Asbestos Diagnosis Ecublens

Ecublens: a university campus and residential districts facing asbestos risk

Ecublens is a municipality in western Lausanne whose identity is deeply shaped by the presence of the campus of the École Polytechnique Fédérale de Lausanne (EPFL) and the University of Lausanne (UNIL). This campus, one of the largest in Switzerland, was developed from the 1970s over a vast perimeter, with institutional buildings, laboratories, lecture halls and student residences that fall squarely within the period of asbestos risk.

The first EPFL campus buildings, constructed in the 1970s and 1980s, used the standard building materials and construction techniques of the time. The large teaching rooms and laboratories of this generation present configurations typical of institutional buildings of the period: sprayed coatings in spaces with high acoustic requirements, fibre cement or suspended tile false ceilings, vinyl floors over large surfaces, asbestos-cement ventilation ducts. These buildings are subject to progressive renovation programmes, all of which must be preceded by appropriate diagnoses.

Student residences constructed in the 1970s–1985 close to the campus constitute a specific category: these collective temporary-housing buildings present the standard materials of dense residential construction of the period, with often standardised and repetitive configurations that simplify diagnosis through representative sampling.

The residential districts of Ecublens developed from the 1970s to house the families of students and teaching staff, as well as the working population of the Lausanne agglomeration, constitute the third category: villas and small buildings from the 1970s–1985, clearly within the full period of asbestos risk.

Which buildings are concerned in Ecublens?

Ecublens presents three main typologies of potentially asbestos-containing built fabric, with very different configurations depending on their function.

EPFL/UNIL campus institutional buildings

First-generation campus buildings constructed in the 1970s–1985 are the most directly concerned. Large-capacity lecture halls and teaching rooms were often treated with sprayed acoustic materials or fibre cement false ceilings. Laboratories present specific configurations: large-diameter ventilation ducts, removable false ceilings with fibre cement tiles, lightweight partition walls between workbenches.

Administrative buildings and office spaces on the campus from the 1975–1985 period present vinyl floor tiles, suspended tile false ceilings and lightweight interior partitions based on asbestos-containing boards. These buildings are subject to phased renovation programmes requiring zone-by-zone diagnoses.

Student residences and collective housing

Student residences constructed in the 1970s–1985 close to the campus present standardised residential configurations: vinyl tiles in rooms and corridors, asbestos-cement ventilation ducts, fibre cement on spandrel panels and facades, collective boiler rooms with riser column lagging. The standardisation of these buildings facilitates diagnoses through representative sampling.

Residential districts

Villas and small residential buildings constructed in the 1970s–1985 in the inhabited districts of Ecublens present the standard materials of residential construction from this period: fibre cement on roofs and facades, vinyl tiles, tile adhesives, pipe insulation.

Common asbestos-containing materials in Ecublens

Ecublens’s built fabric from the 1970–1985 period presents a range of materials characteristic of institutional and residential construction of that decade:

• Fibre cement tile or suspended tile false ceilings in institutional buildings
• Vinyl-asbestos floor tiles in corridors, offices and residences
• Laying adhesives for vinyl tiles and floor coverings
• Asbestos-cement ventilation ducts of various diameters
• Lightweight asbestos-cement partition boards in office and laboratory spaces
• Sprayed acoustic insulation in lecture halls and high acoustic-demand spaces
• Fibre cement sheets on facades and spandrel panels of institutional and residential buildings
• Lagging on collective heating networks in large residences and institutional buildings
• Waterproofing membranes on large flat roofs
• Sprayed fireproofing products on load-bearing structures of multi-storey buildings

Technical rooms in large institutional buildings — heating substations, central ventilation shafts — often concentrate the most friable materials.

Regulations applicable in Ecublens

Ecublens is located in the canton of Vaud. The pre-works asbestos diagnosis report (AvT) is a mandatory component of the building permit application file for any building predating 1991. This report must be prepared by a recognised FACH expert and must not be more than three years old at the time of submitting the application.

For EPFL/UNIL campus buildings, the federal obligations linked to the status of a federal institution apply, but the logic of prior diagnosis is identical: any construction site liable to disturb asbestos-containing materials must be preceded by adequate investigation. Campus building management services generally apply their own asbestos management procedures, aligned with best practices.

For private buildings and student residences, Vaud cantonal rules apply in full. Developers and property managers managing student housing or residences from the 1970s–1985 period are well advised to have a comprehensive diagnosis of their building stock to plan forthcoming renovations.

Neighbouring communes served

We operate in Ecublens and all neighbouring communes:

• Lausanne (Chavannes, Prélaz)
• Renens
• Prilly
• Chavannes-près-Renens
• Saint-Sulpice
• Crissier

Frequently asked questions about asbestos diagnosis in Ecublens

Are EPFL buildings subject to the same cantonal rules on asbestos as private buildings?

EPFL, as a federal institution, is subject to federal legislation on workplace safety and applicable ordinances, in particular OTConst. In practice, EPFL’s technical services apply internal asbestos management procedures aligned with federal and cantonal requirements. For buildings subject to ordinary cantonal authorisations within the campus perimeter, Vaud rules apply.

My student residence built in 1978 in Ecublens is to be renovated. How should the diagnosis be organised to minimise disruption?

For an occupied student residence, the diagnosis can be organised zone by zone or building by building to minimise disruptions. The expert can work outside lecture hours and examination periods. For sampling in occupied rooms, coordination with residence management allows access to temporarily vacant rooms or the scheduling of sampling during academic holidays.

My apartment in a student residence in Ecublens has floor tiles that appear old. How can I tell if they contain asbestos?

Sampling and laboratory analysis are the only reliable method to determine this. Visually, vinyl tiles from the 1970s–1985 may present typical characteristics — 30x30 cm dimensions, colour, texture — but appearance alone cannot be conclusive. If you are planning to replace them, prior diagnosis is mandatory.

For a project converting a 1980s building into residences in Ecublens, what is the recommended sequence of preliminary studies?

The recommended sequence is: first an asbestos diagnosis (and potentially a multi-pollutant diagnosis if the building dates from the 1955–1975 period) to identify materials to be managed, then an estimate of decontamination costs integrated into the project budget, then submission of the building permit with the AvT report. This sequence avoids unforeseen issues during the construction phase and allows asbestos-related constraints to be anticipated in the design of the conversion project.

Can the asbestos report for a campus building be reused for several successive phases of works?

Yes, provided the report is comprehensive, covers all zones concerned by all phases of works, and is less than three years old at the time of submitting each permit application. For large institutional buildings with phased renovation programmes, it is often advisable to carry out a single exhaustive comprehensive diagnosis, which will serve as the reference document for the entire renovation programme.