{ "collection": "shielding", "name": "Shielding & remediation", "description": "Shielding material classes and remediation measures with datasheet attenuation, grounding requirements, and documented failure modes.", "count": 10, "dataVersion": "2026.08.1", "lastVerified": "2026-08-12", "license": { "name": "CC BY 4.0", "url": "https://creativecommons.org/licenses/by/4.0/" }, "records": [ { "id": "shielding:shielding-fabric", "collection": "shielding", "slug": "fabric", "name": "Metallised shielding fabric (silver or copper on polyester)", "summary": "Curtains, bed canopies and clothing woven with silver or copper, typically quoted at 30–50 dB across the cellular and Wi-Fi bands — enough to remove 99.9% of incident power density when installed without gaps.", "status": "verified", "lastVerified": "2026-08-12", "data": { "aliases": [ "EMF fabric", "shielding curtain", "bed canopy", "faraday fabric" ], "form": "fabric", "attenuation": { "value": 30, "max": 50, "band": "roughly 900 MHz – 6 GHz, datasheet values for flat samples", "sourceIds": [ "sbm-2024" ] }, "targets": [ "radiofrequency" ], "requiresGrounding": false, "failureModes": [ "Any unclosed gap dominates the result: a canopy left open at one edge can measure barely better than no canopy", "Silver coatings degrade with washing, abrasion and perspiration; conductivity loss is invisible", "Reflective by design — a partially enclosed space can raise levels inside it if a transmitter is inside the enclosure", "Grounding a canopy does nothing for RF and can create a low-frequency electric-field problem if done incorrectly" ], "related": [ "quantities:attenuation", "protocols:shielding-verification" ] }, "sources": [ { "id": "sbm-2024", "title": "Building Biology Evaluation Guidelines for Sleeping Areas (SBM-2024)", "publisher": "Institut für Baubiologie + Nachhaltigkeit (IBN)", "url": "https://buildingbiology.com/site/downloads/SBM-2024_EVALUATION_GUIDELINES_EN.pdf", "year": 2024, "kind": "ngo", "retrieved": "2026-08-12" } ], "links": { "self": "https://emfbase.com/api/shielding/fabric", "html": "https://emfbase.com/shielding/fabric", "markdown": "https://emfbase.com/shielding/fabric.md", "collection": "https://emfbase.com/api/shielding" } }, { "id": "shielding:shielding-paint", "collection": "shielding", "slug": "paint", "name": "Carbon or nickel shielding paint", "summary": "A conductive coating applied to walls and ceilings, quoted at 30–40 dB in the cellular bands; it must be bonded to a grounded conductive strip to also control low-frequency electric fields.", "status": "verified", "lastVerified": "2026-08-12", "data": { "aliases": [ "EMF paint", "shielding primer", "carbon paint", "Y-Shield" ], "form": "paint", "attenuation": { "value": 30, "max": 40, "band": "roughly 900 MHz – 6 GHz, two coats, datasheet values", "sourceIds": [ "sbm-2024" ] }, "targets": [ "radiofrequency", "elf-electric" ], "requiresGrounding": true, "failureModes": [ "Ungrounded conductive paint can raise the AC electric field in the room by acting as a floating conductor", "Windows, doors and service penetrations bypass the coating entirely — the wall is rarely the dominant path", "Coating one wall while the signal arrives through the window produces no measurable improvement", "Overpainting with metallic or foil-backed products changes the result unpredictably" ], "related": [ "shielding:window-film", "protocols:shielding-verification" ] }, "sources": [ { "id": "sbm-2024", "title": "Building Biology Evaluation Guidelines for Sleeping Areas (SBM-2024)", "publisher": "Institut für Baubiologie + Nachhaltigkeit (IBN)", "url": "https://buildingbiology.com/site/downloads/SBM-2024_EVALUATION_GUIDELINES_EN.pdf", "year": 2024, "kind": "ngo", "retrieved": "2026-08-12" } ], "links": { "self": "https://emfbase.com/api/shielding/paint", "html": "https://emfbase.com/shielding/paint", "markdown": "https://emfbase.com/shielding/paint.md", "collection": "https://emfbase.com/api/shielding" } }, { "id": "shielding:shielding-window-film", "collection": "shielding", "slug": "window-film", "name": "RF-attenuating window film", "summary": "A metallised film bonded to glazing, typically quoted at 20–35 dB, and usually the highest-value single intervention because glass is