Radon in Schools and Workplaces: What You Need to Know

Most radon discussions focus on homes, but people spend significant hours in schools, offices, and other buildings that may also have elevated radon. For children who spend six or more hours a day in school, and adults who spend similar time at work, radon exposure in non-residential buildings is a meaningful health consideration.

Federal and State Requirements for Testing

There is currently no federal law requiring radon testing in schools, workplaces, or other public buildings. However, the EPA strongly recommends testing all schools in Zone 1 counties and encourages testing in all other areas, and many states have gone further.

State-level requirements vary significantly:

• Several states — including Illinois, New Jersey, and Pennsylvania — have passed laws requiring or strongly encouraging radon testing in schools. Some mandate testing in new school construction.
• A smaller number of states have enacted requirements covering childcare facilities and daycare centers.
• No state currently mandates radon testing in private workplaces, though some require disclosure in real estate transactions and rental properties.

If your state has a radon program (most do), that program maintains current information on applicable requirements and often offers free resources, test kits, or contractor referrals for schools and public buildings.

How Commercial Radon Testing Differs from Residential

The fundamental physics of radon testing are the same — a detector measures radon concentration over a defined period — but commercial testing has additional complexity:

Building size and zone variability. A large building may have dramatically different radon levels in different areas depending on foundation type, construction joints, and HVAC configurations. A single test in a school lobby does not characterize radon levels in basement classrooms or ground-floor office wings. EPA guidance for schools recommends testing the lowest occupied level of each distinct building section.

HVAC influence. Commercial buildings typically have more complex HVAC systems than homes. Mechanical ventilation, pressurization, and exhaust systems can both dilute and redistribute radon in ways that complicate testing protocols. Tests should be conducted under normal operating conditions with the HVAC running as it would during occupied hours.

Sampling duration. Long-term testing (90+ days) is generally preferred for commercial buildings to account for HVAC cycling, seasonal variation, and occupancy patterns. Short-term tests (48–96 hours) can be used for screening but are less reliable in buildings with variable ventilation.

Certified testers. Commercial radon testing should be performed by professionals certified by the National Radon Proficiency Program (NRPP) or the National Radon Safety Board (NRSB). Many states require certified testers for public buildings.

Remediation Options for Large Buildings

When elevated radon is confirmed in a commercial building, the remediation approach depends on the building’s foundation type, size, HVAC configuration, and radon entry pathways. Common strategies include:

Sub-slab depressurization at scale. The same principle used in residential mitigation — creating negative pressure beneath the slab — can be applied in large buildings using higher-capacity fans and multiple suction points. For slab-on-grade buildings with permeable sub-slab material, this is often the most effective approach.

Positive pressurization. Some commercial buildings are mitigated by adjusting the HVAC system to maintain slight positive pressure relative to the soil, reversing the pressure gradient that draws radon in. This requires HVAC expertise and careful balancing to avoid energy penalties.

Sub-membrane depressurization. For buildings with crawl spaces or exposed earth floors, installing a sealed vapor barrier and running suction beneath it is effective — the same approach used in residential crawl spaces, scaled up.

Increased ventilation. In buildings where construction or foundation features limit other options, increasing fresh air supply through HVAC can dilute radon concentrations. This approach is often less efficient and more costly to operate than source-control methods.

Commercial remediation projects typically require a detailed diagnostic phase, including pressure mapping and entry point identification, before system design. Costs vary widely based on building size, foundation complexity, and local contractor rates.

Liability and Disclosure Obligations

For schools and public buildings, radon liability exposure is primarily reputational and regulatory rather than civil — there’s no federal private cause of action for radon exposure. That said, failure to test or act on known elevated results in a school could expose a district to negligence claims if harm was demonstrably foreseeable.

For commercial real estate:

• Many states require radon disclosure in residential real estate transactions; fewer require it for commercial property sales or leases.
• Tenants in commercial buildings generally have limited recourse unless elevated radon violates a specific contractual warranty of habitability or a state statute.

Property owners and school administrators should consult with legal counsel familiar with their state’s specific radon disclosure and building code requirements.

How to Request Testing at Your Workplace

If you’re concerned about radon in your workplace or your child’s school:

1. Contact your state radon office. Every state has a radon program that can advise on testing protocols, provide resources, and in some cases offer free test kits for schools.
2. Talk to facilities management. Frame the request around EPA guidance and any applicable state requirements. Provide the EPA’s radon-in-schools resources as supporting documentation.
3. Request testing in the lowest occupied areas. Focus first on basement classrooms, ground-floor offices, and other below-grade or slab-level spaces where radon concentrations are highest.
4. Follow up with results. If testing is conducted, ask for results in writing and request a remediation plan if levels are at or above 4 pCi/L.

Find local radon testing and mitigation contractors who specialize in commercial buildings in your area to get a professional assessment.