3(0.0, 0.0, 1.0), vec3(0.0, 1.0, 0.0), normalized / 0.33);
                         } else if (normalized < 0.66) {
@@ -244,10 +247,11 @@ const HeatMap = () => {
 
                         gl_FragColor = vec4(color, normalized * u_opacity);
                     }
+
                 `}
             />
         </mesh>
     );
 };
 
-export default HeatMap;
+export default HeatMap;
\ No newline at end of file