The assessment

Healthy building assessment

A comprehensive technical assessment of the environmental conditions of a space.

It objectively assesses the physical, chemical and biological factors present in a building and how they relate to one another. The scope is defined before work begins, according to the property, the client’s needs and the objective of the assessment.

Request an assessment 601 212 609

@Radio-frequency analyser with an antenna mounted on a tripod beside a bed in a bedroom, during an assessment.

What it is

An assessment is not a series of measurements.

Measuring is part of the work, not the whole of it.

The value of an assessment lies in understanding the case, inspecting the building, deciding what needs to be assessed, measuring or sampling what is appropriate, interpreting the results together and turning them into practical recommendations.

Measurements are part of the assessment; they are not a service separate from the assessment process.

Scope

What an assessment can include

Three areas that can form part of the same assessment, depending on the case.

Areas that can be assessed within an assessment

Physical factors

Measurements of the physical factors relevant to the case, selected during the technical inspection.

Chemical factors

Direct measurements and, when the pollutant requires it, sampling for analysis in a specialist laboratory.

Biological factors

Inspection, measurements and sampling related to moisture and biological contamination.

Not every assessment needs to cover every factor. The scope is determined in advance according to the property and the objective of the assessment.

Process

How we carry out the assessment

01
Understanding the case
Before the visit we gather information about the property, the client’s concerns and the objective of the assessment. With that, we define the scope and the quotation.
02
Technical inspection
At the property we analyse its characteristics, its installations and possible environmental sources, inside and outside the building.
03
Measurements and sampling
We use professional instruments specific to each parameter. When a pollutant requires specialist analysis, samples are taken for the laboratory.
04
Interpretation
The results are analysed together and related to the characteristics of the property and the use of each space.
05
Report and recommendations
We document the results and propose improvement measures that are technically sound and suited to the building.

Variants

Specific situations

These are forms of the healthy building assessment adapted to a particular objective, not separate services.

Expert-evidence assessmentWhen the assessment is to be used in legal proceedings. It requires specific conditions of measurement, documentation and traceability.Coming soon Before buying, renting or sellingEnvironmental assessment of a home or a plot before making a financial decision. Environmental adaptation for specific needsAssessment and adaptation of a home or a workstation when the environment needs to be adjusted to the particular needs of a person with environmental sensitivity or specific environmental needs. Unidentified physical phenomenaInstrumental investigation of infrasound, vibration or electromagnetic signals whose source could not be determined.Coming soon

@Juan Antonio Rivera Vila analysing a signal recorded during a measurement.

Method

Methodology and instruments

Cemprotecta applies its own consistent assessment methodology: understand the case, inspect the building, decide what needs to be assessed, measure or sample, interpret the results together and document them.

Assessments mainly follow the measurement protocol of the German technical standard SBM-2024 (Standard der Baubiologischen Messtechnik), developed by Baubiologie Maes together with the Institut für Baubiologie + Nachhaltigkeit (IBN). Within that framework, each factor is assessed against its own technical criteria. When a pollutant requires specialist analysis, samples are taken for laboratory study.

Instruments are selected according to the parameter to be assessed. When an assessment is intended as expert evidence, calibrated instruments are used where necessary to ensure the traceability and reliability of the results.

We do not publish details of the equipment or the measurement procedures: they are part of the working method and their choice depends on each case.

Deliverable

What the client receives

At the end of a standard assessment you will receive a technical report in PDF format.

Any follow-up is agreed in advance when the case requires it.

Results of the measurements taken.
Technical interpretation of the results.
Recommendations to correct or reduce what has been found.
Photographs where they help to clarify an anomaly.
Sections of plans when the assessment includes geological disturbances.

Timing

Duration and turnaround

≈ 3 h

On-site work, in a reference home

≈ 1 week

Report delivery after the assessment

These are guideline figures, not commitments. The reference home is about 100 m² with three bedrooms. The actual duration depends on the characteristics of the property, the agreed scope, the number of spaces, the measurements required, the specific needs of the assessment and any complications that may arise.

Quotation

What the quotation depends on

It is defined and agreed with you before the assessment is carried out.

We do not publish fixed prices: an assessment tailored to a specific case is more useful than a standard package.

Tell us what you need assessed

Floor area and number of rooms or bedrooms.
Factors to be assessed.
Need for laboratory analysis.
Monitoring time, where needed.
Travel to the property.
Complexity of the case.
Use of the assessment as expert evidence.

Typical cases

When it may be advisable

None of these situations in itself means that there is an environmental problem. They are circumstances in which a technical assessment helps to find out.

There are doubts about the environmental quality of a home.
There is damp, mould or persistent odours.
After renovation work or the installation of new materials.
There is a noise, a vibration or a phenomenon of unidentified origin.
There is nearby infrastructure that you want assessed.
Before buying or renting a property.
During new-build or renovation work.
To adapt a space to specific environmental needs.
Technical documentation or expert evidence is needed.

Common questions

Frequently asked questions

Do I have to be present during the assessment?

You do not need to stay for the whole assessment. At the start it helps to provide access to the property and show its layout. From then on, the technician can carry out the assessment independently.

Do we have to leave the home during the assessment?

No. Under normal conditions there is no need to leave the home. It is important, however, that the technician can access the rooms and installations to be assessed without obstruction.

Is any equipment left installed in the home?

Most measurements are taken during the visit. In certain cases, monitoring over a longer period may be needed; this is agreed in advance.

How long does an assessment usually take?

It depends on the property and the scope of the assessment. As a guide, a home of about 100 m² with three bedrooms usually takes around three hours when there are no complications.

When will I receive the report?

The report is usually delivered within about a week of the assessment.

Can a standard report be used as an expert report?

A standard assessment is not designed as an expert report for court proceedings. When the aim is to provide technical documentation in legal proceedings, an expert-evidence assessment must be requested in advance, as it requires specific conditions of measurement, documentation and traceability.

We carry out assessments in Spain, Portugal and France, and in other countries on request. Tell us about your case.

Need a space assessed?

Tell us briefly about the case. Before the assessment is carried out we will define its scope and the corresponding quotation with you.

Request an assessment

601 212 609 info@cemprotecta.com