By Jennifer Castle, Chief Operating Officer at LHC Procurement Group.

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

A lot was written about the problem of crumbling concrete in 2023 after it was discovered in the walls, roofs and floors of 174 schools across the country.

With increased media interest came new disclosures: hospitals, housing, offices and shops were found to have reinforced autoclaved aerated concrete (RAAC), as were Heathrow and Gatwick airports – and even the Houses of Parliament.

So worrying was the situation for the NHS that hospital trusts in England were asked to prepare for evacuation as part of ongoing business continuity planning. Because of RAAC concerns, NHS England issued the instruction to all 224 health trusts.

Scratching their heads

We know the problem. But what was slow to emerge from the maelstrom of political blame and counter-blame is an answer to that most important question of all: How do we solve it?

Its sheer scale and complexity left local authority executives scratching their heads and looking at timescales stretching well into this year. Not only do they need to find the right people to do the work, but they must compete for their expertise.

In the case of schools, headteachers have to factor in the educational needs and safety of the children. With hospitals, it might be vulnerable patients who cannot have treatment interrupted. Housing authorities? The myriad requirements of tenants.

And this is where frameworks come in.

Starting with a consultancy service framework, a proper assessment of the problem can be made. Consider education providers: if RAAC was identified they will have been told they need to sort it out, but there is the disruption to the pupils’ education to consider.

The first step is to get an expert in to assess the potential danger, the best ways to minimise disruption and then outline the work required. Using a consultancy framework ensures that a competent, qualified person is identified to provide the correct guidance.

This stage is crucial and I like to put it this way: would you expect a RAAC inspector to run a school on a daily basis? Obviously not. So why should a headteacher be expected to work out the best way to deal with crumbling concrete and the ability of a company to provide that support? They can easily identify the correct experts through using an appointed company on an existing framework, ensuring that they are speaking to someone with the right qualifications and skills, who can deliver the work at a reasonable rate.

Step two: Once a professional assessment of the work needed to be carried out has been made, a framework which brings together professional builders and tradespeople – companies who have been carefully vetted – comes into play. Once local authorities have reached agreement with a chosen builder, work commences to an agreed timescale. Here at LHC we have found that this makes the procurement process much quicker and smoother.

Step three: Local authorities want to keep disruption to a minimum and once a provider has been engaged, the operation would almost certainly involve interim measures. In the case of hospitals and public sector buildings, for instance, it might include the use of temporary offices for staff. For schools, temporary classrooms can be delivered on site within a matter of weeks, including offsite, modular solutions. Again, frameworks can help.

Frameworks are sometimes overlooked when it comes to crisis management but when someone is under pressure to find quick solutions, mistakes can be made. From experience, I believe that cool heads are needed in such situations and that is where framework providers prevail, providing certainty and assurance for decision makers.

To put this into context, our refurbishment of schools framework – Public Buildings Construction and Infrastructure (PB3) – has been accessed by 98 organisations delivering 192 education projects over 12 years – a total spend of £633.5m.

RAAC roof planks

The root of the RAAC problem goes back decades, with the substandard building material commonly used in hospitals and many civic buildings between the 1950s and 1970s. Some issues with RAAC have been known for 40 years.

The Building Research Establishment (BRE) published a research paper in 1996 identifying excessive deflections and cracking in a number of RAAC roof planks, effectively stopping its use in any future constructions. Another review in 2002 highlighted “excessive” deflections and cracking in many older buildings using RAAC.

Fully 16 years later, a roof made of the material at Singlewell Primary School in Kent suddenly collapsed. Thankfully it was over a weekend, meaning nobody was hurt.

That concentrated minds and owners of school buildings in England were advised to check roofs, walls and floors made of the material “as a matter of urgency”.

And here we are today. There can be no excuses for kicking the can further down the road and so, what next?

One word, two syllables: frameworks. They provide the foundation for every local authority to guarantee an orderly and measured response to a crisis decades in the making.

www.lhcprocure.org.uk

Birmingham based Kestrel Powder Coating has become one of the elite companies awarded a QUALICOAT coating applicator approved licence, assuring the quality of its powder coating service for extruded aluminium profiles.

QUALICOAT is an independent, globally recognised product certification scheme. To gain recognition, applicators must use QUALICOAT licenced products and employ a precisely specified process for the powder coating service.

