Updated: 24th September, 2024
Created: 13th September, 2023
Robert joined Barker in 2002 and is a Partner based in our Braintree office. A Fellow of the Royal Institution of Chartered Surveyors, he has over 20 years’ experience of all core building surveying services and provides strategic estates advice to key accounts in the education, commercial, ecclesiastical and public sectors.
An education specialist, he provides the following services: estates and energy strategy, asset management planning, project management and capital funding applications.
Robert works closely with clients to plan and implement energy efficiency and sustainability strategies to save money, reduce carbon emissions and meet ESG objectives.
As a RICS Certified Historic Buildings Professional he provides conservation consultancy for clients with listed and historic buildings.
Robert is an experienced APC Assessor and Chairman and is also an external examiner for Anglia Ruskin University
As a Partner Robert leads the Business Development and Marketing function at Barker, builds relationships with key sector bodies and helps steer the strategic growth of the company.
Email: rgould@barker-associates.co.uk
Tel: 01279 648057
The Department for Education issued an alert drawing attention to Reinforced Autoclaved Aerated Concrete (RAAC) in educational buildings. A guide was issued to provide advice on how to identify RAAC and what steps to take if it is present. More recently, however, RAAC has developed into a crisis in the public sector affecting many education buildings and leaving a number of questions unanswered. Here we answer some frequently asked questions.
RAAC is a lightweight form of concrete that was commonly used in schools and other buildings from the mid-1950s to the 1990s. RAAC is mainly found in roofs, although occasionally in floors and walls. RAAC is less strong than traditional concrete and there have been problems as a result, which could have significant consequences.
Most school and college building owners have already taken steps to identify RAAC. For those that have not, and would like professional assistance, Barker’s team of Chartered Surveyors and Structural Engineers can help to carry out initial checks to determine whether further advice or action is necessary.
As a practical guide please refer to Barker’s process map HERE.
The current advice is to take out of action any buildings with RAAC until mitigation/remediation works have been completed. Short term measures could be anything from temporary propping to structural stabilisation works.
RAAC was being used as a building material at the same time as asbestos and in many cases asbestos works will need to form part of any remediation package. Every school should have an asbestos register and asbestos management plan and this should be referred to before any inspections or remedial works are carried out.
Particular care should be taken with RAAC where asbestos is thought to have been removed in the past as this may not have been done to current standards or to a level that allows the safe removal or demolition of the building element.
At the time of writing the government has committed to fund necessary mitigation and remedial works but the timescale for implementation has not been confirmed for every setting. Costs could be both revenue or capital and could range from hundreds to tens of millions of pounds depending on the circumstances.
Some schools have had bids to the Condition Improvement Fund (CIF) turned down. At the time of writing, ESFA have confirmed that school should not submit CIF bids for RAAC mitigation and remediation works.
Many schools are self-insured through the Risk Protection Arrangement (RPA) but RPA have confirmed at the time of writing that they will not approve claims for RAAC remedial works.
Download our RAAC FAQs issued in partnership with the Stone King
If you’d like to discuss RAAC in your school contact Barker here.