UK Building Regulations
In the United Kingdom, Building Regulations are the minimum standards for design, construction and alterations in all new buildings. The regulations are developed by the UK government and approved by Parliament. Protection against the ingress of hazardous ground gas into new constructions is covered within Approved Document Part C: Site preparation and resistance to contaminates and moisture.
This section includes:
- The weather-tightness and water-tightness of buildings
- Subsoil drainage
- Site preparation
- Measures to deal with contaminated land; radon, methane, and all other site-related hazardous and dangerous substances
Where to find UK building regulations
What areas are at risk from radon?
Building Research Establishment radon information
Approved Document Part C : RADON advises that guidance in protective measures within construction is sought by obtaining Building Research Establishment document BR 211.
The potential risk to life is identified using the indicative maps published by Public Health England, these are now updated online and are address specific using the postcode checker.
What protective measures are required?
Depending on the level of risk identified using the BRE postcode checker, new constructions will require:
- No protective measures, or…
- Basic protective measures, or…
- Full protective measures, or…
- Specific measures for subterranean construction
What is BR211?
BR211 is a combined guide that replaces three earlier guidance documents:
1: BRE Report BR 211, Radon
Guidance on protective measures for new buildings, originally introduced in 1991 and amended in 1992, 1999 and 2007 covering England and Wales.
2: BRE Report BR 376, Radon
Guidance on protective measures for new dwellings in Scotland, introduced in 1999.
3: BRE Report BR 413, Radon
Guidance on protective measures for new dwellings in Northern Ireland, introduced in 2001.
It is important that the contractual responsibility for….
- risk identification
- protective measures design
- protective system manufacture
- overall construction buildability
- protective system application
- protective system application testing & monitoring
- further radon monitoring
…is correctly allocated and signed off, using the Radon-protective measures quality management checklist contained within Appendix B of BR 211. Local authorities, clients, main contractors and householders may require proof of the completion of Appendix B for Building Occupancy