This British Standard gives recommendations on ground gas site characterization and the choice of solutions for the design of integral gas protective measures for new buildings to prevent entry of carbon dioxide and methane, and provide a safe internal environment.

This British Standard gives a process that can be used to demonstrate that risks posed by the potential or actual presence of carbon dioxide and methane have been addressed.

This British Standard does not cover protection of new buildings against other hazardous ground gases. Nor does this British Standard cover protection of buildings into which methane and carbon dioxide might be introduced by the activities for which they are used (for example, water pumping stations).

The retrospective design of protection measures for completed buildings and the design of retrospective protection measures after completion of building construction are not covered in this British Standard.

NOTE1 Guidance on radon and VOCs is given in AnnexG and AnnexH.

NOTE2 This British Standard does not give recommendations on oxygen depletion.

NOTE3 The assessment and decision making stages are presented in the form of process flow charts (Figure3, Figure5and Figure6), accompanying information and explanatory guidance and, where appropriate, references to other guidance and information. The contents of this British Standard are shown in the document flow chart in Figure1.

NOTE4 Full protection of buildings might require a range of measures (for example, to control gas migration, to protect car parking and garden areas, and to monitor gas concentrations) in addition to those incorporated into the building. However, guidance on these is not provided and is available in the Ground Gas Handbook [4] and CIRIA Report149[5].