Hazardous Substances and Remediation
Whether building moisture, hazardous substances analysis and remediation, the quality of indoor air, or energy rehabilitation is concerned.
WESSLING is there to assist developers, planners, public authorities, the remediation industry and tradespeople as a trusted advisor for construction and remediation work in existing buildings.
Hazardous building substances, often known as “household toxins” in public discussions, are detrimental to users’ health and can reduce the value of a building. Our experts determine the numerous contaminating effects of hazardous building substances, plan and supervise remediation measures, e.g. for asbestos, wood preservatives and synthetic mineral fibres (SMF).
Our teams know the particularities of remediating PCB-contaminated sealants and other sources. Additionally, the specific treatment of damage by moulds, dry rot, particulate matter or pests is no problem for them either.
Hazardous Substances and Remediation: services in detail
Hazardous Substances and Remediation: services in detail
Indoor air
Indoor air – we analyse, evaluate and advise
Whether constructing a new building or modernising, restoring or dismantling an old one, developers, planners and executing companies are almost always confronted with the problem of hazardous building substances. This also applies to room air quality, which depends on the use of non-hazardous building materials and adequate ventilation. Here you can count on our room air analysis and the expertise of WESSLING.
Moulds have increasingly become a problem inside buildings. The reasons for which include structural defects and a change in building design with significantly denser exterior components which inhibit air circulation. Moreover, heating and ventilating habits favour the spread of moisture-loving organisms.
National- and EU-guidelines increasingly emphasise responsibility for room air quality and the measurement of hazardous substances. Depending on the type of issue, WESSLING carries out sampling in buildings by collecting airborne germs and particulates and comparing the results with outside air measurements, and also by taking surface contact samples (wipe or tape lift) or material samples. This serves to identify hidden mould infestations. If the results are positive, our specialists will help you plan and supervise the remediation of your building.
Our services:
- Investigations into microbial contamination and measurement, e.g. building moisture
- Detecting mould spores and germs in room air and material
- Long-term measurements on radon in relevant rooms in buildings, expert evaluations of the measurement results
- Directly displaying measurements in the building on radon to search for leaks, expert evaluations of the measurement results
- Supporting and supervising remediation measures
Here you find further information on our comprehensive range of services in the field of air monitoring and measuring stations as well as building products.
Hazardous Substances and Remediation: services in detail
Building moisture
Building moisture – moisture measurements and consulting
Building moisture is an everyday problem for which building administrators and other professionals turn to the experts at WESSLING. We clearly indicate the reasons for building moisture in our expert reports, allowing you to take appropriate action.
Our engineers begin with an inspection of the building, immediately identifying the building moisture itself, potential mould infestation and, above all, their technical causes. Based on our long-standing experience, we propose solutions for eliminating the causes and drying the affected area.
These are based on a thermal insulation calculation, for which we determine wall thicknesses, normal wall moisture levels, construction characteristics and materials.
Our services:
- Building inspections by qualified specialists
- Identification of construction details and recording of measurements
- Professional analysis and electronic evaluation
- Independent and reliable statements
Hazardous Substances and Remediation: services in detail
Test chamber
Test chamber
In order to meet the requirements of various test seals, WESSLING measures emissions from building products using a test chamber method that allows future room air contamination from the product to be examined before it is placed on the market.
In addition to the Blue Angel label and the GEV EMICODE, the AgBB scheme should be mentioned as the most important German test (the AgBB is the Committee for Health-related Evaluation of Building Products). When a building is accepted following room air monitoring tests, the success of the selected materials and product checks – if necessary completed by energy saving data – can be documented for you in a certificate.
WESSLING has a very well-equipped laboratory with test chambers of various sizes ranging from 110 litres to 20 cubic metres. Our range of test chambers covers both the relevant products and the test methods.
