Monitoring of Indoor Radon in Passive House Buildings: A post occupancy study of indoor radon concentrations in certified Passive House buildings

The acceleration of the climate emergency is having a profound effect on European Union (EU) policy influencing energy efficiency standards and targets. The Intergovernmental Panel on Climate Change (IPCC) Fourth Assessment Report (AR4) and the Emissions Gap Report from the UN have outlined and advocated the
use of the passive house standard. This study is both important and original given it is the first research attempt to examine radon distribution in Passive House buildings in Ireland and the UK. The World Health Organization (WHO) has identified radon as a known human carcinogen. Radon is a colourless, odourless and tasteless radioactive gas. It is formed by the radioactive decay of the small amounts of uranium that occur naturally in all rocks and soils. The Passive House standard has two inherent principles which should mitigate against high radon levels. These are Airtightness and Mechanical Ventilation Heat Recovery (MVHR). This research is of significance because it provides evidence of how effective the transferred air principle is with a correctly installed and commissioned MVHR unit in the domestic setting. A striking observation to emerge from the data shows a
difference in radon distribution between upstairs and downstairs when compared against regular housing.