Energy-efficient reconstructions and indoor radon: the impact assessed by CDs/DVDs

Recent modelling suggests that the expense of energy-efficient building reconstructions can be the enhanced indoor radon levels and the related adverse health impact. Here we show that a couple of home-stored CDs/DVDs can be used to check by direct measurements whether a significant change in radon level occurred in the past after building reconstruction. Radon is continuously absorbed in the polycarbonate material of CDs/DVDs and its average concentration can be determined by etching alpha tracks at a certain depth in the disk. With two disks, one bought before and one after the reconstruction, a change in radon concentration can be detected retrospectively. Within a pilot study of 20 rooms in 16 buildings that underwent energy-efficient interventions years in the past, we observed significant increase in radon concentration (at 95% confidence level) in 35% of the cases, and no case with significant decrease. Direct indication of a radon problem emerged after some of the energy-efficient building interventions was observed. The CD/DVD based approach provides a tool for assessment of the effect of different energy-efficient reconstruction approaches on indoor radon in very short terms and could be useful for finding radon-safe energy-efficient options.