New BRE Publications on Indoor Air Quality, Airtightness and Brownfield Land

Assessing Indoor Air Quality (IAQ)

This report provides guidance for specialists conducting IAQ assessments, and building owners and managers concerned about IAQ.

After reviewing the key parameters determining indoor air quality (IAQ), the BRE proposed a draft protocol for assessing IAQ, which was then the subject of a field trial and expert comment. This publication contains the final protocol that was the outcome of that work.

The key parameters identified are temperature, humidity, non-biological particles and fibres, biological particles, radon, other inorganic gases, organic compounds and gases associated with landfill sites (for example, methane).

Airtightness

Airtightness in Commercial and Public Buildings (first published in 1994) has been updated to address the increasing awareness of the importance of airtightness in commercial and public buildings. It supports the requirements on airtightness as specified in Approved Document L2 (2002 edition).

The report is an outline guide to design, setting out the principles of providing an effective airtightness layer and advising on some common pitfalls that can reduce the performance of this layer.

Brownfield Sites

The use of previously developed land for building development offers advantages in social, economic and environmental terms. This report looks at those aspects of risk management for building developments on brownfield sites that involve ground-related hazards for the built environment. The report is, of necessity, concerned with hazards and risks, but it is emphasised that an unwarranted over-sensitivity to risk will, of course, defeat the objective of locating building developments on brownfield sites.

These reports are available at www.brebookshop.com, or tel 020 7505 6622.
This document is for general guidance and research purposes only, and does not purport to give professional advice. Please check the date at the top of the article; the Workplace Law Network retains historic articles for general research.