Session Overview
Recently released results of a two-year Health Canada study indicate 19.4% of Manitobans are living in homes with radon levels above the current radon guideline. This compares with a national average of 6.9%. It is estimated that about 16% of lung cancer deaths in Canada are related to radon exposure.
What is radon? Sandy Hutchison will answer this question as well as provide information on the known health risk of radon exposure. Exposure guidelines affecting residential dwellings and the workplace will be discussed. A summary of Health Canada's residential radon survey will also be presented.
Keeping Radon Out: Air sealing the building from the ground is the first step of most radon mitigation strategies, however complete air sealing is rarely possible. Significant radon reduction is made possible with the careful management of building pressures. Eric Bjornson will highlight common radon entry points & explain the principles of sub slab depressurization, sub-membrane depressurization, crawlspace depressurization, & crawlspace pressurization. Radon resistant construction techniques will be discussed. Many photos from the field will be shared including examples of mitigation system installations, radon entry points, and problematic construction details.
Speaker Biography
Sandy Hutchison is Health Canada's Regional Radiation Specialist for Manitoba and Saskatchewan. The Environmental Health Program focuses on taking a pro-active approach to minimizing environmental risks to human health. Radon gas is the second leading cause of lung cancer, first among non-smokers. Sandy has been working to raise awareness of the health effects of radon since 2008.
Eric Bjornson
In 2001 at the age of 20, Eric Bjornson co-founded Sundial Building Performance. Since then, he has managed the company's steady growth while taking pride in bringing the fundamentals of building science to those in the field. In 2012 he joined the founders of Radonmatters Incorporated. As a certified NRPP Measurement & Mitigation provider, Eric currently spends much of his time in the field, acquiring experience and sharing knowledge of radon mitigation. As a Board of Director of the Manitoba Building Envelope Council, he was active on the organizing committee for the 2011 Canadian Conference on Building Science and Technology (Winnipeg) and sits on the Sub-Committee on Energy and Water Efficiency which will provide recommendations for Manitoba's adoption of the National Energy Code for Buildings.
