Civil Engineering Reference
In-Depth Information
Table 4
Regulatory regimes (Coskeran et al.
2009
)
Regime
Key elements
Option A
• Install membrane as under the current regulations
• Test for radon after property built and buyer in possession
• Remediate property, if needed, by installing sump and fan
• Test to ensure property is below the action level
Option B
• Install membrane as under the current regulations
• Install sump at the time of construction
• Test for radon after property built and buyer in possession
• Fit fan to sump if test reading above the action level
• Test further to ensure reading below the action level
Option C
• Install sump only at the time of construction
• Test for radon after property built and buyer in possession
• Fit fan to sump if test reading above the action level
• Test further to ensure reading below the action level
Option D
• No action during construction
• Test for radon after property built and buyer in possession
• Remediate property, if needed, by installing sump and fan
• Test further to ensure reading below the action level
Option E
• Install membranes during construction of properties
• Install sump when more than 10 % of properties above the action level
• No testing of property after construction
1. construct new homes without protection against radon;
2. upon completion, test all new properties for radon using NRPB protocols;
3. remediate properties above the action level by installing a sump and fan; and
4. retest these properties to verify that they are below the action level and require
no additional remediation.
In another study, the same authors (Coskeran et al.
2009
) analyzed the cost-
effectiveness of several regulatory regimes (Table
4
) when compared to the UK
current regimes (BRE
1999
) already described in the beginning of
Sect. 4
.
The study showed that all alternative regimes performed acceptably against
standard criteria for assessing cost-effectiveness, contrary to the current regime, in
which cost-effectiveness remained in doubt.
Denman et al. (
2005b
) used the European Community Radon Software (ECRS)
that permits calculation of individual, rather than population-average risk, to
analyze the health benefits accruing from a domestic radon remediation program.
The results showed that health benefits accruing from remediation were three times
lower than expected, thus confirming that UK current regulations are not very
effective in targeting the groups mostly at risk. These groups include smokers and
families with larger numbers of children.
Another similar study (Denman et al.
2008
) concerning the health benefits
analyzed before and after successful remediation using the sump and pump method
showed that they range from 7 to 11 % less than that expected. These authors
mention that radon emanation from building materials sets a baseline level below