Kestrel Powder Coating, sister company to Kestrel Aluminium, has been providing powder coating to the relevant quality standard (BS EN 12206) for many years. The QUALICOAT certification adds an additional layer of rigorous assessment, with inspectors examining each step of the Kestrel process to ensure that every stage of production and customer service is carried out to consistently high standards.

The certification is a welcome recognition of the degree of training and focus on quality improvement that Kestrel has developed in recent months, with a dedicated team determined to see the company joining the limited number of organisations in the UK market to hold this prestigious quality mark.

Nicki Baylis, General Manager at Kestrel, is delighted with the recognition. She said: “The QUALICOAT licence demonstrates both the quality of our service and our ambition to be seen as a quality leader in the provision of powder coating services within the UK.”

Kestrel Powder Coating supplies high-quality finishes in a wide range of RAL and BS colours. It has built its reputation on high quality and on first-class customer service, a combination that has led to an impressive degree of customer loyalty. The company anticipates that the QUALICOAT licence will attract new customers, who demand this rigorous quality certification.

You can learn more about Kestrel Powder Coating online at https://www.kestrelpowdercoating.co.uk/

When it comes to flooring, schools face multiple challenges in terms of balancing durability, safety, aesthetics, ease of maintenance and budget. With almost 9.1 million students in schools across England alone, and 24, 442 schools as of 2022/231, a substantial proportion of our population are in schools every week to learn and grow. Choosing appropriate floor coverings that are high-quality and high performing is integral to the delivery of educational facilities that help to support the growth and wellbeing of pupils and teachers alike.

Are there any regulatory requirements?

Whilst floor coverings are not strictly regulated beyond requirements for aspects such as fire performance or slip resistance, the Building Bulletins (BB series) provide overall guidance for the design of educational facilities, the full list of which can be found on the gov.uk website2.  According to BB93 for Floor Finishes in Schools, ‘the primary function of a floor finish is to provide a durable, safe, clean, acoustically compatible, attractive and affordable surface.’

More useful detailed guidance on the considerations for flooring can be found in the Partnership for Schools document Standard specifications, layouts and dimensions 2: Floor finishes in schools.3, which includes recommendations for issues such as acoustics, sustainability, ease of cleaning, and indoor air quality.

Durability and ease of maintenance

One of the key considerations when specifying anything for use in an education building is how well this product will fare against the frequent heavy use of hundreds – if not thousands – of students.

Carpet tiles can offer a good option for both durability and a quick and easy repair – if one tile is worn or broken, this can be replaced without taking up the entire carpet.

Carpet tiles can also help to moderate noise levels compared to hard surfaces, maintain thermal comfort, reduce the risk of slipping, and offer a wide range of colours to help demarcate different areas or support wayfinding.

For example, the Triumph Loop4 range from JHS has been tested for heavy usage with a rating of 33 under EN 1307, and has an antistatic rating of ≤ 2kV in accordance with ISO 6356. The product is also stain-resistant, available in 27 different colourways and carries a 10 year warranty.

Aesthetics and flexibility

Bright and aesthetic surroundings can have a positive effect on children; if a school or university looks like somewhere they want to spend more time in, it stands to reason that they will be inspired to stay and learn.

For example, the high performing Epsom5 range of broadloom carpets has a subtle but distinctive pattern in 14 different colours, and is both hardwearing and stain resistant. Alternatively, the innovative Triumph Everyway tile range can be installed in any direction, making fitting simpler and faster, as well as ensuring that any replacement tiles will not look out of place. The subtle pattern and shadings provide interest without being distracting, and the 8 colour variations add to the design possibilities.

Impact Noise

Noise disturbance can seriously disrupt a classroom environment. Schools will never be quiet places, but if noise reaches levels where students are unable to concentrate, it can greatly hinder the quality of learning that goes on – which will in turn affect individual students’ wellbeing and the performance of the school.

Some flooring solutions, such as the Novara6 range which has a ‘silent backing’ resulting in an impact noise rating of 29db in accordance with ISO 10140, can help to reduce the effects of noise levels in the building – i.e., footfall, lifts, pipes and electric equipment – as well as external noise that travels through the air, such as noise from the floors above and below.

