Unsafe concrete disaster may prolong to different public buildings, consultants warn

The disaster over unsafe concrete in colleges might prolong past the training sector to different forms of public buildings, consultants have warned.

They say the size of the issue with bolstered autoclaved aerated concrete (RAAC) is “much bigger than schools” and will embody hospitals, police stations, and court docket buildings.

Even non-public sector websites resembling purchasing centres and residential tower blocks may be impacted, consultants say.

Meanwhile, Labour MP Dame Meg Hillier, chairwoman of parliament’s Public Accounts Committee, has warned the problems with RAAC in colleges are simply the “tip of the iceberg” of upkeep points for websites throughout England.

It comes after 104 colleges and faculties had been informed by the Department for Education (DfE) to partially or absolutely shut buildings simply days earlier than the beginning of the brand new faculty yr over fears concerning the security of services constructed with RAAC.

Labour has referred to as for an “urgent audit” throughout the general public sector property, whereas the Liberal Democrats say the general public have to be given “urgent clarity” over whether or not hospital wards and buildings may be pressured to shut.

Politics newest: More school rooms may shut over collapsing concrete fears

RAAC is basically a lighter-weight type of concrete, used to construct roofs, colleges, faculties and different buildings from the Nineteen Fifties till the mid-Nineties,

But consultants worry that the fabric has now reached the top of its shelf life and is liable to break down.

Though not confirmed, it’s estimated that round 24 colleges in England have been informed to shut solely due to the presence of RAAC.

Schools minister Nick Gibb has admitted extra may very well be requested to close school rooms.

But the issue may very well be far wider than simply colleges, consultants say, with different buildings liable to “sudden and catastrophic collapse” if RAAC shouldn’t be eliminated.

Chris Goodier, professor of building engineering and supplies at Loughborough University, stated the “scale of the problem is much bigger than schools”.

He says it may cowl public sectors together with well being, defence, and justice, in addition to some non-public sector buildings.

NHS suppliers have already recognized 14 hospitals, which had been constructed “either wholly or in major part with RAAC”. Seven of those are thought of “critical” and never match for function past 2030.

Three buildings operated by Police Scotland have additionally been discovered to include RAAC after an investigation of 65 constructions.

Matt Byatt, president of the Institution of Structural Engineers, says any high-rise buildings with flat roofs constructed between the late Nineteen Sixties and early Nineties may additionally include RAAC.

According to Dame Meg, the DfE has been conscious of a “significant problem” with RAAC since a roof collapse in 2018.

She warns that this week’s announcement may have a “significant impact” on the division’s wider faculty upkeep programmes.

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In an opinion piece in The Times newspaper, she writes: “At our hearing in July it was clear that officials were being thorough with the proportion of school buildings they were working on, including the surveys of 600 schools with RAAC which have led to this week’s decision.

“But that is the tip of the iceberg of a failing faculty property in England. Most of the 700,000 pupils at the moment being educated in substandard buildings will not be in RAAC buildings and can now be ready longer for the enhancements they want.”

Around 104 colleges or “settings” in England discovered with concrete liable to collapse are set to be closed or disrupted – on high of 52 which have already been affected this yr.

The authorities says the faculties wanted to shut due to security fears, which have arisen on account of concrete failing “with no warning”.

While the DfE has beforehand centered on remediation, Mr Gibb says the division is now taking the “cautious approach” that the entire concrete needs to be eliminated.

Labour is looking on ministers to “come clean” and publish the complete record of colleges that shall be impacted, as they haven’t but been publicly named.

It has additionally accused the federal government of “neglect and incompetence” over their dealing with of the problem.

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