Leeds Employer Workshop Tackles Concrete Safety in Construction

Leeds College of Building hosted a unique concrete safety workshop for regional construction employers at its South Bank Campus this week.

Organised by Curtins for the Yorkshire Branch of The Institution of Structural Engineers (IStructE), the well-attended event focused on Reinforced Autoclaved Aerated Concrete (RAAC) – the lightweight building material which hit the headlines last year after hundreds of schools were closed following safety concerns.

Used in flat roofs, walls, and floors between the 1950s and 1990s, this cheaper alternative to standard concrete is less durable and has a lifespan of only around 30 years due to its aerated, bubbly properties.

The hands-on workshop informed attendees from industry, College staff, and current and former students about RAAC’s properties with advice and presentations from leading experts on practically dealing with its presence in buildings. Live testing in a campus workshop space then demonstrated RAAC’s strength and stiffness compared to traditional concrete.

Rob Smith, Head of Partnerships & Skills at Leeds College of Building, said:  

“We originally hosted a RAAC event as part of ‘The UK’s Real Estate Investment and Infrastructure Forum’ (UKREIIF) Leeds Expo in May after being approached by Curtins and Robertson Group. Given that RAAC is a material that was heavily used in construction in the past, it made absolute sense for Leeds College of Building to support in the education of how it should be managed today. 

“After the success of that event, Curtins approached us again as demand for the event had been very high. This follow-on workshop gives us the opportunity to embed ourselves further within the construction industry, lead on new trends, and connect with even more regional and national employers. 

“As the only specialist general further education construction college in the UK, it’s pleasing that we can provide facilities back to the construction industry to help educate the professionals of today and tomorrow.”

The specialist workshop allowed employers to understand how concrete materials performed through interactive displays, followed by a short talk from experienced Curtins structural engineers and networking.

Built environment consultancy Curtins has acted as one of the UK’s leading engineers on RAAC, carrying out surveys in over 100 schools in the past 6 months, as well as universities, hospitals and other public and private sector buildings. Their expertise contributed to IStructE guidance, as well as collaborative research with the BRE, Loughborough University, and Aintree and Airedale Hospitals.    

Oliver Organ, Associate at Curtins, said:

“Building on the success of our RAAC event at Leeds College of Building earlier in the year, Curtins were delighted to return and collaborate with the College once again. The event has provided an opportunity for the industry to gain a deeper understanding of how RAAC performs in comparison to traditional concrete.

“With the facilities available at the College, we’ve been able to deliver an interactive workshop, live load testing, and a short talk by experts from Curtins & AGH Solutions, with a spotlight on the innovative work taking place at Airedale General Hospital led by Richard Burgin. The success of the event is a credit to the support provided by Leeds College of Building, and it’s been a privilege to bring the industry together in Leeds to highlight important work being undertaken in the field of building safety.”

An employer guest at the RAAC event added:

“The evening has been fabulous. Very informative and watching the demonstration gave some real insight into the problems associated with the RAAC concrete. Hosting the evening at [Leeds College of Building] was excellent, demonstrating the link between the subject and the venue, and in turn between the venue and industry. I look forward to coming here again.”