the dominant entry path for outdoor RF.", "status": "verified", "lastVerified": "2026-08-12", "data": { "aliases": [ "EMF window film", "metallised film", "solar shielding film" ], "form": "film", "attenuation": { "value": 20, "max": 35, "band": "roughly 900 MHz – 6 GHz, datasheet values", "sourceIds": [ "sbm-2024" ] }, "targets": [ "radiofrequency" ], "requiresGrounding": false, "failureModes": [ "Attenuates mobile reception inside the room as well, which is often discovered after installation", "Frame and reveal leakage limits the achievable result; film stops at the glass edge", "Some films void glazing warranties or cause thermal stress on toughened units", "Low-E glazing already provides significant attenuation, so the marginal gain can be small — measure first" ], "related": [ "emitters:macro-cell-tower", "emitters:5g-small-cell" ] }, "sources": [ { "id": "sbm-2024", "title": "Building Biology Evaluation Guidelines for Sleeping Areas (SBM-2024)", "publisher": "Institut für Baubiologie + Nachhaltigkeit (IBN)", "url": "https://buildingbiology.com/site/downloads/SBM-2024_EVALUATION_GUIDELINES_EN.pdf", "year": 2024, "kind": "ngo", "retrieved": "2026-08-12" } ], "links": { "self": "https://emfbase.com/api/shielding/window-film", "html": "https://emfbase.com/shielding/window-film", "markdown": "https://emfbase.com/shielding/window-film.md", "collection": "https://emfbase.com/api/shielding" } }, { "id": "shielding:shielding-mesh", "collection": "shielding", "slug": "mesh", "name": "Metal mesh and expanded-metal screen", "summary": "Woven or expanded metal used in wall build-ups, vents and window screens; attenuation depends on aperture size relative to wavelength, so a mesh that works at 900 MHz can leak badly at 5 GHz.", "status": "verified", "lastVerified": "2026-08-12", "data": { "aliases": [ "faraday mesh", "shielding screen", "wire mesh" ], "form": "mesh", "attenuation": { "value": 20, "max": 40, "band": "aperture dependent; performance degrades as wavelength approaches aperture size", "sourceIds": [ "sbm-2024" ] }, "targets": [ "radiofrequency" ], "requiresGrounding": true, "failureModes": [ "Aperture too large for the frequency of interest: mesh is a low-pass structure", "Panels not bonded to each other, leaving slot antennas at every seam", "Corrosion at fixings destroys electrical continuity over time" ], "related": [ "quantities:attenuation" ] }, "sources": [ { "id": "sbm-2024", "title": "Building Biology Evaluation Guidelines for Sleeping Areas (SBM-2024)", "publisher": "Institut für Baubiologie + Nachhaltigkeit (IBN)", "url": "https://buildingbiology.com/site/downloads/SBM-2024_EVALUATION_GUIDELINES_EN.pdf", "year": 2024, "kind": "ngo", "retrieved": "2026-08-12" } ], "links": { "self": "https://emfbase.com/api/shielding/mesh", "html": "https://emfbase.com/shielding/mesh", "markdown": "https://emfbase.com/shielding/mesh.md", "collection": "https://emfbase.com/api/shielding" } }, { "id": "shielding:shielding-foil", "collection": "shielding", "slug": "foil", "name": "Aluminium foil and foil-faced board", "summary": "A continuous metal layer is a near-perfect RF barrier in principle — 40 dB and better — but seams, staples and penetrations mean installed performance is governed entirely by workmanship.", "status": "verified", "lastVerified": "2026-08-12", "data": { "aliases": [ "aluminium foil shielding", "foil insulation board" ], "form": "foil", "attenuation": { "value": 30, "max": 60, "band": "broadband, workmanship dominated", "sourceIds": [ "sbm-2024" ] }, "targets": [ "radiofrequency" ], "requiresGrounding": true, "failureModes": [ "Unbonded seams behave as slot apertures and can leak more than the surrounding material blocks", "Creates a vapour barrier where none was designed, risking condensation inside the build-up", "Ungrounded foil can increase AC electric field readings in the room" ], "related": [ "shielding:paint" ] }, "sources": [ { "id": "sbm-2024", "title": "Building Biology Evaluation Guidelines for Sleeping Areas (SBM-2024)", "publisher": "Institut für Baubiologie + Nachhaltigkeit (IBN)", "url": "https://buildingbiology.com/site/downloads/SBM-2024_EVALUATION_GUIDELINES_EN.pdf", "year": 