RAAC- A way out of the Concrete Crisis

September 2023, and what should be a positive start to a new school year has seen news headlines dominated by RAAC – The Concrete Crisis. 

FPM is all about solutions and we wanted to share our thoughts on how those in charge of public buildings can address this issue.

A bit of background

RAAC, which is short for Reinforced Autoclaved Aerated Concrete, was used in public buildings in the 60s and 70s as a lightweight and cheaper alternative to traditional concrete. In particular it can be found in schools, hospitals and council buildings.

Although lightweight, beams made from RAAC were strong and so seemed the perfect solution for supporting roofing structures, particularly in builds with a restrictive budget.

Fast forward 50 years and the reality of what appeared to be a dream material has turned into a nightmare for some building owners. Over time moisture has seeped into these beams, compromising on its fundamental structure and causing weaknesses, putting buildings at risk.

FPM’s thoughts

Condition Surveys – a regular maintenance survey may not pick up any structural issues, but a condition survey would. Although your building contains RAAC, it could still be structurally sound. Implementing these regular surveys would monitor the condition of your building. This would in turn allow you to budget and put plans in place to carry out work as and when required. In addition to condition surveys and in response to client needs, we have launched a concrete health-check service.

Re-purposing – this is one of our favourite topics! We have worked on countless projects transforming unused or under-used spaces. A simple re-configuration to extend or maintain occupancy levels could free up areas where there may be a structural risk. This would then enable you to carry out more extensive structural work as and when your budget allows to rectify any issues.

FPM has many years of experience working with public buildings and are here to help you. If you would like a no-obligation chat about how you can approach this issue, please contact us via our website form or call the office on 02476 469605.