Schools across the country are in poor condition, with many containing asbestos or in need of urgent repairs. Graphic: Raac panels What is the overall condition of school buildings in England? Surveys to determine the presence and condition of the Raac used in the buildings have been taking place since March last year. Have there been warnings?Īttention turned to the use of the material in schools in 2018 when the roof of a primary school in Kent collapsed 24 hours after signs of structural stress began to appear.įour schools in Essex and the north-east of England were shut in April and June after RAAC was discovered in their ceilings, according to Schools Week, a digital newspaper. The material is also prone to collapse when wet, which can happen if there are leaks in a building’s roof. The danger has previously been considered so great that a number of schools have had to close, either fully or partly, while others have required emergency propping up owing to fears of collapse. It has a life expectancy of little more than 30 years and this means buildings constructed from the 1950s to the 1990s that have not been checked by structural engineers are at risk of collapse. Why is it dangerous?Įxperts say the building material is less durable than reinforced concrete and deteriorates over time, so is susceptible to sudden failure. More than a third (38%) of school buildings (24,000) are past their estimated design lifespan, according to the NAO. The number of schools at risk was expected to increase significantly when the results of surveys of 572 schools with suspected Raac were completed by the Department for Education (DfE). A National Audit Office (NAO) report earlier this year said the concrete had been confirmed in at least 65 schools in England after 196 completed surveys, with 24 requiring emergency action. Schools, hospitals and various other public buildings from the 1950s to the mid-1990s were built using Raac. The material was favoured in construction projects because of its lightweight, thermal properties. It looks like standard concrete but compared with the “traditional” reinforced material, which is typically denser, Raac is weak and less durable. Raac is a lightweight, bubbly form of concrete that is usually found in roofs and occasionally in walls and floors.
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