A first step towards an integrated approach for modelling indoor radon levels

Radon goes through four stages from its formation until it reaches a living environment: i) itsgeneration in the source medium, ii) its migration in the source medium, iii) its entry into a dwelling,and iv) its accumulation indoors. Many parameters of different origin take part at each stage, and mostof them are time-dependent. In this paper we discuss the requirements that an ideal model, whichconstitutes a Global Dynamic Radon Model (GDRM), should fulfil to predict indoor radon levels inliving areas of inhabited houses. These requirements are: i) to take into account all radon sources,processes and parameters affecting indoor radon levels from a dynamic point of view and ii) to beadaptable to different inhabited houses, with the possibility of changing the parameters, in order tosimulate mitigation methods. We have discussed the degree of fulfilment of these requirements of theRAGENA model, recently developed by our group. The model takes into account all radon sourcesand most of the processes and parameters affecting indoor radon levels. The successful application ofthe model to two inhabited houses in places having very different climate has shown the capability ofthe model to be adapted to different sites. Therefore, the RAGENA model is a good first approachtowards a GDRM.