Thinking about the environment – both indoors and out

Better indoor air quality (IAQ) has been shown to have positive effects on physical and mental wellbeing. Pupils in schools with better IAQ may have improved productivity and concentration, will be less prone to fatigue and tiredness, and will be less affected by allergens which can distract from learning and impact student health.

The DfE has set IAQ performance standards for teaching and learning spaces which ensure compliance with Regulation 6 of the Workplace Regulations on Ventilation and to comply with BB101.

At the same time, there is increasing interest in products that contain recycled content or that have a reduced impact on the environment.

The Colour Foundation7 range is made from a 100% ECONYL yarn, which is manufactured from discarded fishing nets, spent carpets and other nylon waste. It also has a secondary backing of post-industrial recycled content and offers a Green Label Plus rating for Air Quality. With 36 different solution dyed colours to choose from, this hard-wearing range is sure to tick a lot of boxes.

Fire safety

Fire safety in schools is of paramount importance, and the choice of floor covering is no exception in considering this.

At JHS, flooring is manufactured and tested to BSEN 13501-1 s1 fire classification standards. All of the products mentioned in this article achieve either a Bfl-s1 or Cfl-s1 rating (both classed as flame retardant with little or no smoke emissions).

www.jhscarpets.com

With a diverse range of subjects taught in secondary schools, Dave Ford, Specification Manager at Altro, considers the key criteria when specifying flooring for specialist teaching spaces.

Standard secondary school classroom floors have to deal with a lot of feet and furniture. Around 30 pairs of feet regularly come, go, or rest on the floor; add to that 30 bags, 30 chairs and many table legs and it’s clear that the floor needs to be tough. But in any secondary school there are many other specialist spaces with additional criteria to consider when looking at specifying floors or walls.

Art/CDT rooms

No surprises here. Art room floors contend with a lot of contaminants, such as chalk dust and muddy water from clay work. Flooring needs to be easy to sweep up and clean up, without pupils slipping up. A CDT room floor presents different slip hazards, such as sawdust and on top of this, it needs to house heavy equipment and will see regular wheeled traffic.

Look to specialist safety floors here, such as Altro Classic 25, with a high level of slip resistance to reduce the slip risk to one in a million, even with that muddy water and Altro Easyclean Technology, making it easier to clean up. At 2.5mm it’s tough enough to cope with art props or heavy equipment being dragged around the room, with the added benefit of comfort underfoot.

CDT room walls will regularly be knocked, scuffed and bumped. It’s a working space and should look like one but regular painted walls will end up with chunks missing, paint flaking off, scratches, scuffs and more. A freshly painted wall will soon look as though it was decorated years ago. This is an area perfect for wall protection such as Altro Fortis Titantium, which is dense impervious and resistant to bumps.

Computer labs/server rooms

These rooms have a simple function: protect the equipment that’s kept there, particularly if it’s static-sensitive. It’s also not somewhere you want to decorate regularly, so it needs to have a floor that goes the distance and is easy to maintain. Look to specialist options such as Altro Walkway 20 SD, a static-dissipative floor, reducing static build-up that has the potential to damage valuable equipment – both in terms of cost and how vital it is in the day to day running of the school. There’s also the added reassurance of its fire standards’ compliance in an area that has a higher fire risk than other spaces. Its 10-year guarantee ensures no disruption to the computer systems caused by repairs to, or replacement of, the floor before this time.

Libraries/study rooms

For individual learning, small group discussions or browsing the shelves, libraries and study rooms need impact sound reduction from feet within the room. No longer dusty, off-putting spaces, these rooms should feel warm, welcoming and comfortable. With foot traffic mainly in front of the shelves and around chairs and desks, the floor needs to be able to withstand busy use.

Look for flooring such as Altro Orchestra which offers comfort underfoot and 15dB sound reduction, as well as resistance to residual indentation ensures the floor’s thickness is only a benefit, with the weight of heavy shelves and other furniture needed in these rooms causing no problem.

Science labs

Science labs experience dropped experiments, amongst other mishaps, with the floor taking the brunt. Add to these trollies of scientific equipment coming in and out of the lab, plus students rocking back and forth on stools, and you’ve got the need for a tough safety floor. Look to heavy duty options such as Altro Reliance, which offers the ideal combination of good chemical resistance, cleanability, stain resistance and durability that a lab needs to look good for the long haul. And that stool rocking? Even if the rubber feet are rocked loose, 2.5mm thick Altro Reliance can withstand the pressure from the metal studs underneath that could pierce a thinner floor. With a high level of slip resistance, staff and students are also safe from slips caused by water accidental spills.

