The Standard of Building Biology Testing Methods (SBM) was pioneered by Bau-Biologist Wolfgang Maes in cooperation with the Institut fur Baubi — ologie und Okologie Neubeuern (IBN). The place where we spend most of our time should have the lowest electromagnetic readings possible. Based on the precautionary principle, the Building Biology Guidelines for Sleeping Areas are designed to provide optimal conditions for maintaining longterm health and apply mainly during sleep and regeneration, when humans are most vulnerable to electromagnetic influences. The recommendations are based on input from medical doctors and on decades of testing experience and thousands of sleeping-area surveys.3
A Building Biology survey will measure primarily six parameters of the electromagnetic spectrum: alternating current (AC) electricfields, AC magnetic fields, radio frequency radiation (RF), static fields, also known as direct current (DC) electric fields and DC magnetic fields, and radioactivity.
Sleeping Area Survey
AC Electric Fields
The human body is an amazing self-rejuvenating entity that can repair itself while it sleeps. This is accomplished with its own internal electrical system, which functions with very weak electrical impulses. Electrical impulses generated by the brain are used for intercellular communication. This is possible because the body is composed mainly of water with a high mineral content, making it highly electrically conductive.
Vibration tells cells when to divide. Brain cells, nerve cells, and bone cells all vibrate at different rates to communicate with one another. Unfortunately, our bodies act as tuning forks. When you
vibrate a tuning fork (an external electrical influence), any other tuning fork in its vicinity (such as the body) will start vibrating at the same rate, or frequency, and cells will be confused about how fast tog row. b
In the typical sleeping area, electrical exposure from external sources (live electrical wiring in ceilings, walls, and floors) is thousands of times stronger than the body’s own electrical system. Long-term exposure to these high-level electric fields can impact health by impairing the body’s ability to communicate within itself. You spend about a third of your life sleeping. Doesn’t it make sense to reduce exposure to electric fields in your sleeping area?
To test body voltage, the voltage, or electrical pressure, between a person and a dedicated rod driven into the Earth is measured. Tests are done with electrical appliances on and off, with circuits energized and de-energized, to determine what devices and circuits affect the electric field strength in the sleeping area. Goal: Body voltage should be less than 100 millivolts, and preferably less than 10 millivolts.
|
|
Electric field testing measures electric field strength using an electric field meter. The sleeping area is carefully surveyed until all sources are identified. Goal: Electric field strength should be less
than 10 volts per meter and preferably less than i volt per meter.
AC Magnetic Fields
Magnetic fields travel unimpeded through almost any material. Alternating magnetic fields cause eddy currents (the induction effect) in the human body and can lead to abnormal nerve, bone, and muscle stimulation.0^ Therefore, appliances such as refrigerators, freezers, swimming pool pumps, and breaker boxes should be located far from sleeping areas. A survey will help establish safe distances fromTV sets, electric baseboard heating elements, and clock radios. Additional problems of net currents on building wiring and plumbing systems are a reality, especially in urban areas. The resulting elevated magnetic fields need to be carefully traced and eliminated.
A gaussmeter or tesla meter is used to survey the sleeping area for elevated magnetic fields. These meters can be either a single-axis or triaxial instrument. Goal: Less than 200 nanoteslas (2 milligauss), and preferably less than 20 nanoteslas (o.2milligauss).
Since net current causes magnetic fields, the other main measuring instrument is the ammeter. Once the identified internal magnetic fields are removed by turning off the power, a clamp — on ammeter is used to measure current on the grounding system, especially the water service supply, TV cables, telephone lines, and even the air conditioning system’s Freon lines. Typical values are less than 150 milliamperes.
