Radiation protection (electromagnetic)

Definition: radiation protection in drywall construction - shielding and protection against electromagnetic radiation

Electromagnetic radiation is omnipresent nowadays. Due to the rapid development of technology and the expansion of mobile communication networks, this is expected to increase further in the future. The innovative Rigips Climafit solution provides highly effective radiation protection. This helps to create a relaxed atmosphere, not only in living spaces:

• Up to 99.999% reduction of electromagnetic waves
• Sustainable protection through absorption (62%) and reflection (37.999%)
• Biologically advantageous due to its proven raw materials: gypsum & graphite
• For an unburdened, relaxed room atmosphere

The colloquial term "electrosmog" (electromagnetic radiation) is omnipresent today and has increased significantly in recent years. It is almost impossible to escape the sources of radiation: mobile communication, television and radio transmitters, digital police and fire brigade radio, airport radar. The possible effects of electromagnetic radiation have been controversially discussed for years. Electrosmog is said to cause symptoms such as nervousness, depression, insomnia, headaches, allergies and cardiovascular disorders. However, concrete, scientifically substantiated evidence is still lacking, so the principle of responsible precaution applies. Accordingly, more and more builders and homeowners want to protect themselves effectively, at least within their own four walls.

Energy sources of progress

Technological development has been rapid over the past 100 years. Consequently, the spread of artificial electromagnetic waves has increased significantly too. Today, they shape virtually every area of life. As technological progress continues, the likelihood of further increases in artificially generated radiation is high.

The environment and humans are thus permanently exposed to artificial radiation stimuli, which exhibit significantly greater intensity than natural radiation.

Electromagnetic radiation in everyday life

Experts have been discussing the specific effects of this increasing extent of electromagnetic radiation on human health for some time, and the debate remains highly controversial. Regardless of scientific studies or societal assessments, and as long as there are no valid objective findings, the principle of responsible precaution applies.

In order to protect oneself from artificial electromagnetic radiation, it is important to understand its origins. These are indeed omnipresent in our modern world, as the following examples demonstrate.

Internal sources of radiation:

• Wireless data transmission (Wi-Fi)
• Cordless telephones using DECT (WiMAX)
• Bluetooth
• Microwave ovens

External sources of radiation:

• Mobile communication base stations (GSM, UMTS)
• Wireless data transmission similar to DSL
• Television and radio transmitters
• Airport radar

Climafit - for innovative and pioneering drywall construction

The graphite-modified Climafit board is the foundation for RIGIPS' unique radiation protection solution. It enables the safe and effective attenuation of low-frequency electrical and high-frequency electromagnetic waves in the interior construction. Construction projects can therefore be realised with the highest level of responsibility for human health.
The following section provides a more detailed explanation of how Climafit works.

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Attenuating electromagnetic waves through reflection and absorption

Large-scale metal shielding reflects electromagnetic waves in a similar way to a mirror. This reflection can lead to the formation of standing waves (interferences) in the opposite direction. In the direction of reflection, the resulting field strength may be amplified locally. Due to the minimal conduction losses of metallic objects, the energy of the electromagnetic field is preserved and the electromagnetic wave is minimised in the direction of propagation.

The Climafit board functions entirely differently: its gypsum contains crystalline-bound water. The board gains its electrical conductivity through the unique combination of this crystal water and electrically conductive graphite. More precisely, the water molecules are excited by electromagnetic radiation due to their special dipole moment. They begin to oscillate, converting the radiation energy into kinetic energy, i.e., heat. The graphite then dissipates this heat by absorbing the electromagnetic radiation.

Attenuate, reflect, absorb

Thanks to its special properties, the Climafit board can absorb and reflect electromagnetic waves to a large extent. When an electromagnetic wave hits the board, it is reflected to varying degrees. The non-reflected portion penetrates the material — this process is called transmission — and is largely absorbed within it. When the wave exits the rear side of the shielding, another reflection occurs.

Therefore, the propagation of electromagnetic waves can be influenced by materials with high electrical properties. The depth to which electromagnetic waves can penetrate the material depends on its conductivity and the corresponding frequency. The following table provides an overview of the different frequencies:

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Reliable shielding attenuation with Climafit

The bar chart below illustrates the frequency-dependent shielding attenuation performance of Climafit. For a better understanding, the corresponding applications have been listed as approximations. As the lower frequency band up to 2.5 GHz is almost fully utilised, increasingly higher frequencies are being used for information transmission.

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However, this also leads to increased radiation exposure, as the radius of radio cells decreases when higher transmission frequencies are used due to air's inherent attenuation properties. This, in turn, requires transmitter locations to be expanded further. As the number of transmitter locations increases, so does radiation exposure, along with the demand for preventive radiation protection. The Climafit solution from RIGIPS is therefore particularly forward-looking. It facilitates cost-effective radiation protection constructions in dry interior construction, providing reliable attenuation of both low- and high-frequency radiation.

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Experts confirm effectiveness

The high shielding effectiveness of the boards was demonstrated at the inHaus Center in Duisburg, a renowned Fraunhofer Institute research facility, as part of a real-world installation. An independent building biologist carried out comparative radiation exposure measurements before and after the installation, confirming the high shielding performance of the Rigips solution, which is applicable to various installation techniques.

In a typical living space, the Rigips Climafit was initially screwed onto the drywall profiles in the conventional way. Additionally, an adhesive installation was tested for the first time: for this method, two layers of the ten-millimetre-thick Rigips Climafit were applied onto previously installed interior insulation using a commercially available bonding compound. A third construction variant involved simply laying a single layer of the special gypsum board on the top floor ceiling above the living space. These three parallel installation techniques were used to "encase" the entire room. The result: before the renovation, significant radiation levels were measured, particularly from mobile networks. After installing Rigips Climafit, radiation density was reduced to 1/400th of the original value. Therefore, the Climafit solution from Rigips provides proven protection against electrosmog, regardless of the installation method.