Richtwerte

Richtwerte are guideline values or reference values used to support planning, evaluation, and risk assessment in various fields such as environmental protection, urban planning, occupational safety, and consumer protection. They represent recommended levels or conditions deemed acceptable under typical circumstances, but they are not legally binding. They serve as baselines for comparing actual measurements and for setting targets.

Richtwerte are typically derived from scientific evidence and expert judgment and may be issued by government agencies, professional associations, or standards bodies. Because they are guidelines, they can be context-dependent, time-sensitive, and subject to revision as knowledge advances. They often differ from Grenzwerte, which are legally binding limit values. Richtwerte may form the basis for policy objectives, building codes, or public health advisories, and they may be used to determine when corrective actions are warranted.

Common domains include indoor air quality (guideline concentrations of pollutants), noise exposure in residential and work environments, daylight and thermal comfort in buildings, energy-efficiency targets, and radiation or UV exposure in non-occupational contexts. In practice, authorities may set legally binding values that refer to or incorporate Richtwerte, or they may encourage adherence to Richtwerte where no binding limits exist.

Critically, Richtwerte should be interpreted as planning aids rather than strict standards; they reflect a balance of safety, practicality, and cost. They require periodic review and transparent justification.

See also Grenzwerte, Zielwerte, Normen, Umweltstandards.