diff --git a/Heat_method_3/examples/Heat_method_3/heat_method.cpp b/Heat_method_3/examples/Heat_method_3/heat_method.cpp
index f51ef799737..678bb71216c 100644
--- a/Heat_method_3/examples/Heat_method_3/heat_method.cpp
+++ b/Heat_method_3/examples/Heat_method_3/heat_method.cpp
@@ -21,17 +21,17 @@ int main(int argc, char* argv[])
   const char* filename = (argc > 1) ? argv[1] : "./data/elephant.off";
   std::ifstream in(filename);
   in >> sm;
-  //the heat intensity will hold the distance values from the source set
-  Vertex_distance_map heat_intensity = sm.add_property_map<vertex_descriptor, double>("v:heat_intensity", 0).first;
+  //property map for the distance values to the source set
+  Vertex_distance_map vertex_distance = sm.add_property_map<vertex_descriptor, double>("v:distance", 0).first;
 
   vertex_descriptor source = *(vertices(sm).first);
   
-  CGAL::Heat_method_3::estimate_geodesic_distances(sm, heat_intensity,source) ;
+  CGAL::Heat_method_3::estimate_geodesic_distances(sm, vertex_distance,source) ;
 
   std::cout << "Source vertex " << source << " at: " << sm.point(source) << std::endl;
   BOOST_FOREACH(vertex_descriptor vd , vertices(sm)){
     std::cout << vd << " ("<< sm.point(vd) << ")"
-              <<  " is at distance " << get(heat_intensity, vd) << std::endl;
+              <<  " is at distance " << get(vertex_distance, vd) << std::endl;
   }
 
   return 0;
diff --git a/Heat_method_3/examples/Heat_method_3/heat_method_polyhedron.cpp b/Heat_method_3/examples/Heat_method_3/heat_method_polyhedron.cpp
index c507b3e04d2..a62901cbef8 100644
--- a/Heat_method_3/examples/Heat_method_3/heat_method_polyhedron.cpp
+++ b/Heat_method_3/examples/Heat_method_3/heat_method_polyhedron.cpp
@@ -21,18 +21,18 @@ int main(int argc, char* argv[])
   const char* filename = (argc > 1) ? argv[1] : "./data/elephant.off";
   std::ifstream in(filename);
   in >> sm;
-
-  boost::unordered_map<vertex_descriptor, double> heat_intensity;
+  // map for the distance values to the source set
+  boost::unordered_map<vertex_descriptor, double> vertex_distance;
 
   vertex_descriptor source = *(vertices(sm).first);
   
   CGAL::Heat_method_3::estimate_geodesic_distances(sm,
-                                                   boost::make_assoc_property_map(heat_intensity),
+                                                   boost::make_assoc_property_map(vertex_distance),
                                                    source) ;
 
   std::cout << "Source vertex at: " << source->point() << std::endl;
   BOOST_FOREACH(vertex_descriptor vd , vertices(sm)){
-    std::cout << vd->point() << "  is at distance " << heat_intensity[vd] << std::endl;
+    std::cout << vd->point() << "  is at distance " << vertex_distance[vd] << std::endl;
   }
 
   return 0;
diff --git a/Heat_method_3/examples/Heat_method_3/heat_method_surface_mesh.cpp b/Heat_method_3/examples/Heat_method_3/heat_method_surface_mesh.cpp
index 0ae5fee20f7..c9a64b205c1 100644
--- a/Heat_method_3/examples/Heat_method_3/heat_method_surface_mesh.cpp
+++ b/Heat_method_3/examples/Heat_method_3/heat_method_surface_mesh.cpp
@@ -24,15 +24,15 @@ int main(int argc, char* argv[])
   const char* filename = (argc > 1) ? argv[1] : "./data/elephant.off";
   std::ifstream in(filename);
   in >> sm;
-  //the heat intensity will hold the distance values from the source set
-  Vertex_distance_map heat_intensity = sm.add_property_map<vertex_descriptor, double>("v:heat_intensity", 0).first;
+  //property map for the distance values to the source set
+  Vertex_distance_map vertex_distance = sm.add_property_map<vertex_descriptor, double>("v:distance", 0).first;
 
   Heat_method hm(sm);
 
   //add the first vertex as the source set
   vertex_descriptor source = *(vertices(sm).first);
   hm.add_source(source);
-  hm.estimate_geodesic_distances(heat_intensity);
+  hm.estimate_geodesic_distances(vertex_distance);
 
   Point_3 sp = sm.point(source);
   
@@ -40,17 +40,17 @@ int main(int argc, char* argv[])
   double sdistance = 0;
   
   BOOST_FOREACH(vertex_descriptor vd , vertices(sm)){
-    std::cout << vd << "  is at distance " << get(heat_intensity, vd) << " from " << source << std::endl;
+    std::cout << vd << "  is at distance " << get(vertex_distance, vd) << " from " << source << std::endl;
     if(squared_distance(sp,sm.point(vd)) > sdistance){
       far = vd;
       sdistance = squared_distance(sp,sm.point(vd));
     }
   }
   hm.add_source(far);
-  hm.estimate_geodesic_distances(heat_intensity);
+  hm.estimate_geodesic_distances(vertex_distance);
 
   BOOST_FOREACH(vertex_descriptor vd , vertices(sm)){
-    std::cout << vd << "  is at distance " << get(heat_intensity, vd) << " " << std::endl;
+    std::cout << vd << "  is at distance " << get(vertex_distance, vd) << " " << std::endl;
   }
 
   return 0;
diff --git a/Heat_method_3/examples/Heat_method_3/heat_method_surface_mesh_intrinsic.cpp b/Heat_method_3/examples/Heat_method_3/heat_method_surface_mesh_intrinsic.cpp
index d133438909c..89ff35b71bf 100644
--- a/Heat_method_3/examples/Heat_method_3/heat_method_surface_mesh_intrinsic.cpp
+++ b/Heat_method_3/examples/Heat_method_3/heat_method_surface_mesh_intrinsic.cpp
@@ -24,8 +24,8 @@ int main(int argc, char* argv[])
   const char* filename = (argc > 1) ? argv[1] : "./data/elephant.off";
   std::ifstream in(filename);
   in >> sm;
-  //the vertex distance map will hold the distance values from the source set
-  Vertex_distance_map vdm_idt = sm.add_property_map<vertex_descriptor,double>("v:idt",0).first;
+   //property map for the distance values to the source set
+  Vertex_distance_map vertex_distance = sm.add_property_map<vertex_descriptor,double>("v:distance",0).first;
 
   //pass in the idt object and its vertex_distance_map
   Heat_method_idt hm_idt(sm);
@@ -33,10 +33,10 @@ int main(int argc, char* argv[])
   //add the first vertex as the source set
   vertex_descriptor source = *(vertices(sm).first);
   hm_idt.add_source(source);
-  hm_idt.estimate_geodesic_distances(vdm_idt);
+  hm_idt.estimate_geodesic_distances(vertex_distance);
 
   BOOST_FOREACH(vertex_descriptor vd , vertices(sm)){
-    std::cout << vd << "  is at distance " << get(vdm_idt, vd) << " from " << source << std::endl;
+    std::cout << vd << "  is at distance " << get(vertex_distance, vd) << " from " << source << std::endl;
   }
 
   return 0;