Music rooms

The sound you want to hear inside a music room is the music being played. The sound you don’t want to hear outside the music room, is the music being played. It’s a balancing act. An acoustic floor will reduce impact sound – footsteps within and below the rooms, chairs and other furniture being pulled across the floor. A good option here is Altro Serenade, an acoustic floor, reducing impact sound by 19dB. At 3.9mm thick it also provides welcome comfort underfoot to music teachers, who stand for much of the teaching day.

And for music rooms – and all creative spaces – consider Altro Whiterock Digiclad, which allows you to choose from patterns or photographic images, either from our pre-designed collection, or your own design, using a straight-forward ordering process. Durable and with scratch-resistant properties, the chosen design will retain its looks.

Adhesive-free options

Adhesive-free floors have been a breakthrough product in the last decade, and when Altro adhesive-free floors can save you up to 50% on time, up to 50% CO₂ and up to 35% in cost, you can see why their popularity has grown. With 14dB impact sound reduction, they can help with acoustics in noisy classrooms and during the lunchtime rush. No odours from adhesive and quick overlay of existing tiles, even with asbestos, means less disruption and less downtime when you need it most. In the last year alone, Altro has added two new adhesive-free ranges, including Altro Stronghold adhesive-free for commercials kitchens and the highest slip-risk areas plus Altro Illustra, a class-leading safety floor with stunning natural aesthetic designs.

For a wide range of tools and resources for specifying in education, visit:

www.altro.com/education

With Labour having a clear lead in the polls ahead of a general election this year, its pledge to charge VAT on private school fees should it win the election has left several independent schools worried about a drop in pupil numbers. However, many private schools may be able to save more than they realise by utilising their assets more effectively.

Molly Skinner, associate at leading property consultancy Fisher German, has worked with a number of different schools to help them make the best use of their property and bring in much-needed income, and shares her guidance on what private schools can do to soften the potential blow.

“Whatever your view on Sir Keir Starmer and a possible Labour government, the party’s announcement to charge 20 per cent VAT on private school fees and clamp down on any possible avoidance by parents leaves schools with a stark choice. Schools could choose to absorb the cost, heavily impacting their cash flow, pass the costs onto parents, inevitably reducing pupil numbers, or reduce the number of bursary and scholarship places, which reduces opportunities for less well-off children,” she says.

“None of these options are ideal, and most private schools will have to make some very difficult decisions should Labour be elected and follow through on their pledge. But in my experience in working with the education sector at Fisher German, schools don’t always utilise their property assets to generate the most income and save money, and some are paying far too much for certain outgoings. For example, we have regularly seen schools overpay on business rates to the local authority without challenging the rate. If the use of a building has changed or any extensions, demolitions or alterations have been made, the rates may actually have reduced.

“Having successfully and repeatedly challenged Valuation Office’s Business Rates demands for over 30 years, Fisher German have a proven track record in the education sector. This is underpinned by the fact that, in the last five years alone, we have saved our clients over £30m in total from asset reviews across all sectors. In terms of best utilising assets, many schools do not realise just how valuable their property can be. As part of an asset review we undertook for Moulton College in Northamptonshire, we identified four buildings on the edge of the campus no longer suitable for educational purposes which we have since let. This has in turn generated additional income to be invested back into the College. Other ways schools may be overspending is by using old-fashioned methods of powering their buildings. We have recommended certain schools install discreet solar panels to save on electricity bills, and to generate an extra source of income with carbon credits. Indeed, installation of other infrastructure such as telecom masts in a quieter area of the school’s property is another way of bolstering income.”

“Many decision-makers may not know where to start when it comes to identifying these opportunities on top of running a busy school, but this is where having external experts come in can help. Fisher German is made up of professionals with all sorts of relevant expertise to help the education sector, including in property acquisition, business rates, rent reviews, planning, asset valuation, sustainable energy, and more. We are already helping many education clients save money and find new streams of income, and with Labour’s announcement in mind, it is more important than ever that private schools make the best use of what they have,” she concludes.