Building Science

Is Your Building A Health Risk?

Whether you are concerned with asbestos, lead, PCBs, dust, soot or other fine particles such as carbon black, bacteria, radon, or other gases, Bureau Veritas’ extensive experience and historical successes will be an asset to your sampling and analytical programs.

Close up of asbestos inside of a building

Are You Renovating A Building Built Before 1990?

You may need to be concerned about asbestos as it is commonly found in commercial, industrial and residential structures that were constructed before the 1990s. Asbestos was used in a wide variety of everyday products, including floor tiles, ceiling tiles, roofing, siding and insulation of attics, walls and pipes. Bureau Veritas can help you identify asbestos in numerous building materials.

Asbestos Testing
Asbestos Sources & Exposure Risks

Was Your Home Built Before 1980?

Homes built prior to 1980 are very likely to contain lead-based paint, whereas consumer indoor paint produced in North America after 1992 is almost certain to be free of lead. Exposure to leaded paint can pose a health risk, and analysis may also be required by landfill authorities when disposing building materials. Bureau Veritas can help you properly identify lead in paint and other building materials as required for compliance with provincial and territorial regulations.

Was Your Site Built Before 1977?

You should detect and monitor for the harmful presence of Polychlorinated Biphenyls (PCBs). These stable synthetic compounds were added to electrical components, light ballasts, paints, caulking, sealants and asphalt prior to their ban in 1977. PCBs are suspected carcinogens that persist in the environment as well as in human and animal tissue. Bureau Veritas can test your building materials for PCBs allowing for proper characterization and management of hazardous waste materials.

Learn more about PCB Analysis

Has Your Cooling Tower Water Been Tested For Legionella?

You could be exposed when contaminated water droplets from the cooling tower on your building roof contains Legionella. Regular testing is recommended as the bacteria can spread through your HVAC system and enter your lungs. Bureau Veritas can identify Legionella pneumophila in your cooling tower water using an enumeration method for Legionella spp.

Guidelines for Legionella Testing

Lab worker holding a radon detection device over some samples

Has Your Home or Building Been Tested For Radon?

Radon is a colorless, odorless gas that occurs naturally in the environment and is the most significant source of natural radiation. Because it is a gas, it can easily move between bedrock, soil and water. It becomes a concern when it builds up to higher concentrations indoors. Contact Bureau Veritas if you are looking to test the air or water in your home or building for radon.

Measuring Radon in Air
Sampling Radon in Water

Someone using a tablet to measure distance with a blurred microscope in the background

Microscopy

Our electron, optical and light microscopes allow us to analyze building and other materials to determine the structure of a sample down to its elemental composition and detect stress or internal fractures. We can determine sample composition, fiber and particle size, material origin, foreign substances, physical defects, and various other properties. Through our microscopy analysis we can also measure worker exposure to dust, soot or other fine particles such as carbon black.

Microscopy Services