Austrian Agency for Health and Food Safety www.ages.at

Radon in Austrian schools: New case studies

Angelika Kunte, Wolfgang Ringer

ROOMS Meeting 2016

Concarneau, France; Oct. 8th – 9th, 2016

Austrian Agency for Health and Food Safety

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Radon project: Schools & KG in Carinthia

Common trend: school consolidations – Fazit: more kids need more space, former storage rooms (often in the basement) are used as class rooms

New law for the improvement of accessibility of public buildings –financial subsidies are granted

No specific legal regulations or obligations for public buildings, schools, kindergartens, general workplaces in Austria so far

Radon project: Schools & KG in Carinthia

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• Staff turn over at the provincialgovernment of Carinthia – new peoplein charge for radon protection (strong increase of engagement)

• Problem: No local experienced radonmitigation companies on the marketyet

• April – May 2016: Strong mediapresence: Announcement of Rn tests in public buildings troughout the province

Starting situation…

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Elementaryschool

Kindergarden

Staff 7 6

Kids ~ 50 ~ 50

Case study: Elementary school & kindergarden Kolbnitz

Typical, quite small elementary school in the Möll valley in Carinthia

Combined with kindergarden

Also includes a flat for theschool custodian

Elementary school UnterkolbnitzSome impressions

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Year start date end date Room Rn-222 [Bq/m³]

2003 17.03.2003 16.05.2003 Elementary school Unterkolbnitz 395

2003 17.03.2003 16.05.2003 Kindergarden Unterkolbnitz 1.114

2005 23.11.2004 08.03.2005 Kindergarden, group room south west 298

2005 23.11.2004 08.03.2005 Kindergarden, hallway 1.348

2005 23.11.2004 08.03.2005 Kindergarden, group room nr. south east 438

2005 23.11.2004 08.03.2005 Kindergarden, office 556

2008 23.01.2008 29.04.2008 Kindergarden, group room south west 195

2008 23.01.2008 29.04.2008 Kindergarden, hallway 1.302

2008 23.01.2008 29.04.2008 Kindergarden, group room south east 305

Starting situation…

www.ages.at 8

Rn Testing devices

Track etch detectors: used for passive, long term Rn testing

Radon testing according to Austrian Standard (ÖNORM S 5280-1):

Radon testing period: at least 3 months

At least half of the testing period has to be during the heating

season (Oct. 15th – April 15th)

Especially in schools and kindergardens:

Measurement only makes sense during the school year

Strongly recommended: provide good fixture of detectors

AlphaGuard: used for short term Rn testing; active Rn testing

device: electronic, time-resolving measurements possible

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Elementary school UnterkolbnitzGround floor; Results long term Rn testing: 4.2.2016 – 11.05.2016

Class roomNr. 3

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Elementary school class room nr. 3 Comparison of short term & longterm Rn testing

0

500

1000

1500

2000

2500

Short term Rn testing mean during occupational hours[Bq/m³]

Short term Rn testing total mean[Bq/m³]

Long term Rn testing total mean[Bq/m³] :

Ratio: 1,33

Ratio: 1,45

:

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Elementary school 11.02.16-19.02.16class room nr. 3

1064

69

468

30

452

668

263

181

0

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20

25

30

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1000

1200

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1600

Ind

oo

r te

mp

era

ture

[°C

]

Rad

on

co

nc.

[B

q/m

³]

Radon conc. during vacant hours Radon conc. while in use

Mean Rn value during usage period Total average Rn value

Indoor temperature

Ratio: 1,45

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Elementary school class room nr.41st floor; Results long term Rn testing: 4.2.2016 – 11.05.2016

776 Bq/m³573 Bq/m³ 596 Bq/m³

Class roomNr. 4

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Elementary school UnterkolbnitzComparison of short term & longterm Rn testing

0

500

1000

1500

2000

2500

Short term Rn testing mean during occupational hours[Bq/m³]

Short term Rn testing total mean[Bq/m³]

Long term Rn testing total mean[Bq/m³]

:Ratio: 1,7

Ratio: 0,97

:

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Elementary school Unterkolbnitz; 19.02.16-25.02.16 - class room Nr. 4

310

1584

63

1360

612

951

976

0

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35

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[°C

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nce

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[Bq

/m³]

Radon Conc. during vacant hours Radon Conc. while in use

Mean Rn value during usage period Total average Rn value

Indoor temperature

Ventilation duringmorning break

Temperature peak

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20.01.0

4 08:

