Radon occurs in the soil in Germany in varying concentrations from region to region and is of natural origin. Leaks in a building can allow radon to enter the interior of houses, where it can accumulate and cause lung cancer. Only measurements can show whether the concentration of radon in a building requires protective measures. To protect against radon, buildings can be sealed throughout against ground moisture and thus also against the ingress of radon, and leaks in existing buildings can be identified and eliminated. Extracting radon-containing soil air from under or next to the building can also help, as can the installation of technical ventilation systems.

On behalf of the German Federal Office for Radiation Protection, the IZT investigated the potential impact of state subsidy programmes on the implementation of radon remediation measures in the residential sector. The task of the research project was to determine whether and in what form a state funding programme for building refurbishment would lead to additional refurbishment of residential buildings with elevated radon activity concentrations in the indoor air.

The project consisted of three work packages: Firstly, a literature review and expert interviews were used to analyse the current findings on the impact of government support measures (WP 1). Then interviews were conducted with owners of residential buildings in order to analyse the significance of a state subsidy measure for the decision to renovate the residential building (WP 2). Finally, the results from WP 1 and WP 2 were discussed and evaluated at a technical meeting with experts from various fields (WP 3).

The result of the potential analysis is a published final report.

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