As resilient design takes center stage, the demand for life-safety structures is reshaping how public buildings are planned, especially in regions vulnerable to high-wind events. Architects and engineers are increasingly tasked with integrating safe spaces into everyday environments, balancing code requirements, funding opportunities and functional design. The issue hasn’t gone unnoticed by the K-12 educational community. Across the U.S., more K-12 schools are incorporating storm shelters into their designs. Wells alone has built more than 50 storm shelters throughout the Midwest in the last four years. In addition to meeting 2018 IBC building code requirements, schools are also addressing concerns of student and staff safety, with the growing frequency and severity of extreme weather events like tornadoes and hurricanes.��

The Growing Threat of Tornadoes and Hurricanes

Each year, hundreds of tornadoes and severe storms impact the central and southeastern regions of the country, threatening communities and the infrastructure that supports them. Schools play an important role in supporting the community; many are particularly vulnerable, operating in older buildings without adequate protection.��

Quick Facts:��

• The U.S. experiences more than 1,200 tornadoes each year, which is more than any other country in the world, according to the US National Science Foundation.��

• There is a significant upward trend in tornado frequency in portions of the Southeast, Midwest, and Northeast portions of the U.S. since 1979, according to NPJ Climate and Atmospheric Science��

• Hurricanes are becoming stronger and more destructive, with the most damaging U.S. hurricanes being three times more frequent than 100 years ago, according to the Environmental Defense Fund��

These realities are prompting a shift: More districts are investing in storm shelter spaces that can protect students, staff and the community when disaster strikes.��

What’s Driving the Trend Towards Storm Shelters?

The increase in storm shelter construction in K-12 schools isn’t coincidental. It’s the result of evolving building codes, expanded funding opportunities, growing climate concerns, and a stronger commitment to occupant safety from both public and private stakeholders.��

Updated Building Codes: With the advent of the 2018 IBC Code Requirements for ICC 500 Storm Shelters, all Group E occupancies in designated risk areas with an occupant load of 50 or more are expected to have an extreme-wind storm shelter that can withstand winds speeds of 250 mph.����

Federal and State Funding Initiatives: At the same time, funding mechanisms have expanded to support resilient infrastructure. Programs like FEMA’s Hazard Mitigation Grant Program (HMGP), Pre-Disaster Mitigation (PDM), and the newer Building Resilient Infrastructure and Communities (BRIC) initiative offer critical financial support for school districts looking to offset the cost of storm shelter construction. These grants have made it possible for many communities—especially in rural or lower-income districts—to implement safety measures that may otherwise have been financially out of reach.��

Climate Awareness and Risk Assessment: The increasing frequency, intensity, and unpredictability of severe weather events has raised public and professional awareness. Tornadoes in non-traditional areas, shifting hurricane paths, and longer storm seasons are pushing school districts and other public support entities (like ) to rethink how buildings are designed and used in emergencies. What was once considered an isolated risk has now become part of long-term planning for educational and civic infrastructure.��

Community Dual-Use Planning: More jurisdictions are creating storm shelters as multi-functional community assets. These spaces—often gymnasiums, cafeterias or auditoriums—are designed to serve both day-to-day educational needs and emergency preparedness functions. When designed properly, they meet life-safety standards without compromising programmatic space or aesthetics.��

Prefabricated Concrete Storm Shelters

There’s a clear rise in the number of K-12 projects requesting storm shelters across the central and southeastern U.S., and for many school districts, prefabricated concrete has become the most practical solution for creating a building that lasts.����

Even before the 2018 IBC code implementation, prefabricated components were a material of choice for school systems in more northerly climates. In Minnesota, for example, precast has been a popular building material in educational settings for nearly 30 years. Voter referendums are typically passed in November, giving contractors a short 19-month window to complete the project, sometimes less. Precast enables them to work through the winter season, since manufacturing occurs indoors, and installation can take place in any weather. The same can’t be said for cast-in-place, brick, and block construction, as wrapping and heating the worksite, often necessary in colder climates, is cost-prohibitive.����

