Building Biology Evaluation Guidelines for Sleeping Areas

At high exposure levels, acute bioeffects are well established. Official guidelines protect us from such harmful short-term effects. However, long-term low-level exposures are also a fact of life and known to cause adverse health effects.

In 1992, Baubiologie Maes & Partner in collaboration with the Institute of Building Biology and Ecology Neubeuern, including many medical doctors and scientists, established the first guidelines recommended for sleeping areas.

The Building Biology Testing Methods and Evaluation Guidelines are unique because they are not only based on latest scientific findings, but they also follow the precautionary principle and nature as the ultimate guide. A wide range of physical (e.g. AC electric and magnetic fields, RF radiation, radon, radioactivity), chemical (e.g. formaldehyde, VOCs, biocides, flame retardants) as well as microbiological (e.g. molds, yeasts, bacteria) factors are measured, analyzed, and evaluated.

SBM-2008 Reference Values

SBM-2008 Testing Methods

About the Origins of the Building Biology Standard
By the Standard Initiator Wolfgang Maes (2008)

Science – Really?
A lecture by Wolfgang Maes on the setting of exposure guidelines and when a fact is considered scientifically validated (2008)

Building Biology Indoor Environment Checklist®
Remediation recommendations published by the German Association of Building Biology Professionals in cooperation with the Salzburg Public Health Department since 2005

Members of the Building Biology Standard Commission

Dr. Dipl.Chem. Thomas Haumann (Web site)
Dipl.Ing. Norbert Honisch Baubiologie Honisch in St. Johann
Wolfgang Maes (Web site)
Dipl.Ing. Helmut Merkel (Web site)
Dr. Dipl.Biol. Manfred Mierau (Web site)
Uwe Münzenberg (Web site)
Rupert Schneider (Web site)
Peter Sierck (Web site)
Dipl.Chem. Jörg Thumulla (Web site)
Dr.Ing. Martin H. Virnich (Web site)