The headlines have eased. The problem has not.
Reinforced autoclaved aerated concrete (RAAC) was widely used across the UK between the 1950s and 1990s, predominantly in public buildings such as schools, hospitals, and civic facilities. Concerns about its structural integrity were first raised by the Building Research Establishment in 1996, and in 2022 the Office of Government Property confirmed that RAAC is now life-expired and liable to collapse without warning.
The issue came to national attention in 2023 when over 100 schools were unable to open at the start of term. While the initial emergency has passed, the scale of the remediation challenge ahead remains significant. Across England, 234 education settings have confirmed RAAC, with 119 requiring complex remediation or full rebuilds. The majority of affected schools are still awaiting full removal or remediation. In the NHS, the government has committed to clearing all RAAC from the estate by 2035, but the number of confirmed sites may still rise as surveys continue.
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What building owners and estate managers should do
RICS guidance is clear, where RAAC is suspected, building owners should appoint a suitably experienced specialist, such as an RICS Chartered Building Surveyor or Chartered Structural Engineer, to carry out a detailed inspection without delay. That inspection should:
- Confirm whether RAAC is present
- Assess its current condition
- Identify appropriate management or remediation strategies
Acting early matters. Where RAAC is confirmed, the options available, from temporary propping and managed occupation through to phased removal and rebuild, depend heavily on the condition of the material and the nature of the building. The longer action is deferred, the fewer options remain.
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Our recent projects:
Bromley High School – Education
Following a drone survey of all roofs, there was no deflections noted at the time of inspection, but we later on found there to be RAAC, our Building Surveyors worked with The Girls’ Day School Trust to facilitate emergency removal works as quickly as possible. Chartered Building Surveyors from our London office provided management protocols and safety measures for continuous monitoring throughout. We:
- Managed the construction of a temporary teaching facility.
- Procured a contractor under a Pre-Construction Services Agreement.
- Provided Roof Condition Surveys, Procurement Strategy, Quantity Surveying, Project Management, and CDM Principal Designer services from RIBA Stage 0 through to completion.
Temporary props were installed to support the existing roof while works were arranged, allowing the school to manage communication with pupils and parents while maintaining health and safety throughout.
London Borough of Bromley – Public Estate
We undertook RAAC inspections across a range of buildings owned by London Borough of Bromley, including offices, libraries, leisure centres, care homes, community halls, and social care buildings. Our team determined whether RAAC had been used in construction and arranged development works where required.
A particular strength of our approach was the speed of response once RAAC was identified. RAAC was identified on a Tuesday, and by Saturday of the same week a temporary support structure had been designed, structurally signed off, and fully erected, demonstrating our ability to mobilise quickly and keep buildings safe and operational with minimal disruption.
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How Potter Raper can help
Our Building Surveying team supports schools, NHS trusts, local authorities, and public sector estate managers across every stage of the RAAC process:
- Condition surveys and RAAC identification assessments
- Technical reporting and remediation advice
- Procurement strategy and contractor engagement
- Laser scanning and measuring data services
- Comprehensive BIM (Building Information Modelling) services
- High-quality aerial footage and drone surveying
If you manage public sector buildings and have not yet confirmed your position on RAAC, we are here to help your risk, plan proportionate action and communicate clearly with stakeholders.
If you would like to discuss RAAC in your estate, please contact our team – https://potterraper.co.uk/contact/
Listen. Solve. Deliver.