In part due to the ICC code, precast is now making significant inroads into other regions that have historically relied on other building materials. Schools such as Roosevelt High School in Hays, Kan.; Maple River K-12 in Mapleton, Minn.; Life School in Carrollton, Texas; and Valley Southwoods Freshman High School in West Des Moines, Iowa, all chose a total precast solution for their storm shelters in a departure from more traditional materials.����

What did they get in return? In short, a stronger and more durable, sustainable concrete roof and wall system that offers wind and fire resistance, superior thermal performance, design flexibility and greater control over the schedule.������

Standard prefabricated concrete safe rooms can easily and economically be designed to exceed the 250-mph windspeed requirement. The standard panel already comes close to the ICC storm shelter code, as they’re typically designed to a 7,000-psi standard, which can exceed 10,000 psi after curing. To comply with the ICC code, Wells increases the size of our insulated panels from 12 inches thick to 14 inches thick—all prestressed with vertical strands to compress the panel. NOTE: Variations in the design might be necessary when windows are present, as the glass transfers additional wind load into the precast. Along with prefabricated wall panels, Wells can manufacture Double Tee roof panels with up to 100-foot spans for a high school gymnasium.����

Usually, the gymnasium is designated as a school’s storm shelter. While it may seem counterintuitive to design such a large space to storm shelter requirements, the reasons are grounded in the ICC code itself. Beyond the obvious fact that gymnasiums can hold more people and are easily identifiable, a storm shelter must be capable of taking the collapsed load of any taller structure nearby. Smaller spaces can be more difficult to design to the ICC standard, making them less feasible.����

As weather events become more frequent and severe, school districts are responding by investing in resilient infrastructure. The rise of storm shelters—particularly those built with prefabricated concrete—is a trend rooted in safety, durability and smart design. Ultimately, they’re successfully achieving the dual goals of protecting students and responsibly managing public funds.��

Learn More About Wells

Visit the to learn more about the company’s education expertise and to see featured K-12 projects including:

Gary Pooley is a regional sales manager for Wells and has been in the precast industry for nearly four decades. With a wealth of experience, including thousands of projects, he brings a unique and valuable perspective to the industry with inventive solutions for finish designs. Pooley is actively engaged in various construction organizations, currently serving as a board member of Minnesota Prestress Association.��

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STARKVILLE, Miss. — Mississippi State University (MSU) recently celebrating the topping out of Azalea Hall, the campus’ new five-story multipurpose building and its largest single building project to date. The milestone signifies that the hall’s building has reached its highest point, marking an important step in the construction process. ��

The $96 million hall, scheduled to open in time for the fall 2025 semester, will feature spaces for living, collaborating, studying and safety. The 159,000-square-foot facility will sit adjacent to the campus’ Old Main Academic Center in the heart of campus, expanding student access to indispensable services.��

“This project focuses on today’s college students’ needs and wants—to engage with one another, have more privacy and ignite their academic and social well-being,” said Dei Allard, MSU Housing and Residence Life executive director, in a statement. “The design provides optimal opportunities for student engagement and collaboration with one another, as well as the MSU community.” ��

More than 400 beds across single-room, pod-style housing units will be available to students. Azalea Hall residents will have access to shared bathrooms as well as common areas and amenities, including a social area and dining quarters on the first floor. Meeting spaces and classrooms on the ground level will double as FEMA-rated storm shelters to keep students and staff safe during inclement weather and potential natural disasters. ��

The indoor-outdoor dining area will offer a plethora of cuisine options as part of MSU’s updated vision for food services. Culinary choices will rotate throughout the year alongside food lockers and a marketplace for quick food pick up.��

“Bringing a dining venue to this area has long been a priority,” said Regina Hyatt, vice president for Student Affairs, in a statement. “Our new dining venue will not only provide easy access for our students, but it will also be a place where visitors and MSU employees can grab a meal.” ��

The residence hall will also host a living and learning community specifically for MSU’s Luckyday Scholars, a scholarship and community-building program for first-year students. The dedicated areas will include recreation and study areas, classrooms with adaptable seating and tables, a kitchenette and office space for the Luckyday Scholars director and program staff. The addition was made possible through a $4 million donation for Azalea Hall from the Luckyday Foundation of Jackson, Miss. ��

“We believe that having a dedicated space for Luckyday Scholars to hold classes, meetings, conversations and visits with Luckyday program staff is beneficial,” said Jamie Houston, Luckyday Foundation board chair, in a statement.��“A supportive, collaborative community is a core value of our program, and our freshman scholars will now be able to live together with the Luckyday Tower easily accessible.”��

Construction management for Azalea Hall is being led by Birmingham, Ala.-based HPM, with Gulfport, Miss.,-based Roy Anderson Corp. as the project builder. Jacksonville-based Wier Boerner Allin Architecture served as the lead architect alongside consulting architect Mackey Mitchell Architects of St. Louis. Tipton Associates of Baton Rouge, La., led design of the dining area. ��

With construction underway across vital parts of campus, the build team has worked with MSU to coordinate safety, logistics of material imports and alternate routes for students.��

“We have collaborated closely with our university partners to meet all deadlines throughout the construction of Azalea Hall, ensuring this project is ready in time for the next school year,” said��P.J. Pearson, project manager at HPM, in a statement. “We are thankful for our reliable contractors and for our invaluable partnership with Mississippi State in making every stage of this project progress smoothly.”��

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When complete, the new 1,005-student Plymouth South High School will rise 57 feet at its tallest point, 22 feet higher than zoning currently permits. However, Massachusetts’ zoning bylaws state that towns cannot impose restrictive zoning when it comes to school construction projects, and the local board unanimously approved the re-zoning request.

Architects from Ai3 Associates of Wayland, Mass., the firm also responsible for the design of nearby Plymouth North High School, shared their initial design for Plymouth South in June. That design honors architecture found throughout the surrounding community while also differentiating the school as a forward-thinking structure. It will feature a mix of modern and classic styles, characterized by red brick, concrete masonry and glass.

Almost since its completion, the current Plymouth South High School has experienced maintenance problems related to its roof and windows, as well as its mechanical and electrical systems. The facility is also far from ADA compliant, uses an inefficient design and offers poor ventilation. Architects and school leaders had initially considered renovating the 1980s-era high school and relocating students until the work was finished. However, these numerous construction and design flaws put the estimated cost of repairs $7 million higher than the cost of complete reconstruction.

“Upon completion, this new school will provide a modern learning environment and create the space needed to deliver on the school district’s educational commitments and goals,” State Treasurer Steven Grossman, chairman of Massachusetts School Building Authority (MSBA), promised in a statement.

The new Plymouth South will be built on the playing fields located behind the existing school, allowing the facility to remain in use throughout construction. Upon completion, the original school will be demolished and new playing fields will be built on the site.

In addition to traditional classes, Plymouth South High School also houses a technical component, offering students an opportunity to study automotive repair, carpentry, culinary arts, cosmetology and other trades. These classrooms, along with standard academic classrooms, will be concentrated in the new school’s three-story west wing, according to current Ai3 designs. The school’s east wing will house music classrooms and a nearly 700-seat auditorium, as well as a gymnasium and theater. A library and media center, as well as administrative offices, will be clustered around the main lobby.

Students will navigate the school via two large staircases, several elevators and light-filled corridors. This use of daylighting will contribute to the school’s sustainability efforts, which will also include an energy efficient building envelope, high performance windows, rainwater collection system, high efficiency mechanical and lighting systems and low-flow toilet fixtures, among others. The school is currently aiming for LEED Silver certification.

“The new Plymouth South High School will replace an aging school with an up-to-date, 21st century learning facility,” said MSBA Executive Director Jack McCarthy in a statement. “Students will soon have a beautiful new space which will undoubtedly enhance and improve their ability to excel in the classroom.”
Local voters approved the project, along with the reconstruction of Plymouth North High School, in 2006. Though construction is not anticipated to begin until the summer of 2015, the school is currently estimated to cost $107 million, slightly more than half of which will be covered by the MSBA. Plymouth South High School is expected to open in time for the fall 2017 semester.

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A vast improvement over the original facility, which was completed in 1969, the new Marshfield High School provides students with modern learning spaces and improved facilities both inside and out. All classrooms are equipped with a teaching wall for enhanced instruction, and even floor space has been turned into teaching space in some areas. Additionally, where many classrooms in the old facility featured accordion-style walls, the new school has proper structural divisions between learning spaces.