2024, "kind": "ngo", "retrieved": "2026-08-12" } ], "links": { "self": "https://emfbase.com/api/shielding/foil", "html": "https://emfbase.com/shielding/foil", "markdown": "https://emfbase.com/shielding/foil.md", "collection": "https://emfbase.com/api/shielding" } }, { "id": "shielding:shielding-mu-metal", "collection": "shielding", "slug": "high-permeability-alloy", "name": "High-permeability alloy (mu-metal) magnetic shielding", "summary": "The only material class that meaningfully attenuates power-frequency magnetic fields, and even then typically by a factor of two to five in a retrofit — which is why distance and source correction are preferred.", "status": "verified", "lastVerified": "2026-08-12", "data": { "aliases": [ "mu metal", "magnetic shielding", "nickel iron alloy" ], "form": "paneling", "attenuation": { "value": 3, "max": 14, "band": "50/60 Hz magnetic; roughly a factor of 1.5–5 in field strength for practical retrofits", "sourceIds": [ "niehs-emf" ] }, "targets": [ "elf-magnetic" ], "requiresGrounding": false, "failureModes": [ "Performance collapses if the sheet is bent, drilled or mechanically shocked after annealing", "Saturates in strong fields, at which point it stops shielding", "Only useful for compact, well-defined sources; useless against a whole-house net-current fault", "Cost per square metre is orders of magnitude above RF materials for a much smaller benefit" ], "related": [ "emitters:transmission-line", "quantities:magnetic-flux-density" ] }, "sources": [ { "id": "niehs-emf", "title": "Electric and Magnetic Fields", "publisher": "National Institute of Environmental Health Sciences", "url": "https://www.niehs.nih.gov/health/topics/agents/emf", "kind": "government", "retrieved": "2026-08-12" }, { "id": "sbm-2024", "title": "Building Biology Evaluation Guidelines for Sleeping Areas (SBM-2024)", "publisher": "Institut für Baubiologie + Nachhaltigkeit (IBN)", "url": "https://buildingbiology.com/site/downloads/SBM-2024_EVALUATION_GUIDELINES_EN.pdf", "year": 2024, "kind": "ngo", "retrieved": "2026-08-12" } ], "links": { "self": "https://emfbase.com/api/shielding/high-permeability-alloy", "html": "https://emfbase.com/shielding/high-permeability-alloy", "markdown": "https://emfbase.com/shielding/high-permeability-alloy.md", "collection": "https://emfbase.com/api/shielding" } }, { "id": "shielding:shielding-demand-switch", "collection": "shielding", "slug": "demand-switch", "name": "Demand switch (Netzfreischalter)", "summary": "A relay in the consumer unit that de-energises a circuit when no load is drawing current and re-energises it when a switch is thrown, eliminating the bedroom AC electric field overnight.", "status": "verified", "lastVerified": "2026-08-12", "data": { "aliases": [ "Netzfreischalter", "automatic circuit cutoff", "demand shutoff" ], "form": "filter", "targets": [ "elf-electric" ], "requiresGrounding": false, "failureModes": [ "Does nothing for magnetic fields, RF, or circuits other than the one it controls", "Standby loads on the protected circuit keep it energised, defeating the purpose", "Requires a qualified electrician and must not be fitted to circuits serving safety devices such as alarms or medical equipment" ], "related": [ "emitters:bedroom-wiring-electric-field", "limits:sbm-2024-electric-bands" ] }, "sources": [ { "id": "sbm-2024", "title": "Building Biology Evaluation Guidelines for Sleeping Areas (SBM-2024)", "publisher": "Institut für Baubiologie + Nachhaltigkeit (IBN)", "url": "https://buildingbiology.com/site/downloads/SBM-2024_EVALUATION_GUIDELINES_EN.pdf", "year": 2024, "kind": "ngo", "retrieved": "2026-08-12" } ], "links": { "self": "https://emfbase.com/api/shielding/demand-switch", "html": "https://emfbase.com/shielding/demand-switch", "markdown": "https://emfbase.com/shielding/demand-switch.md", "collection": "https://emfbase.com/api/shielding" } }, { "id": "shielding:shielding-line-filter", "collection": "shielding", "slug": "line-filter", "name": "Plug-in line filter (dirty-electricity filter)", "summary": "A capacitive filter that shunts high-frequency harmonics on a circuit; effects are circuit-specific, can shift harmonics rather than remove them, and can raise magnetic fields near the filter itself.", "status": "provisional", "lastVerified": "2026-08-12", "data": { "aliases": [ "dirty electricity filter", "Greenwave filter", "Stetzerizer filter" ], "form": "filter", "targets": [ "dirty-electricity" ], "requiresGrounding": false, "failureModes": [ "Filters draw current, which raises the local magnetic field around the socket they occupy", "Can move harmonic energy to a different frequency band instead of removing it, improving one index while worsening another", "No recognised exposure unit to verify against; the common proprietary index is not an exposure metric", "Fixing the source (dimmer, driver, inverter) is cheaper and permanent" ], "related": [ "emitters:dimmer-switch", "meters:dirty-electricity-meter" ] }, "sources": [ { "id": "sbm-2024", "title": "Building Biology Evaluation Guidelines for Sleeping Areas (SBM-2024)", "publisher": "Institut für Baubiologie + Nachhaltigkeit (IBN)", "url": "https://buildingbiology.com/site/downloads/SBM-2024_EVALUATION_GUIDELINES_EN.pdf", "year": 2024, "kind": "ngo", "retrieved": "2026-08-12" } ], "links": { "self": "https://emfbase.com/api/shielding/line-filter", "html": "https://emfbase.com/shielding/line-filter", "markdown": "https://emfbase.com/shielding/line-filter.md", "collection": "https://emfbase.com/api/shielding" } }, { "id": "shielding:shielding-shielded-cable", "collection": "shielding", "slug": "shielded-cable", "name": "Shielded mains cable and shielded conduit", "summary": "Screened NYM-style cable or metal conduit with a grounded screen removes the AC electric field at source, and is the correct fix during construction or rewiring.", "status": "verified", "lastVerified": "2026-08-12", "data": { "aliases": [ "screened cable", "shielded romex", "metal conduit" ], "form": "paneling", "targets": [ "elf-electric" ], "requiresGrounding": true, "failureModes": [ "The screen must be bonded to protective earth at one defined point; an unbonded screen provides no benefit", "Does not reduce magnetic fields — those come from current, not from the conductor's field", "Only effective for the runs actually replaced; a single unshielded lamp flex can dominate the room again" ], "related": [ "emitters:bedroom-wiring-electric-field", "shielding:demand-switch" ] }, "sources": [ { "id": "sbm-2024", "title": "Building Biology Evaluation Guidelines for Sleeping Areas (SBM-2024)", "publisher": "Institut für Baubiologie + Nachhaltigkeit (IBN)", "url": "https://buildingbiology.com/site/downloads/SBM-2024_EVALUATION_GUIDELINES_EN.pdf", "year": 2024, "kind": "ngo", "retrieved": "2026-08-12" } ], "links": { "self": "https://emfbase.com/api/shielding/shielded-cable", "html": "https://emfbase.com/shielding/shielded-cable", "markdown": "https://emfbase.com/shielding/shielded-cable.md", "collection": "https://emfbase.com/api/shielding" } }, { "id": "shielding:shielding-ethernet-conversion", "collection": "shielding", "slug": "wired-conversion", "name": "Wired conversion (Ethernet, corded peripherals)", "summary": "Replacing radios with cable is the only measure that removes an RF source instead of attenuating it, and it is usually cheaper than shielding the room the source sits in.", "status": "verified", "lastVerified": "2026-08-12", "data": { "aliases": [ "hardwiring", "ethernet instead of wifi" ], "form": "filter", "targets": [ "radiofrequency" ], "requiresGrounding": false, "failureModes": [ "Devices often keep their radios on after being cabled; the radio must be explicitly disabled", "Power-line networking adapters replace an RF source with a conducted-harmonics source", "Unshielded patch cable near a bed can carry common-mode noise; use shielded cable and a single bonding point" ], "related": [ "emitters:wifi-router", "emitters:wifi-security-camera" ] }, "sources": [ { "id": "sbm-2024", "title": "Building Biology Evaluation Guidelines for Sleeping Areas (SBM-2024)", "publisher": "Institut für Baubiologie + Nachhaltigkeit (IBN)", "url": "https://buildingbiology.com/site/downloads/SBM-2024_EVALUATION_GUIDELINES_EN.pdf", "year": 2024, "kind": "ngo", "retrieved": "2026-08-12" } ], "links": { "self": "https://emfbase.com/api/shielding/wired-conversion", "html": "https://emfbase.com/shielding/wired-conversion", "markdown": "https://emfbase.com/shielding/wired-conversion.md", "collection": "https://emfbase.com/api/shielding" } } ] }