Asbestos Diagnosis Morges

Morges: a built heritage affected by asbestos

Morges is a medieval city founded at the end of the thirteenth century on the northern shore of Lake Geneva, whose castle and old borough still constitute the historic heart. This ancient foundation translates into a stratified built heritage where buildings from several centuries coexist, with successive renovation layers constituting zones of investigation for a rigorous asbestos diagnosis.

The port of Morges, developed over the centuries, is surrounded by warehouses and technical buildings, some dating from the nineteenth century and having undergone major transformations during the twentieth century. The quays and the surroundings of the port concentrate a mixed heritage — residences, businesses, port activities — whose most recent buildings date precisely from the 1950–1980 period.

The city saw significant suburban expansion in the 1960s–1980s, with the development of residential districts inland: sectors near the station, Les Charpentiers, the Route de Lausanne and the Route de Beausobre. These extensions produced a fabric of individual villas and small collective buildings typical of the period of intensive asbestos use. The city’s public facilities (schools, administrative buildings, sports facilities) from the 1960s–1980s are now in a phase of renovation and present the highest risk profiles.

Which buildings are concerned in Morges?

Morges presents three distinct risk profiles depending on the sectors.

Residential buildings

The Gare district and the Les Charpentiers sector, developed in the 1960s–1980s, include medium-scale rental buildings with the classic configurations of the period: vinyl-asbestos tiles in apartments, facades partially clad in fibre cement, suspended ceilings in common areas. These sectors near the town centre attract many renovation projects.

The medieval historic centre groups old buildings renovated between 1950 and 1985. Layers added during these works — floor tiles laid over old floors, smoothing renders on historic masonry, acoustic insulation injected between floor levels — are the zones to inspect with attention.

Commercial and administrative buildings

Public facilities from the 1960s–1980s (school buildings, gymnasiums, multipurpose halls) constitute particular cases: built to standardised specifications, they made massive use of asbestos-based products. Acoustic sprayed coatings in large halls, fibre cement suspended ceilings over large surfaces, vinyl floors in quantity: these buildings require complete diagnoses before any renovation or demolition.

Villas and single-family houses

Suburban districts developed between 1960 and 1980 (towards Echandens, Tolochenaz, Saint-Prex) include many villas with characteristic materials of the period: fibre cement sheet roofs and eaves overhangs, garages and annexes, boiler room lagging, tile adhesives.

Common asbestos-containing materials in Morges

Morges buildings from the period concerned present varied asbestos-containing materials depending on the typologies:

• Vinyl-asbestos floor tiles (kitchens, bathrooms, corridors)
• Adhesives for laying vinyl tiles and tiling
• Fibre cement sheets on facades (spandrel panels, balconies, cladding)
• Corrugated fibre cement sheet roofs and eaves overhangs (villas)
• Acoustic sprayed coatings in gymnasiums, multipurpose halls and corridors (public facilities)
• Fibre cement suspended ceilings over large surfaces (collective facilities)
• Lagging on central heating pipes and boilers
• Floor tiles laid on old floors during 1950–1985 renovations
• Smoothing renders and jointing products on historic masonry
• Villa garages and annexes with fibre cement roofing or cladding

Regulations applicable in Morges

The canton of Vaud requires the asbestos diagnostic report to be attached to the building permit file for any building predating 1991. This obligation directly affects the majority of buildings in the town centre and a significant proportion of the 1960s–1980s suburban constructions.

The report must be less than three years old at the time of submitting the permit application. For owners of old town centre buildings planning a renovation, anticipating this diagnosis in the planning phase is indispensable, especially since heritage constraints specific to the historic centre may lengthen the processing times.

Public project owners managing 1960s–1980s municipal facilities in Morges are also subject to the obligations of asbestos diagnosis before demolition when these buildings reach the end of their service life.

Neighbouring communes served

We cover Morges and the entire Morges district:

• Echandens
• Saint-Prex
• Préverenges
• Tolochenaz
• Allaman
• Féchy
• Lonay
• Denges
• Saint-Sulpice

Frequently asked questions about asbestos diagnosis in Morges

My building is located in the protected zone of Morges historic centre. Is the asbestos diagnosis more complex?

The asbestos diagnosis follows the same protocols as for any other building. The complexity specific to the historic centre lies in the following steps: any decontamination works must be compatible with heritage constraints, and their impact on protected elements must be assessed in coordination with the competent services. The diagnosis provides an indispensable technical basis for this coordination.

My building was constructed in 1968 and I have never had a diagnosis done. Should I be worried about the health of the occupants?

Asbestos-containing materials in good condition and undisturbed do not present a health risk for occupants. The risk arises when these materials are degraded or disturbed by works. A diagnosis carried out without an immediate works project is useful for establishing an inventory of the condition of materials and planning their long-term management.

The municipality of Morges is planning to demolish an old 1970s school building. What are the obligations?

Before any demolition of a building predating 1991, a comprehensive asbestos diagnosis is mandatory. This diagnosis must cover the entire building and identify all asbestos-containing materials. It conditions the preparation of the decontamination concept and the costing of prior works. For a public building, this diagnosis falls within the framework of OTConst obligations and Vaud cantonal directives.

Can a diagnosis be ordered during the design phase of the project, before finalising the plans?

Yes, and it is even advisable. A diagnosis carried out prior to design allows the architect to integrate decontamination constraints into the project, to anticipate costs and to allow for additional delays linked to works in asbestos zones. A late diagnosis, carried out just before the start of the construction site, can generate costly surprises and delays.

My villa in Morges has an annex with grey sheet roofing. Is it fibre cement?

The grey corrugated or flat sheets used for annex roofs and cladding from the 1960s–1980s are almost systematically fibre cement — a composite material that generally contains 10 to 15% chrysotile asbestos. A sample and analysis will confirm the composition. While awaiting the results, avoid any drilling or cutting work on these sheets.

Are Vaud requirements for the AvT report identical in all communes in the district?

Yes. Vaud requirements apply uniformly to all communes in the canton, including those in the Morges district such as Echandens, Saint-Prex or Tolochenaz. The report must be prepared by a FACH expert, written in French, and less than three years old. Communes have no margin of manoeuvre on these requirements set at cantonal level.