Also included in the design are a marine fabrication laboratory, a student-managed restaurant, and the schools very first auditorium. A new gymnasium, laboratories, a public fitness center, a robotics room and a state-of-the-art television production studio comprise the school’s most exciting new features.

During demolition of the original building, the school’s football stadium and surrounding athletic fields were also impacted. However, new synthetic and natural turf fields and 10 new multi-purpose fields have taken their place. Nearby new grandstands, a press box and concessions and ticketing buildings round out Marshfield’s outdoor offerings.

Though unique to the community, the school design has been replicated several times in recent years through the Model School reimbursement program. According to a release by the Massachusetts School Building Authority (MSBA), the Model School Program, which was established in 2008, incorporates successful elements from existing schools into the design of new facilities. Through this program, districts can simplify the design process, streamline construction, reduce the amount of time it takes to build a new facility and utilize design dynamics already deemed successful by students, teachers and administrators. The program also allowed the school to qualify for a 5 percent reimbursement on construction costs.
At the school’s September 2012 groundbreaking, State Treasurer Steven Grossman said he was delight to see the program being used at Marshfield. “The Model School Program is an innovative initiative that has been tremendously successful, and it has helped communities across the Commonwealth save valuable time and money while delivering top-notch schools and modern learning environments for our students,” Grossman said.
The repurposed design embraces both modern and traditional architectural elements, and uses building materials associate with classic New England architecture. However, Marshfield students and faculty were able to put their own unique spin on the facility by naming its hallways after streets in the community. Stairways will be named for local beaches.

Compass Project Management served as the project manager and Brait Builders constructed the $101.6 million school, which came in nearly $3 million under budget. The MSBA will contribute more than half of these costs.

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Following the March 26 decision, Dearborn STEM) Academy will finally be able to move forward on construction of a new and modern facility that reflects its educational focus. The school will be built on the site of the current Henry Dearborn Middle School in Boston’s Roxbury neighborhood, and will be the first middle and high school in the state to operate exclusively on a STEM curriculum.

Many within the community had been advocating for the new school for years, and saw the move as a hard won victory. In a release published by the MSBA, Steven Grossman, treasurer and chairman of the MSBA, said, “The new Dearborn School has been one of my top priorities as Chairman of the MSBA, and we have worked tirelessly with school administrators to ensure that it will have the infrastructure and facilities to train City of Boston students for the demands and jobs of the innovation economy,” said Grossman. “I’m delighted that we’re taking this substantial step forward and that this grant will help make good on a commitment to make Dearborn Academy a reality.”

Upon completion, the academy will feature state-of-the-art classrooms and facilities aimed at helping students prepare for higher education, as well as potential careers in the sciences. “The new Dearborn Academy School will replace an aging school with an up-to-date, 21st century learning facility,” stated MSBA Executive Director Jack McCarthy in a release. “Students will soon have a beautiful new space which will undoubtedly enhance and improve their ability to excel in the classroom.”

According to the MSBA announcement, the academy will be built based on a design enrollment of 600 students, nearly tripling its previous enrollment, and the authority will ultimately contribute slightly more than 75 percent of the project’s total cost. From here, the MSBA and Boston School District will enter into a Project Funding Agreement, which according to the MSBA release will detail the project’s scope and budget, as well as the conditions under with the city will receive the MSBA grant.

Construction on the Dearborn STEM Academy will likely begin in 2015, following the demolition of the existing 111,880-square-foot facility, which was completed in 1912. Though that facility received periodic renovations, upgrades and one addition throughout the years, it can no longer meet the educational needs of students. According to a 2013 memo, the current facility suffers from poor heat distribution and ventilation, and features inadequate electrical, plumbing and mechanical systems. A 2012-2013 environmental inspection also noted leaks, water damage, pests and 20 necessary repairs.

Designer Jonathan Levi Architects Inc. and Daedalus Projects Inc., both of Boston, served as consultants during the initial feasibility study. In October 2013 the board approved designs for the new academy, which at that time was estimated at $50 million. The current estimate is just over $70 million.