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Rad

on

ko

nzen

trati

on

[B

q/m

³]

Radonkonzentration gesamt

Radonkonzentration während der Betriebszeiten

Klassenzimmer 2A

Mittel: 1165 Bq/m³

Betrieb: 378 Bq/m³

Verhältnis: 0,32

Klasse 1A

Mittel: 1156 Bq/m³

Betrieb: 236 Bq/m³

Verhältnis: 0,20

Klasse 1B

Mittel: 608 Bq/m³

Betrieb: 454 Bq/m³

Verhältnis: 0,75

Classroom 2AAve.: 1165 Bq/m³Work.h: 378 Bq/m³Ratio: 0,32

Classroom 1AAve.: 1156 Bq/m³Work.h: 236 Bq/m³Ratio: 0,20

Classroom 1BAve.: 608 Bq/m³Work.h: 454 Bq/m³Ratio: 0,75

Total radon concentration

Radon concentration during operating hours

Further Example: School in Upper Austria

Radon c

once

ntr

ation

[Bq/m

³]

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Kindergarden UnterkolbnitzGround floor; Results long term Rn testing: 13.1.2016 – 11.05.2016

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Comparison of short term (each time for a weekbetween Oct.-Jan.) & long term Rn testing

Ratio: 0,47

Ratio: 0,45

:

:

Ratio: 0,44

:

Ratio: 0,45

:

Ratio: 1,44

:

Ratio: 0,98

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How to solve the radon problem?

• Immediate action: ventilation plan

- Airing before school starts in the morning

- About 15 minutes (total air exchange) in the affected areas (impact and cross ventilation)

- As far as possible, regular ventilation during school hours for a partial air exchange

• As soon as possible: Mitigation measures

Mechanical ventilation system or

Radon sump system

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• Longterm radon tests (3 months) in all used rooms in 10 moreschools during the winter semester 2016/17 (Sept. 12th – Dec. 11th)

Radon testing in Carinthianschools and KGs

Trebesing

Krumpendorf

St. Michael ob Bleiburg

Unterkolbnitz

Stockenboi

Schiefling

Althofen

Mörtschach

Velden

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• Short term radon testing can only be used as a first orientation. A combination of long term passive tests and time-resolvingmeasurements is recommended.

• Mechanical ventilation can solve two problems at once, but usually isquite expensive.

• Outcome of thermal retrofitting measures: schools that did not use tohave a radon problem, eventually created one and now have high radon levels after remediation measures.

• Common trend of growing number of pupils and reutilization offormer storage rooms in basements can intensify the radon issue.

Summary & Conclusion

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Dipl.-Ing. Angelika Kunte

Division of Radiation ProtectionDepartment of Radon and Radioecology

AGES – Austrian Agency for Health & Food Safety

Wieningerstrasse 8A-4020 Linz, AustriaTel. ++43-(0)50555-41907Fax ++43-(0)50555-41915angelika.kunte@ages.atwww.ages.at

Back up slides…

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GENERAL PUBLIC

• Actively inform the mediawhen mitigation measureswere successfull

TEACHERS

• Inform & explain• Use as multiplicators– don‘t enforce panic• Take time to answer

questions

SCHOOL OPERATOR

• Full transparency• Draw comparisons• Offer solutions

PARENTS

• Offer solutions

• Important: Good timing!

Target groups

How to communicate the problem?

Best time: before summer vacation –including the promise to solve the problem before school starts again

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Case study no. 2: New middleschoole (NMS) Althofen:Ground floor: Rn testing period : 15.6.16 - 22.6.16

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0

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600

700

800 Room (7) [handycraftroom A]

Mean Rn conc. Room(7) [handycraft room A]

Gym (8)

Mean Rn conc. Gym (8)

Room (9) [handycraftroom B]

Mean Rn conc. Room(9) [handycraft room B]

Bq/m³

New middle schoole (NMS) Althofen:Ground floor: Rn testing period : 15.6.16 - 22.6.16

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New middle schoole (NMS) Althofen:Basement: Rn testing period 1.6.16 - 8.6.16

Ave. Rn conc: 4631 Bq/m³

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0

500

1 000

1 500

2 000

2 500

Room (1)

Room (2)

Room (3)

Bq/m³

New middle schoole (NMS) Althofen:Basement: Rn testing period 1.6.16 - 8.6.16

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Results – Short term Rn tests in June 2016

Recommendation

• Planned: storage area in the basement is to be converted into two craft rooms

• Preventive radon drainage system into floor construction is recommended – if possible, as passive system