Our services:
- Test chamber analyses in accordance with DIN EN ISO 16000-9,11; DIN EN 16516
- Emission tests:
- of building products according to the AgBB scheme
- for restricting emission sources (VOCs, formaldehyde, odour, PCB)
- on electrical appliances
- Quality seal
WESSLING is a recognized testing institute for testing volatile organic compounds and issuing the following quality marks:
- Blue Angel/RAL environmental label (issued by: The German Federal Environment Agency and the RAL German Institute for Quality Assurance and Certification)
- RAL-UZ 38 Low-emission products made of wood and wood-based materials
- RAL-UZ 76 Wood-based materials
- RAL-UZ 102 Low-emission interior wall paints
- RAL-UZ 113 Low-emission floor covering adhesives and other installation materials
- RAL-UZ 117 Low-emission upholstered furniture
- RAL-UZ 119 Mattresses
- RAL-UZ 120 Elastic floor coverings
- RAL-UZ 123 Low-emission sealants for interior use
- RAL-UZ 198 Low-emission internal plasters
- and many other award criteria
- EMICODE for flooring installation products (issued by: GEV, Association for the Control of Emissions in Products for Flooring Installation), e.g. adhesives, primers, fillers and underlays
- French VOC regulation (Décret No. 2011-321
- Belgian VOC decree
Here you find further information on our comprehensive range of services in the field of air monitoring and measuring stations as well as building products.
Your contact for testing chambers
We will be happy to support you.
- Monique Elmer
- +49 2505 89-531
- verbraucherprodukte@wessling.de
Hazardous Substances and Remediation: services in detail
Research project RECBest
RECBest: Utilisation of recyclable material in building demolitions
With the RECBest project, a consortium of research and industry has set itself the goal of developing safe processes for the accurate detection of pollutants in existing buildings, their remediation and demolition, and their recycling into a high-quality recycled material (RCM).
The challenge: hazardous substances are only incompletely detected before demolition
The recycling potential of building materials in constructions is often high, yet not fully exploited. One reason for this is the lack of methods that can be used to record pollutants in the building stock. As a result, for example, the valuable recycled materials are mixed with the pollutants during the demolition of a building in such a way that they can no longer subsequently be separated. Thus, interfering substances can appear in the material cycle during further processing of the material. In addition, the proper disposal of the contaminated construction waste also becomes more difficult.
Our contribution: important steps toward sustainability and optimum use of resources
During the research project RECBest solutions are being developed to identify and eject the high-value recycled material prior to remediation or demolition of contaminated buildings. This then forms the basis for recycling the material during the next step. The result is thus a concept that ranges from collection to remediation and demolition to recycling and residual disposal. The research consortium is also developing a testing system to effectively safeguard recycled products.
Our goal: increased safety and more bindingness for testing in existing buildings
Based on the newly developed procedures, an expert opinion can be formed at the beginning of a future project. This will not only serve the specialist rehabilitator, but in addition also applies to the subsequent, further utilisation of the recycled materials. It is made available as a RECBest certificate for all stages of the process.
Key data:
Project duration: 03/2021-02/2023
Collaborative partners:
- WESSLING GmbH (coordinator)
- TU Berlin: Fachgebiet Bauphysik und Baukonstruktionen (FGBB) and Fachgebiet Mechanische Verfahrenstechnik und Aufbereitung (MVTA)
- Kluge Sanierung GmbH
- Buhck Umweltservices GmbH & Co. KG
Associated partners:
Your contact
- Dr. Martin Hönig
- +49 234 6897-510
- martin.hoenig@wessling.de
This project is funded by the Federal Ministry of Education and Research under the grant number 033R268A. The responsibility for the content lies with the respective sub-project leader.
Consulting and the assessment and measurement of hazardous building substances
We advise you proactively by helping you develop guidelines for your building project or remediation work. Our experts analyse the problematic situation, assess the potential risks and determine countermeasures. We plan, supervise and document remediation jobs and help with certification.
Our services:
- Surveying and assessing hazardous building substances
- Planning and supporting remediation measures
- In-house training sessions on hazardous building substances
- Sampling (e.g. material, indoor air) and analysis of hazardous building substances such as volatile organic compounds (VOC), very volatile compounds such as formaldehyde and semi-volatile compounds such as phthalates and PAHs from tar products, heavy metals and their organic compounds such as TBTs (tributyltin compounds), mercury and lead, organochlorine biocides such as PCP, lindane, DDT and dioxins
Your contact regarding hazardous substances and remediation:
We will be happy to support you.
- Jannis Drakidis
- +49 621 777 363-0
- jannis.drakidis@wessling.de
