Denver’s “green roof” initiative and how it relates to fire/life safety

18 Apr Denver’s “green roof” initiative and how it relates to fire/life safety

Denver’s newly passed initiative 300, more commonly known as the “green roof” initiative, which requires new and existing buildings of 25,000 sf2 and larger to create a green roof or a combination of green roof and solar energy, has sparked some debate in the community. TERP’s own fire protection engineer, Wayne Griswold, PE, CFPS, weighs in on what needs to be considered where fire/life safety is concerned.

“The topic of Denver’s Green Roof mandate will continue to merge goals of green energy and fire/life safety. A responsible design, fire protection or otherwise, should consider all building elements and goals including energy efficiency, air quality, and patron life safety. The extent of the fuel loads that will be added to building rooftops will need to be considered, particularly in off-growing seasons where vegetation can become increasingly suspect to flame propagation due to Colorado’s dry climate. How this concern is addressed will be crucial to furthering this initiative.” – Wayne Griswold, PE, CFPS

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