REPORT OF Indoor Air Quality in Public Buildings

FRANCE – Monitoring the improvement of the quality of indoor air in public buildings (ERP) will not take place in 2015.

Periodic monitoring of the quality of indoor air in some ERP has become mandatory since the enactment of Grenelle II legislation on 12 July 2010. This law concerns including institutions receiving sensitive populations such as nurseries, schools, host institutions disability and penal institutions for juveniles. According to the Decree of 2 December 2011, the introduction of Grenelle will be done gradually.

Monitoring the quality of indoor air in ERP will fit the deadlines depending on the type of establishment. Periodic monitoring requirement from collective care institutions for children under 6 years begins in January 1, 2015. The deadline for elementary schools is 1 January 2018, 1 January 2020 for receptions recreational and educational secondary schools and 1 January 2023 for the other institutions.

According to the 2012-14 Decree of 5 January 2012, the conditions for carrying out periodic monitoring of the quality of indoor air are effective from 1 July 2012. It relates to some establishments listed in 1 °, 2 ° and 3 of section II of Article R221-30 of the Environmental Code.
The nature of the evaluation of the means used for ventilation of buildings is defined by the decree. It also specifies that the inspection body must provide the content of the report to the owner or operator of the premises.

The decree provides the list of pollutants to be monitored, the sampling method, measurement and analysis as well as the contents of the report to be submitted to the agency responsible. The values from the additional investigations shall be performed by the owner or operator of the premises specified in the order. This measure is intended to identify the origins of the existence of pollution in the facility and to provide the essential elements to the definition of sustainable measures and appropriate to the situation. This procedure requires the reporting of results to the prefect of the department of the location of the institution concerned.

The minister in charge of environmental issues Ségolène Royal has yet announced 24 September 2014 postponing the deadline for January 1, 2015. This delay is related to the obligation of the air quality monitoring in nurseries. In return, a good practice charter was established. The charter focuses on continuous room ventilation even in winter.