Storm Shelters are widely mentioned in school building construction, but very few know the detailed requirements and amount of protection incorporated into these structures. Champaign Unit 4 has designed International Code Council (ICC) / National Storm Shelter Association (NSSA) 500 storm shelters into Central and Centennial High Schools, Edison Middle School and Dr. Howard, IPA and South Side Elementary Schools.

The ICC 500 requirements are part of the 2015 International Building Code (IBC) that requires school buildings (education occupancy) be designed to allow for protection of students during high-wind events, such as tornadoes.

These requirements are driven by weather events and subsequent damage from tornadoes in cities like Joplin, Mo., Greensburg, Kan., and Moore, Okla. Shelters are sized for the school’s students and staff capacity, allocating 10 square feet per person. Wind design standards are based on the particular area of the country. In Champaign’s case, the standard is 250 miles per hour.

At Central High School, the shelter is comprised of the first floor locker rooms and the lower level programs rooms east of the new gymnasium. Centennial High School’s storm shelter is comprised of the new two-court gymnasium and west restrooms. Both school’s shelters are constructed of precast concrete on the first floor with a concrete roof slab.

Design requirements for the shelters include:

Structural protection of occupants from airborne projectiles that could cause bodily harm in a high velocity wind event.
Structural independence from other portions of the building structure to the extent that the storm shelter will remain standing even if buildings around it collapse.
Ventilation, lighting, and restrooms are to be provided for occupants even if primary electrical and water services fail.
Doors and windows in the shelter are to be FEMA rated, which includes materials and hardware tested and certified for impact.
Ductwork, roof drains, etc., have specific design requirements so to not allow projectiles to penetrate.

Champaign Unit 4 School District

Projects

We're building for the future!

Centennial High School & Tommy Stewart Field

Central High School & North Fields

Dr. Howard Elementary

Edison Middle School

International Prep Academy

McKinley Field

South Side Elementary

Spalding Park

Centennial Renovation (Dec. 2020)

Tommy Stewart Field

North Fields

Recreating an Iconic Design at Central

Storm Shelter Designs at High Schools

Branding at South Side & IPA

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