In all federal states radon protection in buildings is regulated by the federal building legislation.
Simple and inexpensive preventive measures are the best protection against high radon concentrations in new buildings. Basic measures are generally recommended. In the communities with elevated radon risk further measures are advised.
Preventive measures are much simpler, more effective and more cost-effective than the subsequent radon remediation of a residential building. Basically, the tighter the building envelope is against the soil, the lower is the radon risk. New buildings should be designed in a way that the average radon concentration is well below 300 Bq/m³.
In the Austrian Standard S 5280-2 "Radon - Technical precaution measures in buildings" four types of prevention are identified. The type depends on the radon potential classification of the community and the type of building (e.g. basement, inhabited rooms in direct contact with the ground). The required radon protection measures are described for each scenario. They range from building in accordance with existing regulations for water penetration and rising damp to the installation of a radon drainage system (perforated pipes in the gravel bed below the foundation). The costs of preventive measures in new buildings in single-family homes usually do not exceed € 1.800 ,-.
After completion of the building, a control measurement is recommended.