Why battery safety belongs in every ageing building decision
Collaborative Reporting for Safer Structures UK (CROSS-UK) has published a Topic Paper on the ageing built environment in the UK, setting out how existing buildings and infrastructure can be managed, extended in life or repurposed.
The organisation said the paper explains how ageing assets create both challenges and opportunities once structures reach or pass their intended service life.
According to CROSS-UK, the document is based on confidential reports from engineers, asset managers and construction professionals, supported by references to anonymised CROSS Safety Reports.
The Topic Paper describes how older structures may suffer from material degradation, incomplete documentation and historic design approaches that do not align with current expectations.
CROSS-UK frames the publication as guidance for policymakers, regulators, insurers, asset owners, facilities managers and construction professionals responsible for the safety and future use of ageing buildings and other structures.
The paper states that leaving ageing assets unassessed is not an acceptable option and argues for decisions that take safety, sustainability and economic outcomes into account.
Asset knowledge, deterioration and inspection
CROSS-UK places asset knowledge at the centre of decision-making for ageing structures and highlights reinforced autoclaved aerated concrete (RAAC) as an example where incomplete records delayed action.
The Topic Paper notes that many older buildings lack accurate as-built information, have been altered without proper recording or contain materials that were not fully understood at the time of construction.
The report explains that this can leave owners unaware of critical elements and increase uncertainty when problems emerge.
CROSS-UK outlines how steel, concrete, masonry and timber each degrade over time, and how these processes interact with changing conditions such as climate impacts, heavier vehicles, new fire loads and system obsolescence.
The Topic Paper references failures including the Pipers Row car park, the gable collapse at Northwich Station and the Morandi Bridge to illustrate the outcomes of unmanaged deterioration.
CROSS-UK calls for structured inspection and maintenance regimes that combine scheduled and risk-based approaches and give targeted access to hidden or safety-critical components.
According to the paper, examples such as half-joint bridge failures, corroded tendons and concealed steelwork demonstrate how inaccessible details have driven catastrophic collapses.
CROSS-UK argues that maintenance must be treated as a core safety responsibility rather than a discretionary cost that can be reduced when budgets tighten.
Reuse, constraints and changing fire and battery safety risks
The Topic Paper sets out a case for reuse and repurposing as part of a lower carbon built environment, stating that retaining and adapting existing structures can reduce embodied emissions and support resource efficiency.
CROSS-UK explains that safe adaptation requires robust assessment, intrusive investigation where needed and careful review of load paths, fire safety measures and regulatory compliance when a building’s use changes.
The paper warns that poorly planned retrofit measures, such as some insulation approaches, have led to moisture problems and damage in existing structures.
CROSS-UK notes that constraints such as skills shortages, incomplete records, funding pressures and regulatory complexity can limit reuse options or push decisions towards unnecessary demolition.
The Topic Paper also refers to evolving risks, including new fire loads and obsolescent systems, and links to its separate Topic Paper on lithium-ion batteries for those addressing fire and battery safety in buildings that predate current technologies.
According to CROSS-UK, extending the life of structures requires experienced engineering judgement when applying modern standards to historic construction, with decisions based on risk, tolerable performance and the specific context of each asset.
The organisation concludes that collaboration, competence and long-term planning are needed if ageing structures are to be retained safely rather than removed by default.
How ageing asset guidance affects safety and engineering practice
The CROSS-UK Topic Paper has direct implications for asset owners and managers who oversee estates containing older buildings and infrastructure.
For these groups, the emphasis on structured inspection, record-keeping and maintenance describes practical steps that can reduce unplanned failures and support decisions on whether to retain, adapt or deconstruct structures.
Facilities managers in commercial, industrial and public sectors can use the paper’s focus on hidden components and access needs to frame inspection regimes and plan intrusive investigations where safety-critical elements are concealed.
Fire engineering consultants, architects and building services engineers gain a consolidated view of how ageing materials, changing fire loads and retrofit measures interact in older buildings, including references to separate guidance on lithium-ion battery risks.
Regulators and policymakers can draw on the discussion of RAAC, documented failures and maintenance backlogs when considering where to focus oversight, funding and future standards for existing stock.
The Topic Paper also highlights the need for skilled inspection and assessment, which is relevant for structural engineers and surveyors involved in appraising older structures for continued use, conversion or demolition.