In the News
Library Gardens, Berkeley, CA, balcony collapse June 16, 2015, leaves six dead and seven critically injured. St. Onge & Associates conducts audit of conditions leading to structural failure, assists City of Berkeley in changing ordinance to require waterproofing inspections and approvals. Will also act as expert witness in upcoming trials brought by families of the dead and injured. Gene St. Onge interviewed extensively by local, national and international media (sample coverage below). Clarified that the weight of the 13 students on the balcony was not responsible for the collapse; the balcony structure was more than capable of handling the imposed load, but its integrity had been compromised by severe dry rot.
A search for answers in Berkeley balcony collapse - New York Times
Berkeley balcony collapse puts new focus on wood dry rot - Los Angeles Times
A failure at the intersection of building science and microbiology - microBE.net
"Building returning to architectural roots" - Berkeley Daily Planet
"Waiting for the Big One" - Daily Pacific Builder
"'Damped sway' alleviates damage" - The Hills Publications
"East Bay entrepreneurs unveil quake-dampening foundation" - The Oakland Tribune
