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RADON PREVENTION IN THE DESIGN & CONSTRUCTION OF SCHOOLS & OTHER LARGE BUILDINGS
Citation:
U.S. EPA. RADON PREVENTION IN THE DESIGN & CONSTRUCTION OF SCHOOLS & OTHER LARGE BUILDINGS. U.S. Environmental Protection Agency, Washington, D.C., EPA/625/R-92/016, 1992.
Impact/Purpose:
Information
Description:
It is typically easier and much less expensive to design and construct a new building with radon-resistant and/or easy-to-mitigate features, than to add these features after the building is completed and occupied. Therefore, when building in an area with the potential for elevated radon levels, architects and engineers should use a combination of radon prevention construction techniques. To determine if your building site is located in a radon-prone area, consult your EPA Regional Office or state or local radiation office. We recommend the following three radon prevention techniques for construction of schools and other large buildings in radon-prone areas: (1) install an active soil depressurization (ASD) system, (2) pressurize the building using the heating, ventilating, and air-conditioning (HVAC) system, and (3) seal major radon entry routes. Specific guidelines on how to incorporate these radon prevention features in the design and construction of schools and other large buildings are detailed in this manual. Chapter 1 of this manual is a general introduction for those who need background information on the indoor radon problem and the techniques currently being studied and applied for radon prevention. The level of detail is aimed at developing the reader's understanding of underlying principles and might best be used by school officials or by architects and engineers who need a basic introduction. Chapter 2 of this manual provides comprehensive information, instructions, and guidelines about the topics and construction techniques discussed in Chapter 1. The sections in Chapter 2 contain much more technical detail and may be best used by the architects, engineers, and builders responsible for the specific construction details.