Survey of Building Construction

Many building materials in residential and commercial constructions have been found to be problematic due to contaminants in them. Virtually all buildings constructed before 1996 are suspected to contain health hazardous substances e. g. such as:
 
asbestos, artificial mineral fibers (AMF), PCB (polychlorinated biphenyls), PCP (pentachlorophenol) and other wood preservatives, PAH (polycyclic aromatic hydrocarbons) or heavy metals
Floor tiles and adhesive containing asbestos
 
 
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Old mineral whools (AMF)
 

The contaminants are found in the most diverse of products and components, for example, flooring, adhesives, sealing materials and insulation, paint, screeds, parquet floors, heaters.

These materials are often concealed and only become evident when renovation measures are carried out. Furthermore, the current or former use of the building (e.g., oil spills in workshops, solvents) or maintenance of the construction (paint, disinfection) can contaminate the fabric.

 

This can lead to far reaching consequences for the users and the owner. If the owner is, for example, the landlord or employer, he is, by law, obliged to guarantee "healthy living and working conditions".

A further example is work with specific hazardous materials such as asbestos, which is strictly regulated, making it easy to breach the environmental criminal law.

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Adhesive containing tar under parquet
 
 
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Pigeon droppings in an old industrial plant
 
Last but not least, contaminants in a building are not only a potential health hazard, they also lead to a loss in value of the real estate. A building survey by an LGA expert clarifies the contaminant situation and helps to avoid unnecessary risks and costs. A smoother construction progress is also associated with it.
 

Our services to you include:

  • Historical research on the construction and use of the building
  • Expert inspection and drawing up of a sampling plan
  • Technical survey (collection and analysis of material samples)
  • Register of hazardous substances
  • Hazard assessment
  • Remediation concepts
  • Work and Safety Plans (A+S-Plans)
  • Recycling and disposal concepts
  • Bidding documents
  • Project management, construction management, construction supervision

The General Association of Hazardous Material Remediation (Gesamtverband Schadstoffsanierung, GVSS) has certified us as "Remediation experts for surveying and planning" for the remediation of buildings and plants impacted with contaminants.

Moreover the LGA-IUA is qualified as "Examination Center for Contaminated Building Materials and Construction Waste" to perform external quality controls and take on tasks as head technical expert.