Page 58 - spaces4learning, Fall 2023

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STORM SHELTERS
STORM
SHELTERS’
GROWING
IMPORTANCE
IN SCHOOLS
By Ben Beery
ACROSS THE COUNTRY, building codes are being imple- mented as solutions to respond to increasingly severe weath- er events. Model building codes, specifically the Internation- al Building Code (IBC), contain requirements to incorporate a storm shelter as part of public buildings, including K-12 schools. Each jurisdiction adopts the model building codes with differing modifications, but the inclusion of the storm shelter requirement is becoming more common as new versions of the building codes are adopted and weather events like tornadoes continue to rise.
Reliable storm shelters must include the engineering nec- essary to ensure safety, comply with required guidelines and create comfort during emergencies. As one of the largest educa- tional architecture and engineering firms in the country, Wold Architects and Engineers has extensive experience designing storm shelters in K-12 schools and learning centers to create an imperative line of defense that protects work crews, staff and students during emergency situations.
Based on conversations with districts across the U.S., espe- cially in areas where storm shelters are becoming more criti- cal to design and include, the following are some of the most common questions and considerations for incorporating a storm shelter that meets IBC requirements into K-12 school designs.
What is required by the IBC, and why is it important?
It’s important to note that the model building code does not require the implementation of a storm shelter across the en- tire United States, even though it’s a nice safety addition to in- clude. Currently, the IBC requirement references a map, Figure 304.2 of the International Code Council 500 design manual, that shows wind speeds for tornados, and the requirements of the model building codes mandate a storm shelter where wind speeds reach 250 miles per hour.
For buildings that fall under the designated areas, Chapter 4, Section 423.5 of the IBC “requires storm shelters for Group E occupancies (schools) with an occupant load of 50 or more.” Each
local jurisdiction adopts the model codes with modifications, so the inclusion of a storm shelter may or may not be required re- gardless of whether schools with 50+ occupants fall within the IBC-mandated area. Districts can also voluntarily include a storm shelter, if desired, to ensure staff and students’ safety.
This requirement is especially important because public buildings, like schools, contain many occupants for extended periods of time. If a tornado strikes a school, there are many safety concerns and vulnerable occupants, and storm shelters can help reduce the impact of wind and flying debris from reaching students and staff.
What should districts know about designing for storm shelter inclusion? First and foremost, confirm whether a storm shelter is required by the district’s jurisdiction. This allows schools to plan for a storm shelter, both in terms of space and cost, from the onset of a project. Altering a project in design to incorporate a storm shelter can prove challenging.
The IBC also recommends the actual design requirements of storm shelters be guided by the ICC 500 standard, so reviewing and understanding it will help districts plan. Additional consid- erations for storm shelter design include:
• Optimize efficiency: It’s common to use a space already be-
ing designed to double as a storm shelter. For example, if you are adding a gymnasium, design the gym to function both as a recreation space and a storm shelter. Keep in mind, the required size of a storm shelter must be based on the occu- pancy of the entire building, not just the planned addition. A small room, like a bathroom or weight room, may not be large enough to satisfy the requirements.
• The space’s contents matter: The use of the planned storm shelter space(s) also impacts the required size. For example, a gym with few interior walls and fixed equipment can fit more people per square foot than a densely packed storage room. For this reason, consider using more open areas as storm shel- ters to build a more efficient space.
• Bathrooms are required: You will need to provide toilet rooms in the storm shelter. The number of fixtures will be determined by the number of required occupants.
• Ensure redundant utilities: The storm shelter needs to con- tinue to operate even if the rest of the building is destroyed. Therefore, the shelter will need to have its own water and san- itary system to support the use of restrooms and drinking water. It will also need a way to provide dedicated power, such as a generator or batteries.
• There must be ventilation: Two strategies for providing the required ventilation include the primary ventilation system operating on a backup power source or natural ventilation. Natural ventilation, specifically, can be a great way to help keep costs down. This approach provides fresh air but not tempered air. In essence, the storm shelter would have a se- ries of storm-protected louvers that can be opened to provide fresh air to the occupants. This allows schools to have a much smaller generator because it does not need to back up the pri-
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