Why the UK is so concerned about schools and public buildings

British politics has returned from the summer obsessed with one apparently unlikely subject – concrete. Fears over the safety of reinforced autoclave aerated concrete, or Raac, have closed schools in England and more buildings could follow. 

So what is reinforced autoclaved aerated concrete, or Raac, and why is it suddenly so prominent? To get to grips with this issue, check out the Guardian’s Crumbling concrete: why the UK is so concerned about schools and public buildings and the UK’s school buildings failure goes back decades by the Financial Times. 

The Royal College of Nursing has also warned that emergency plans should be shared with staff and employers should immediately assess any risk of buildings collapsing. It comes after it was revealed that dozens of NHS buildings and hospitals in England contain the “weaker” reinforced autoclaved aerated concrete (RAAC). 

“Nursing staff and patients deserve to feel safe and will be alarmed at this letter warning trusts to get ready to evacuate hospitals if they are at risk of collapse. Staff must be properly briefed by their employer and provided with relevant information concerning their place of work. Employers have a legal duty to make sure staff, and others who could be affected, such as patients and visitors, are safe.“ 

While we’re on the subject of buildings in Britain, The Morning Star are reporting that nearly 5,000 people in Britain died last year due to damp and cold homes. The End Fuel Poverty Coalition have calculated that of the 21,890 excess winter deaths in 2022-23, 21.5 per cent were caused by people living in cold homes.