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In an Oct. 8 meeting, school officials stressed that the plan would save money and provide a safe, modern facility to students of both Upper Quincy School and Boston Arts Academy by 2017. Both schools are quickly outgrowing their existing homes, and had worked with the state to develop freestanding facilities. However, mounting costs forced them to abandon their respective projects.

School officials and planners considered multiple locations between Boston’s Theatre District and Chinatown neighborhoods; areas critical to each school’s mission and curriculum. Interim Superintendent John McDonough maintains that the multi-million dollar price tag reflects high construction costs in these dense downtown areas, not district excess. He also said the project is already a money saver, allowing students and administrators to share resources such a library, cafeteria and kitchen. “This is a more advantageous plan than doing construction at two different sites.”

The project is drawing many comparisons to wealthy suburban school Newton North High, which cost nearly $200 million when it was constructed in 2010. However, the joint downtown school would serve just an estimated 1,360 students, while Newton North maintains an enrollment of approximately 2,000. However, McDonough is cautioning that the steep initial price tag is still an estimate. Plans may fluctuate based on enrollment and programming, and more complete schematic designs are necessary before a solid number can be provided. Taxpayer contributions also remain unclear, but eligible construction costs may qualify for state reimbursement. Officials may also offset costs by selling or renting existing facilities.

School construction has also become a speaking point for the city’s mayoral candidates. Councilor-at-Large John R. Connolly said, “Students at the Boston Arts Academy and the Quincy Upper School have been waiting for years for the new school facilities they deserve. Although the state will reimburse a portion of these costs, it is well past time that the BPS showed how it intends to complete and pay for these important school building projects by producing a comprehensive long-term facilities plan.”

Connolly’s opponent, State Representative Martin J. Walsh also understands there is a need for upgraded facilities, but is cautious of such a costly undertaking. “Projects like these require a robust public process, as well as a look at how projects fit into the larger plan to ensure that every child in Boston has a great school to attend,” Walsh said. “We need to take a look at where we have empty seats and underutilized buildings and make decisions in a comprehensive way.”

Boston Arts Academy currently shares facilities with Fenway High School and is housed in an aging former USPS warehouse. Meanwhile Upper Quincy is spread between two campuses. Dot Joyce, spokeswoman for current mayor Thomas M. Menino said the mayor supports the big ticket project. “You should not put a dollar figure on what is right for student learning,” she said. “The schools are currently in spaces not conducive to learning and will be in spaces conducive to learning.”
The Massachusetts School Building Authority (MSBA) has already given their approval to move forward on design plans, and the committee will meet on Oct. 23 for a further facilities briefing. Though Massachusetts lifted its moratorium on school construction funding six years ago, no new building has taken place.

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The multimillion-dollar bond will be used to build the new Higgins Middle School in Peabody, with groundbreaking date set in 2014.

Although the city received the bond, officials say that only about $50 million will actually be borrowed, but the MSBA requires the full amount to be authorized. Now that the funding agreement is in place, the project team must return to the MSBA in order to receive permission to begin the next phase of the project.

The town and the school district in general are very excited about the news and are looking forward to the construction in the coming years. Higgins School Building Committee Chair Beverley Griffin Dunne thanked the council members for approving the bond for the town and Jim Liacos, councilor-at-large, said he was pleased to see the project move forward so smoothly.

The existing Higgins Middle School will stay in operation until the new school is built, according to Liacos, a decision in which he fully supports.

Boston-based architecture firm DiNisco Design Partnership is working on the project and explained several design changes to the new building including a front portion of the school being altered for it to sit at a slight angle in order to take advantage of better footings for the foundation.

Along with the Higgins Middle School, the MSBA has been approving construction bonds across the state including Stoneham Middle School in Stoneham. The MSBA contributed $21 million towards the $40.5 million project.

Since the MSBA’s inception, they have made $9.7 billion in reimbursements for school construction projects in Massachusetts. The Stoneham Middle School and Higgins Middle School are bringing the state’s educational facilities up-to-date with 21st century design strategies and state-of-the-art facilities.

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