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Radon protection: A contribution to sustainable building

Year of issue 2018
Date 2018.05.30

Paths into the building Paths into the buildingRadon paths from the ground into buildings

Creating modern buildings from old structures to provide sustainable living and working areas - that is the objective of many owners. The main focus here is on environmentally friendly materials and energy-saving solutions. In order not to miss out health aspects, building projects should also always take into account the protection against radon. This is pointed out by the Federal Office for Radiation Protection (BfS) on the occasion of the European Sustainability Week.

Health and sustainability in line

Apart from smoking, inhaling radon is among the greatest risks to develop lung cancer. For example, radon can be released from the building ground and can also get into buildings, where it can accumulate. It is often sufficient to take small measures in order to clearly reduce the radon content and thus the risk of disease.

Sustainable building is aimed at going easy on resources over a building’s entire life cycle – from raw material extraction via construction up to dismantling. That also includes modernisation, remediation, or redesignation of buildings. "Health and quality of life must not suffer as a result of energetic building measures," Jan Lauer, BfS spokesman, says. Therefore, it has been regulated in the European Building Product Ordinance that dangerous gases and radiation must not jeopardise the health of residents and users of a building.

Observing protection against radon in building measures

For example, converting a former industrial building in such a way that it may serve as residential building later on, may have the effect that the ventilation rate inside the building is reduced. This could in turn increase the radon concentration inside the building. Building measures must therefore also take into account the protection against radon, especially when they clearly reduce the air exchange rate. The legislator has laid this down in the Radiation Protection Act. Among others, the Act provides national reference values for the radon concentration indoors. Furthermore, it is planned to conduct programs for the detection and reduction of risks caused by radon.

Modern ventilation systems can reduce the energy consumption in buildings and at the same time provide for good indoor air quality. Measurements help determine in an easy and cost-effective manner how high the radon concentration in a building is.

Background: What is radon?

Radon-222 is a natural rare gas which occurs everywhere on earth and essentially contributes to the environmental radioactivity. It is colourless, odourless, and tasteless and escapes from the ground into the breathing air via cracks and gaps. Radon can enter buildings and can accumulate in indoor air.

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State of 2018.05.30

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