Shelters will be built in residential and public Ukrainian buildings

On 10 August 2023, the Ministry of Communities, Territories and Infrastructure of Ukraine approved new construction standards for the construction of civil protection facilities. The draft DBN B.2.2-5:2023 “Protective Shelters” (ua)↗️ has been posted on the portal of the E-construction in the field of construction. Within a month, it should be registered. A copy will be available for free.

All reconstruction projects for residential and public buildings, including schools, kindergartens and hospitals, must include protective structures. They must also meet inclusivity standards. The general provisions state:
Entrance groups, vestibules, staircases, ramps, platforms, rooms, paths of movement inside buildings or structures, elements of decoration and interior of protective and dual-purpose structures must meet the requirements of DBN B.2.2-40 (ua)↗️.

In accordance with DBN B.2.2-5, protective or protective-sealed doors that are resistant to excessive shock wave pressure should be used in vaults. Also:

• The width of the opening of internal doors in the premises should be at least 0.9 m.
• The width of one leaf of a double-leaf door in the opening should be at least 0.9 m.
• It is recommended to equip the door with a lever-type handle.
• Doors to rooms, as well as inter-corridor doors, should be without thresholds (except for doors to technical rooms - switchboard, ventilation, etc).
• In case of technical necessity to install thresholds, such thresholds shall comply with the requirements of DBN B.2.2-40.
• During major repairs, in the absence of technical feasibility, it is allowed to arrange doorways of entrance and internal doors with a minimum clearance of 0.8 m.

It is not allowed to place windows in shelters and dual-purpose structures with the protective properties of vaults. However, it is allowed to design dual-purpose structures with the protective properties of a radiation shelter with windows that meet the following requirements:

• the windows should be closed for the entire duration of the special period or should be closed during an external threat (air raid alert, etc.) by external or internal shutters with an automatic closing system;
• shutters should have sufficient load-bearing capacity (including pivot mechanisms and locking structure) to withstand the load from the blast wave overpressure of at least 100 kPa;
• a reliable presser around the entire perimeter;
• use tempered, shockproof or laminated glass;
• the bottom of windows is recommended to be located at a distance of 1.8 m from the floor level.

The DBN will come into force on 1 November 2023.