Radon: Outlining the Fundamental Revisions of BR211 - Guidance on Protective Measures for New Dwellings

7 November at 10-12:30 GMT, Online event

This CPD-certified online event saw a panel of experts outline the fundamental revisions of BR211: Guidance on Protective Measures for New Dwellings. Get an update on why the revisions were required, the radon protection system and the new section 7 included in BR211 where, for the first time, contractual responsibility is acknowledged.

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Event agenda:

10.00 Welcome from Environment Analyst

10.05 Opening Remarks from the Chair:

Gavin Gillmore, Professor Emeritus, Bath Spa University & Director & Chairman, The Radon Council

10.20 The Updated Indicative Atlas for Radon in Great Britain

Overview of the updated map
New modelling inputs
Changes to the methodology
Changes to the outputs
Current research

Russell Lawley, Geoscientist, British Geological Survey

10.40 Guidance on Protective Measures for New Buildings (BR211 2023 edition): Exploring What’s New

What is radon?
Radon mapping and risk
Energy efficiency of buildings and impact on indoor radon concentrations
Basic radon protection
Full radon protection

Michael Jaggs, Associate Director & Principal Trainer, Building Research Establishment

11.00 Updates on Radon Protection System Design and Application

Whilst the general principles of radon protection in new buildings has remained consistent for many years, changes in both construction methods and materials have been made. The revised document brings the details up to date for the current construction environment.

New “typical” types of construction are detailed including useful typical cross sections
Materials technology has improved and expectations / experience in gas resistant membranes have been incorporated
Installation methodology has evolved and is in line with the inspection regime introduced in 2015 document, installation techniques are revised and improved
The importance of ensuring that the radon membrane crosses the cavity is reinforced and alternative methodologies offered
Full radon protection involving activated ventilation solutions is further explained

Peter Atchison, Director, PAGeotechnical, Radon Council Member & Co-Author of the Revised BR211

11.20 Section 7. Quality of Construction and Inspection, Testing and Reporting – Is this Really a new Concept?

There is a vital brand new section included in BR211 2023: section 7, in which, for the first time, contractual responsibility is acknowledged. This presentation will include, but not be limited to, explanations of:

How the 2023 revision of BR211 Radon Guidance on protective measures for new buildings now has a greater emphasis in recording all levels of contractual responsibility throughout the construction process:

whose details are to be recorded, by whom and at what stage in the process
what is required in each stage throughout the Radon Protective Measures Quality Management Record

Required competency levels of both the Inspection & the Application teams.
The acceptable Radon protection system testing methods
New items which must now be included within the overall hand-over document, of which the Radon Protective Measures Quality Management Record is the spine.

John Sparks, Global Operations Director, GeoShield, Radon Council Board Member & Co-Author of the revised BR211

11.50 Panel Q&A Discussion moderated by the Chair

Audience questions will be taken live via a Q&A Chat box.

12.30 Close of event

Meet the speakers:

		*Gavin Gillmore, Professor Emeritus, Bath Spa University & Director & Chairman, The Radon Council* Gavin is a geoscientist whose research interests are focussed on human-environment interactions. Examples include measurement, monitoring and health impacts of radon; 3D visualisation of alpha tracks in solid state nuclear track detectors; air pollution; and 3D imaging and analysis of PM10s and PM2.5s. He has published around 100 international peer-reviewed articles many on radon. Gavin began his career as an academic researcher before moving into the hydrocarbon industry. His return to academia lead to posts as a senior lecturer at the University of Northampton (which led him into his involvement with the Radon Council and co-authorship of The Radon Manual); Head of Department of Geography and Environmental Science University of Bradford; Professor of Environmental Geoscience and Head of School, Geography, Geology and the Environment at Kingston University; and Head of Geography at Bath Spa University. Gavin has been involved with radon research and The Radon Council almost since its inception in the 1990s. He is currently Director and Chair of the Council.
		*Russell Lawley, Geoscientist, British Geological Survey* Russell Lawley is a geoscientist at BGS with over 30 years of experience in geological appraisal and spatial informatics. His main areas of expertise are in digital geological mapping, the characterisation of rock mass properties of sedimentary sequences, the creation of 2d/3d/4d geological and pedological models, and more latterly, the challenges of knowledge transfer and communication of BGS datasets to stakeholders. Russell manages a portfolio of BGS projects relating to the geology, geochemistry and engineering geology of the subsurface including BGS Geology, Gbase, BGS Civils, Parent Materials, BritPits and Radon.
		*Michael Jaggs, Associate Director & Principal Trainer, Building Research Establishment* Mike is a construction engineer with over 30 years of radon experience, joining BRE in 1994 he has contributed to research and testing work resulting in the development of radon remedial measures for existing buildings and radon proactive measures in new buildings. Mike has also managed BRE’s airtightness and infrared thermography teams, testing many 100’s of buildings. For the last 10 years Mike has developed and delivered training programmes for the BRE Academy and delivers lectures to Hertfordshire University on their degree and Masters Civil Engineering and Construction Management courses.
		*Peter Atchison, Director, PAGeotechnical, Radon Council member* & co-author of the revised BR211** A professional engineer, with over 35 years’ experience, Peter sat on the steering groups for the PIT report as well as BRE 414, CIRIA C665 and chaired the technical committee which produced BS8485. Peter sits on B553 the BSi committee for geomembranes, is the UK expert on CEN TC189, chairs ISO TC221 (geosynthetics), the EIC Contaminated-Land Working-Group; Confederation of Construction Specialists & is treasurer of the British-Geomembrane-Association. Peter chaired the UK Radon Council for >5 years and believes lessons learned in other ground gases can be useful in our battle to improve the consideration of the risks from radon gas.
		*John Sparks, Global Operations Director, GeoShield, Radon Council Board Member* & co-author of the revised BR211** Operating, both at home & internationally for over 30 years, John has been involved in implementing integrity testing & verification on-site quality assurance programs for subterranean waterproofing & hazardous ground gas protection systems. He has developed & delivered training lectures at the universities of Budapest, Helsinki & Minsk and of course, closer to home to clients throughout the United Kingdom with the CPD accredited GeoShield hazardous ground gas training programme (GeoShield are founder members of the British Verification Council). Major international clients include Skanska, Al Futtaim, Ferrovial, DATEM, Strabag and Emaar. John is a member of The British Geomembrane Association, the European Radon Association, a board member of The Radon Council and involved with many UK steering committees which aim to raise the standards of protection system design whilst reducing human error in application, including those of both CIRIA & the BRE.