title: Dealing with the increased radon concentration in thermally retrofitted buildings.
abstract: The influence of energy-saving measures on indoor radon concentration has been studied on the basis of a family house made of clinker concrete wall panels containing from 1000 up to 4000 Bq kg(-1) of 226Ra. Thermal retrofitting based on installing external thermal insulation composite system on the building envelope and replacing existing windows by new ones decreased the annual energy need for heating 2.8 times, but also reduced the ventilation rate to values<0.1 h(-1). As a consequence, the 1-y average indoor radon concentration values increased 3.4 times from 337 to 1117 Bq m(-3). The additional risk of lung cancer in the thermally retrofitted house increased to a value that is 125 % higher than before conversion. Methods for dealing with this enhanced risk by increasing the ventilation rate are discussed. Recovery of investments and the energy consequences of increased ventilation are studied in a long-term perspective.
authors.affiliation: Faculty of Civil Engineering, Czech Technical University, Thákurova 7, 166 29 Praha 6, Czech Republic jiranek@fsv.cvut.cz.
authors.forename: M
authors.initials: M
authors.lastname: Jiránek
authors.affiliation: Faculty of Civil Engineering, Czech Technical University, Thákurova 7, 166 29 Praha 6, Czech Republic.
authors.forename: V
authors.initials: V
authors.lastname: Kačmaříková
mesh_terms: D016902:Air Pollution, Indoor / Q000032:analysis* / Q000517:prevention & control; D005160:Facility Design and Construction / Q000592:standards*; D006798:Housing; D006801:Humans; D011834:Radiation Monitoring / Q000592:standards*; D011835:Radiation Protection / Q000592:standards*; D011848:Radioactive Pollutants / Q000009:adverse effects / Q000032:analysis*; D011886:Radon / Q000009:adverse effects / Q000032:analysis*; D014691:Ventilation
chemical_list: D011848:Radioactive Pollutants; D011886:Radon