CIAT statement on Reinforced Autoclaved Aerated Concrete (RAAC)

In light of the recent government announcement that approximately 104 schools or "settings" in England have been found with Reinforced Autoclaved Aerated Concrete (RAAC) and are set to be closed or disrupted, the Construction Industry Council (CIC), of which CIAT is a member has made the following statement:

"...CIC member bodies with expertise in this area are committed to working with government and building operators to identify those buildings where RAAC may be present, and to providing appropriate professional guidance on remedial action to make the buildings and those who should be occupying them safe.

"The recent National Audit Office report gives an indication of the extent of the problem in schools and hospitals. We believe that 24 hospitals have been found to contain it and around 156 schools. It is present in some other forms of construction, but not prevalent. There appears to be no available data on other buildings."

The government has published information about RAAC in education settings here and about NHS buildings here.

The Institution of Structural Engineers (IStructE) has provided comprehensive information and guidance, available here.

^{Photo credit: Marco Bernardini}