Home     About      Search:
Crafting Green Roofs

Green Roof Collapse in Latvia

Green Roofs 360° / November 26, 2013

On Thursday November 21st 2013, an evolving green roof collapsed over top a Latvian supermarket. The market, open to the public at the time, was under construction because of a green roof and recreation area being installed for an adjacent residential building. The rooftop that buckled only covered one area of the market, however fifty-four people have been pronounced dead since Saturday and many more hospitalized.

Green Roof Collapse

The cause, although not completely pinpointed has been blamed on the overall green roof construction. The additional weight on the structure by the various green roof materials and growing media could have been exacerbated by the recent rain events. A current investigation is underway to determine if proper precautions and guidelines were followed throughout the planning and construction processes.

As explained in a previous blog post, checking the structural integrity of any building should always be the first step in the planning process. Not only should a green roof to have a long lifespan, it should also not put anyone in danger.

 

 

By: Samantha Yurek

« | »