A vent pipe is a core component of a passive sub-slab depressurization (SSD) system, which is a fundamental radon-resistant new construction (RRNC) technique. This method involves installing a pipe through the foundation slab into a gas-permeable layer (e.g., gravel) below. The pipe extends up through the building and vents above the roofline. This creates a pathway for radon and other soil gases to be safely exhausted outdoors via natural stack effect, preventing them from accumulating and entering the home's interior. This technique is a primary requirement in the LEED for Homes rating system under the Environmental Quality (EQ) prerequisite for radon control.

B. Pressurized basement or crawlspace to prevent gases from entering the home: This is incorrect. Radon mitigation focuses on depressurizing the area beneath the slab relative to the indoor air, not pressurizing the living space.

C. Perforated foundation slab to allow air circulation: This would directly contradict the goal of radon resistance. The foundation slab must be solid and meticulously sealed to act as a barrier against soil gas entry.

D. Continuously operating bath fans to remove gases from inside the home: While ventilation can dilute indoor radon, this is a mitigation measure, not a foundational radon-resistant construction technique. It addresses the symptom, not the source pathway.

1. U.S. Environmental Protection Agency (EPA). (2019). Building Radon Out: A Step-by-Step Guide on How to Build Radon-Resistant Homes. EPA 402/K-19/001. Section 5, "Install a Passive Subslab Depressurization System," pp. 13-15. This section explicitly details the installation of a vent pipe as the central component for exhausting soil gases.

2. U.S. Green Building Council. (2021). LEED v4.1 Homes and Multifamily Rating System. EQ Prerequisite: Radon-Resistant Construction for New Construction. The prerequisite requires projects in high-radon-potential counties to install radon-resistant features, referencing EPA and AARST standards which specify sub-slab depressurization systems, including the vent pipe.

3. Hens, H. S. L. C. (2011). Building Physics - Heat, Air and Moisture: Fundamentals and Engineering Methods with Examples and Exercises. Wiley. Chapter 10, Section 10.4.3 "Radon," discusses control strategies, highlighting sub-slab depressurization as the most effective method for new construction. (DOI: https://doi.org/10.1002/9783527634143.ch10)