ABSTRACT
It is relatively simple, when designing a new building, to apply the precautionary principle by excluding hazardous materials and specifying alternative low-impact solutions. How ever, this is much more difficult when converting or renovating existing buildings, though many of the same principles apply. DIY, painting and decorating, installing new floors or making minor improvements to a house, office or educational building can introduce hazardous materials and damage IAQ. Existing buildings may already contain hazardous materials such as asbestos, treated timber and insulation materials like fibreglass. In this chapter some of the remedies to tackle existing emissions and problems are discussed. Further measures based on the use of non-hazardous materials are discussed in Chapter 11.
