Reduction of Radon Levels in Schools and Other Large Buildings - a PDH Online Course for Engineers, Architects and Surveyors

Reduction of Radon Levels in Schools and Other Large Buildings

Course Outline

Radon is a naturally occurring radioactive gas in ambient air. It can also accumulate in varying amounts in enclosed buildings. Radon is estimated to cause many thousands of lung cancer deaths each year. In fact, the Surgeon General has warned that radon is the second leading cause of lung cancer in the U.S. today.

Our increased understanding of the risks posed by indoor radon has underscored the need for construction techniques that prevent exposure to radon in residential and non-residential buildings. The Indoor Radon Abatement Act of 1988 states, "The national long-term goal of the United States with respect to radon levels in buildings is that the air within buildings should be as free of radon as the ambient air outside the building." This course is intended to address this goal in the new construction of schools and other large buildings and will provide the required design information to implement reduced radon levels at the design stage.

This course is based entirely on the EPA publication EPAl625/R-921016 Radon Prevention in the Design and Construction of Schools and Other Large Buildings-Third Printing with Addendum. This course includes a multiple-choice quiz at the end, which is designed to enhance the understanding of course materials. You will be quizzed on the attached document in its entirety.

Learning Objective

At the conclusion of the course the student will be familiar with the following three radon prevention techniques, which are recommended for construction of schools and other large buildings in radon-prone areas.

(1) Installation of an active soil depressurization (ASD) system,
(2) Pressurization of the building using the heating, ventilating, and air conditioning (HVAC) system
(3) Sealing the 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 course.

Review of Passive Soil Depressurization (PSD) systems;
Review of Active Soil Depressurization (ASD) systems;
Review of Sub-membrane Depressurization (SMD) systems;
Review of (PFE) measurement of the sub-slab pressure field or sub-slab communication;
Review Pressure-driven transport of radon gas;
Design recommendations for HVAC systems;
Review of Ventilation Standards;
Guidelines for Building Pressurization and Dilution;
Guidelines for Measuring Radon Levels;
Design recommendations for Sealing Crawl Space areas;
Design recommendations for Radon Suction Pits; and
Potential sources of Radon Gas.

Intended Audience

This course would be very informative for engineers or architects who are involved with the design, or construction of schools or other commercial buildings.

Benefit for Attendee

This course is intended to address radon concerns in new construction of schools and other large buildings and will provide the required design information to implement reduced radon levels at the design stage. Most of the radon prevention techniques covered in this course can also be applied to existing buildings, but installation will cost more than if these techniques were installed during initial construction.

Course Introduction

Course Content

This course is based entirely on the EPA publication EPAl625/R-921016 Radon Prevention in the Design and Construction of Schools and Other Large Buildings-Third Printing with Addendum.

The link to the course materials is as follows:

Radon Prevention in the Design and Construction of Schools and Other Large Buildings-Third Printing with Addendum

Please click on the above underlined hypertext to view, download or print the document for your study. Because of the large file size, we recommend that you first save the file to your computer by right clicking the mouse and choosing "Save Target As ...", and then open the file in Adobe Acrobat Reader.

Course Summary

At the completion of this class the design professional should be able to design and size a complete radon reduction system (depressurization system) that can be used in various types of schools or large commercial structures.

Quiz

Once you finish studying the above course content, you need to take a quiz to obtain the PDH credits.

DISCLAIMER: The materials contained in the online course are not intended as a representation or warranty on the part of PDH Center or any other person/organization named herein. The materials are for general information only. They are not a substitute for competent professional advice. Application of this information to a specific project should be reviewed by a registered architect and/or professional engineer/surveyor. Anyone making use of the information set forth herein does so at their own risk and assumes any and all resulting liability arising therefrom.