Comprehensive survey on radon mitigation and indoor air quality in energy efficient buildings from Romania

B D Burghele; M Botoș; S Beldean-Galea; A Cucoș; T Catalina; T Dicu; G Dobrei; Ș Florică; A Istrate; A Lupulescu; M Moldovan; D Niță; B Papp; I Pap; K Szacsvai; C Sainz; A Tunyagi; A Țenter

doi:10.1016/j.scitotenv.2020.141858

Comprehensive survey on radon mitigation and indoor air quality in energy efficient buildings from Romania

Sci Total Environ. 2021 Jan 10:751:141858. doi: 10.1016/j.scitotenv.2020.141858. Epub 2020 Aug 21.

Authors

B D Burghele¹, M Botoș², S Beldean-Galea¹, A Cucoș³, T Catalina⁴, T Dicu¹, G Dobrei¹, Ș Florică⁵, A Istrate⁶, A Lupulescu¹, M Moldovan¹, D Niță¹, B Papp¹, I Pap¹, K Szacsvai¹, C Sainz⁷, A Tunyagi⁸, A Țenter¹

Affiliations

¹ "Constantin Cosma" Radon Laboratory (LiRaCC), Faculty of Environmental Science and Engineering, "Babeş-Bolyai" University, Str. Fântânele 30, Cluj-Napoca, Romania.
² "Constantin Cosma" Radon Laboratory (LiRaCC), Faculty of Environmental Science and Engineering, "Babeş-Bolyai" University, Str. Fântânele 30, Cluj-Napoca, Romania; Faculty of Civil Engineering, Tehnical University of Cluj-Napoca, Str. C. Daicoviciu 15, Cluj-Napoca, Romania.
³ "Constantin Cosma" Radon Laboratory (LiRaCC), Faculty of Environmental Science and Engineering, "Babeş-Bolyai" University, Str. Fântânele 30, Cluj-Napoca, Romania. Electronic address: alexandra.dinu@ubbcluj.ro.
⁴ "Constantin Cosma" Radon Laboratory (LiRaCC), Faculty of Environmental Science and Engineering, "Babeş-Bolyai" University, Str. Fântânele 30, Cluj-Napoca, Romania; Faculty of Engineering Installations, Technical University of Civil Engineering of Bucharest, Bld. P. Protopopescu 66, Bucharest, Romania.
⁵ "Constantin Cosma" Radon Laboratory (LiRaCC), Faculty of Environmental Science and Engineering, "Babeş-Bolyai" University, Str. Fântânele 30, Cluj-Napoca, Romania; Faculty of Biology and Geology, Department of Geology, "Babeş-Bolyai" University, Str. M. Kogalniceanu 1, Cluj-Napoca, Romania.
⁶ "Constantin Cosma" Radon Laboratory (LiRaCC), Faculty of Environmental Science and Engineering, "Babeş-Bolyai" University, Str. Fântânele 30, Cluj-Napoca, Romania; Clima Instal Systems SRL, Str. Prunilor nr. 15, Oras Pantelimon, ILFOV.
⁷ "Constantin Cosma" Radon Laboratory (LiRaCC), Faculty of Environmental Science and Engineering, "Babeş-Bolyai" University, Str. Fântânele 30, Cluj-Napoca, Romania; Department of Medical Physics, Faculty of Medicine, University of Cantabria, c/ Herrera Oria s/n, 39011 Santander, Spain.
⁸ "Constantin Cosma" Radon Laboratory (LiRaCC), Faculty of Environmental Science and Engineering, "Babeş-Bolyai" University, Str. Fântânele 30, Cluj-Napoca, Romania; Faculty of Physics, "Babeş-Bolyai" University, Str. M. Kogălniceanu 1, Cluj-Napoca, Romania.

PMID: 32892081
DOI: 10.1016/j.scitotenv.2020.141858

Abstract

Over the last 10 years applied scientific research has been carried out in Romania to tacked the residential radon issues. The increased interest to reduce the carbon footprint of buildings has lead to the implementation and use of new architectural solutions aimed to save energy in houses and other buildings. As a consequence, the degree of retrofit in existing buildings and energy efficiency of new buildings promoted the need to not only mitigate indoor radon, but improve indoor air quality overall. The present study found that the while the best performance in radon reduction was confirmed to be based on sub-slab depressurization (61% - 95% reduction), centralized and decentralized mechanical supply and exhaust ventilation with heat recovery yielded a good efficiency in overall improvement of indoor air quality (CO₂, VOC, RH, temperature). The outcome of our research, as well as future perspectives, take into account the recommended harmonization of energy efficiency programs with those of public health by finding and applying the best technologies in compliance with energy saving and indoor environmental quality.

Keywords: Energy efficiency; Indoor air quality; Indoor radon; Mitigation.