Burroughs conducted numerous surveys in buildings across Natural Resources Wales sites in response to the 2023 RAAC ‘crisis.’ Due to safety concerns regarding the use of RAAC in buildings reaching the end of its lifespan, Burroughs had to proactively and adaptively attend multiple site visits to identify any potential RAAC issues.

As part of these surveys, a comprehensive desk study and map regression was undertaken to identify the age of the buildings and whether it was during the period when RAAC was most widely used as a construction material. We also examined any available as-built drawings or records provided to establish a solid knowledge base before conducting on-site surveys.

The RAAC surveys were carried out by experienced personnel who had been suitably trained to identify RAAC, as per the IStructE guidance. The Burroughs team used their knowledge of key RAAC identifiers to identify areas of concern, take measurements and photographs of the buildings, and ultimately provide a report summarising the survey and the findings.