SUSTAINABLE BUILDINGS
Asset Classes
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Offices
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- Not applicable
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Enclosed Shopping Centres
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- Not applicable
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Open Air Retail
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- Not applicable
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- Not applicable
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Light Industrial
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- Not applicable
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Multi-Unit Residential Buildings
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- Not applicable
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- Not applicable
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Health Care Facilities
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- Not applicable
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- Not applicable
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Universal
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- Not applicable
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Focus Area
Indoor Air Quality and Hazards
Topic
IAQ Hazards
Question #
I6.3 – Radon Risk Assessment
Question
Has a Radon Risk Assessment been performed?
Applicability
All asset classes
Owner/landlord occupied building
Tenant occupied building
Answer & Scoring
- Yes = 3 points
- No – Information must still be provided, see Requirements = 1 point
Max of 3 points
Requirements
- Conduct testing in the following locations:
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- Radon testing must occur in all occupied areas where the floors or walls are in direct contact with the ground or is over crawlspaces, utility tunnels or parking garages. Health Canada defines an occupied area as one that is occupied by an individual for four hours per day
- Unoccupied rooms should also be tested at the same time as occupied rooms if there are plans for them to become occupied in the near future
- If none of the ground contact floors are occupied, test all occupied rooms on the first occupied floor level above
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- Water utility history (at least 12 months of continuous data, typically the previous 24-36 months of data) for each energy source
- Use only measurement devices approved by C-NRPP
- Final analysis must be completed by a laboratory certified by the C-NRPP or similar. Not all measurement protocols require laboratory analyses (e.g., E-PERM Electrets) so long as the analyst is accredited to conduct that analysis through C-NRPP
- The radon risk assessment report must be signed by an individual certified by the C-NRPP or similar certification body OR
- If selecting no, for properties located in Canada, go to link, find the region where this building is located and enter the % of homes in that region with high radon levels: ____ %
High radon levels can potentially exist on upper floors due to the upward movement of air from stack effect or if radon is suspected to be emanating from building materials. However, Health Canada has conducted large-scale testing of federal buildings, and these factors are not considered to be significant. If elevated radon levels are identified on the lower floors, the C-NRPP mitigation professional could potentially conduct diagnostic testing on the upper floors while the mitigation strategy is being developed, to confirm the full scope of mitigation required.
Documentation
- Radon Risk Assessment Report
OR
- If located in Canada, enter the % of homes in that region with high radon levels
Suggested Lead
In-house
This question requires a third-party to meet a portion of the requirements
Value
- Radon is a colorless, odorless radioactive gas present in soil, rock, and water
- At low concentrations, such as in outdoor environments, radon poses a very low risk to human health. However, radon gas can enter a building through contact with sub-surface soil and rock, and can reach concentrations that pose a higher health risk to occupants
- Perform radon testing to confirm the building’s radon levels are within a safe range
- Some areas in Canada have been found to have higher radon levels than other areas. If radon testing has not been done at the building, identify the percentage of homes in the building’s geographical location that have tested positive for high radon levels
Description
Radon is a colorless, odorless, naturally occurring radioactive gas present in soil, rock and water.
In outdoor environments the concentration of radon is low, and the associated health risk is negligible. However, radon can enter buildings through any openings that are in contact with the sub-surface soil and rock and can accumulate to higher concentrations which results in a higher health risk for the occupants within.
Health Canada has identified elevated radon concentrations in every public health unit across Canada and as such, it is recommended that every building be tested to confirm if radon levels within are acceptable. The only way to know the radon concentrations that are present within a building is to test for it.
References
Adapted BB 3.0 Question
Question 05.02.01 – Has a radon risk assessment been completed for the building?