Several kinds of studies have been carried out concerning building materials.The granitic region can be considered as a significant part of the country. In recent years graniticmaterials are being used as ornements or integrated on the walls inside the houses, producing highindoor radon levels. Studies of different coverings for granitic materials were tested employing incolorpaintings in order to reduce the radon exhalation from such granitic stones, without modifying theirappearance.
Indoor radon concentrations were determined with the use of track-etched detectors and two monitors,both for radon and one for the decay products, in various regions of Greece. Until now, 1137 dwellings have been measured. Some factors, that influence the radon concentration in dwellings, are discussed in this paper. The factors, used in this analysis, were derived from the householders answers to the relevant questions about various physical features of the dwelling. Different statistical methods were used, as the unpaired t-test and the ANOVA method.
Legal regulations on the utilization of raws and materials assigned for construction are applied inPoland taking into account radiation protection. A qualification coefficient f2 = SRa, where SRa is the 226Ra concentration in the material expressed in Bq/kg, connected with the limitation of radium concentration in the product due to the emanation of 222Rn (in parallel with qualification coefficient f1 limiting whole-body exposure for gamma radiation) is used for the purpose of limitation of the 222Rn concentration in buildings assigned for permanent residence of people.
First, models (room models) published in the international literature allowing the exposure togamma radiation indoors due to building materials to be assessed are reviewed and discussed. Forone of them, a sensitivity analysis regarding the effect of changing the parameters (e.g. dimensionsof the room, thickness and density of the walls, etc.) used in calculations is performed.
Two methods for determining the 222Rn diffusion coefficient in building materials are presented.Experimentally, the measurement of radon release rates under well-controlled conditions, using aflush and adsorption technique, underlies both methods. However, the theoretical principle of thetwo methods differs. The first method uses samples with a cubical or rectangular geometry andhas, as a prerequisite that a 100% radon tight surface covering method is available.
This study describes an approach for measuring and modeling diffusive and advective transport of radon through building materials. Goal of these measurements and model calculations is to improve our understanding concerning the factors influencing the transport of radon through building materials. To reach this goal, a number of experiments has to be conducted. These experiments, including measurements in a large cylinder for creating diffusive and advective transport of radon under controlled, dwelling-like conditions, are described here and the initial results are presented.
The Austrian Standard ÖNORM S 5200, prepared in the early nineties after a prestandard phase (Steger F.) and in use in Austria since 1996, provides the criteria to assess the radiation dose of building materials. Gamma radiation of the radionuclides 40K,
Through modeling and computing, life cycle energy consumption (LCEC) and environmentalemission (LCEE) of twelve building materials in production process are analyzed by means oflife cycle assessment (LCA). The inventory analysis includes energy upstream, transportationand production phases. Inventory analysis of energy upstream phase is carried out usingiterative computation, while direct energy consumption and environmental emission, indirectenergy consumption and environmental emission are considered. The outcomes show thatLCA integrated value (16.73) of steel production is the highest.
A life-cycle inventory model for the office buildings is developed in this paper. The environmental effectsof two different building structures, steel and concrete, are intercompared. The results show that thesteel-framed building is superior to the concrete-framed building on the following two indexes, thelife-cycle energy consumption and environmental emissions of building materials.
Life Cycle Assessment (LCA) in many ways is a methodology which building industry is looking towardsto give the answers on how to assess sustainability of buildings. In Hong Kong, like many othercountries, its application is limited by the availability of credible assessment tools in the market. Thispaper provides the details on the processes and findings of a comprehensive study initiated by theGovernment to derive a LCA tool for the use of the local building industry, addressing on researches thatare needed to really make LCA part of the answer to sustainability assessment.
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