The recent collapse of 12 carports at Nittany Crossing and The Pointe, as well as roofs caved-in because of heavy snow elsewhere in Pennsylvania, has caused some concern in the State College area.

John Stonitsch (graduate-meteorology) said this concern is not an exaggeration.

"We have 14 to 17 inches of snow on the ground," he said. "We don't usually have this much. This is a significant amount of snow."

Penn State tried to prepare for snow removal before the recent snowstorms occurred last week, said Paul Ruskin, Office of Physical Plant spokesman.

"Removal of snow is a high priority," he said. "Safety is our main concern."

Stonitsch and Ruskin both said the problem of heavy snow sitting on roofs is worsened by Friday's rain being absorbed into the snow already on the ground.

Ruskin said the buildings and walkway coverings at Penn State were built with the weight of an excessive amount of snow in mind.

He added the buildings on campus are well constructed and collapsing is not a concern.

Ned Liggett, plans examiner for the Centre Region Code Administration, said construction quality is not the same for buildings in and around the area built before building codes were established in State College about 30 years ago.

"We can't say if [collapsed buildings] were designed properly or if the proper construction practice was used," he said.

Stonitsch said a condition called "snowloading," when there is a significant accumulation of snow on top of structures, causes most building collapses.

"Powdery snow provides six pounds per square foot of weight, whereas snow packed with liquid can provide as much as 18 to 24 pounds per square foot," he said.

At the time the carports at The Pointe, 501 Vairo Blvd., and Nittany Crossing, 601 Vairo Blvd., were built, State College building code stipulated that structures needed to prove that the finished product could withstand 30 pounds per square inch of pressure, although there may have been some exceptions.

"These codes can allow certain reductions in the amount of pressure withstood according to the design of the building," Liggett said. "It could end up withstanding a weight in the mid-twenties."

The carport collapse this weekend at The Pointe and Nittany Crossing damaged two residents' vehicles before other tenants were warned to move their cars. There were no injuries reported, and the estimated value of damage remains unknown.

Last year, State College increased the weight that buildings need to support to 40 pounds per square inch, Liggett added.

Stonitsch said this capacity is about the same as Alaska's building codes.

A recent Wal-Mart roof collapse because of snow in Indiana, Pa., caused no alarm at the company's State College location, 373 Benner Pike, store manager Bill Frantz said.

"We were alerted to take precautions from national headquarters," he said, adding that snow was removed from the roof.

"We just followed protocol," he added.

Liggett said the two Wal-Mart locations in State College meet local building codes, and a lack of codes could have been the cause for the Wal-Mart collapse in Indiana, Pa.

"Pennsylvania is one of three states that does not have state-wide building codes," he said. "In April, Pennsylvania will adopt the codes that State College has used for years."