English

A national survey of indoor radon levels in Lithuania was performed between 1995 and 1998. The main objective of this survey was to evaluate the average of indoor radon concentrations in Lithuania and to determine whether there were significant variations with different areas.

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.

Various methods to determine ²²²Rn concentration in soil gas were tested at two sites with different soil types in a depth of 1 m. They include instantaneous (spot), continuous (real time) and timeaveraging procedures with advective ('active' procedures)

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,

There is a currently growing interest in the effect of exposure to 222Rn, because it became recognised as an important “pollutant” factor of the environment. Possible lung cancer incidence due to exposure to environmental radon levels may thus account for

A thermally conductive building envelope must be constructed to be permanently airtight - this has been compulsory according to German building regulations since 1 Jan. 1995. That 6 Para. 1 of the current Energy Saving Regulations, in force since 1 Oct. 2007, nevertheless requires construction of a airtight building envelope...

The Blower Door procedure has shown itself to be a very effective instrument for analysing and quantifying the various components of the total problem for complex ventilation issues...

Conventional techniques for the measurement of adventitious leakage of building envelopes are based on steady pressurisation at high pressures (e.g. 50 Pa) that are not normally encountered with natural or mechanical ventilation. It is the leakage at low pressures (e.g. 4 Pa) that is of interest and it is shown that...

For preselected totals of dwelling houses this article describes how statistical procedures on basis of small samples can be transferred into the prognosis whether the tolerable upper limit of airtighness is fulfilled or not. Necessary requirements on both sides are discussed - quality assurance during production of dwelling houses...

Thermography is often used to locate leaks in connection with an airtightness check. In this context it is important to know under what conditions the inspection system can recognise defects to a degree of certainty and reproducibility. Applications of leak location in checking airtightness use the excitation of the building envelope...