When Lubbock-Cooper Independent School District needed a storm shelter for their new Liberty High School, they faced a unique challenge: create one of Texas’s largest high school storm shelters that could withstand 250-mph winds while serving dual duty as practice gymnasiums. The solution emerged through the innovative application of Nudura ICF technology in what became a landmark project for educational facility storm protection.

Completed after 117 weeks of construction, the $20 million, 36,000-square-foot Liberty High School Storm Shelter features 18-inch thick ICF walls rising 45 feet to support a 142-foot roof span without intermediate columns, with 100% ICF exterior walls totaling 35,500 square feet and 6,400 square feet of interior ICF walls.

“This was the first project for Lubbock-Cooper ISD that required a storm shelter, and only the second school in the city of Lubbock to require one,” explained Zachary Garrett, a structural engineer at Parkhill, which also served as architect and engineer for the project. “This project has set the precedent for the walls of storm shelters to be built with ICF.”

Engineering Complexity and Innovation
The Liberty High School Storm Shelter required compliance with ICC-500 standards, demanding resistance to hydrostatic and lateral earth pressures below grade while withstanding 250-mph winds above grade. The walls, roof, and openings needed to meet missile impact criteria. The floor placement 15 feet below grade added hydrostatic load considerations that further complicated the structural design.
Multiple wall configurations were evaluated during the design phase. “Several options were discussed including 12-inch ICF walls that had intermediate bracing at the concourse level and bottom of truss level, casting pilasters into the ICF wall to provide additional stiffeners for flexural reinforcement, and using an 18-inch uniform thickness for the ICF wall,” Garrett noted. The 18-inch ICF solution was selected to simplify field construction and prevent rebar congestion.

The 142-foot clear span requirement for gymnasium functionality presented additional challenges. Supporting such spans with 45-foot concrete walls while meeting storm resistance criteria required precise structural calculations and innovative detailing. Cantilevered concourses extending 8 feet from the center ICF walls in each gymnasium added complexity to the structural system.
Advanced framing solutions addressed critical tolerance requirements. “This was the first ICF project that Parkhill used integrated framing assemblies (Stala Framing) for the openings in the ICF walls,” Garrett explained. “Because this was a storm shelter, it was very important for the openings to be the correct size and location when we poured due to the impact resistant requirements of ICC-500.”

Construction Challenges and Solutions
The project marked new territory for multiple stakeholders, creating both opportunities and risks. “The client had traditionally used structural CMU walls in their other gym facilities and were hesitant to try ICF on such a large and prominent project considering they hadn’t used this framing system before,” Garrett said. Initial concerns focused on durability and aesthetics of interior finishes along with contractor unfamiliarity with ICF construction methods.

These concerns dissolved as construction progressed and ICF advantages became apparent. “There was concern on the durability and aesthetics of a drywall finish on the inside along with the unknowns of a new construction type to the contractor. These were quickly put to rest as construction started and the speed of install was shown,” according to Garrett.

Cost analysis favored ICF selection over traditional alternatives. “When comparing the costs of other systems such as precast concrete, concrete tilt-wall, and masonry to achieve the required impact ratings and design loads, ICF came in slightly lower than the other options,” Garrett said. “Also, the speed of construction for ICF along with not having as many trades involved in the wall construction made ICF a logical choice.”

Quality control measures addressed the critical nature of storm shelter construction. “If there was a blowout in the ICF form or a bulge, that section of wall would have had to be repoured as the 45-foot tall wall would be exposed in the gym aside from receiving a layer of impact-resistant drywall,” Garrett explains. The contractor implemented comprehensive bracing systems combining traditional scaffolding with ICF wall bracing to achieve the required plumbness tolerances.

Architectural Integration and Functionality
Despite serving as the storm shelter for the entire $300 million high school project, the architecture team wanted to make sure these areas still felt like a gym. Achieving gymnasium aesthetics within storm shelter constraints required coordinated design efforts. “To achieve this, special lighting, graphics, flooring, and coordinated HVAC placement were implemented to make a modern athletics space,” Garrett notes.
The dual-purpose design extends the facility’s value beyond emergency protection. Students and community members utilize the space for athletics, events, and gatherings, maximizing the investment in storm protection infrastructure while maintaining the welcoming atmosphere essential for educational facilities.

Sustainability and Performance Benefits
The ICF construction delivered thermal performance advantages over conventional educational facility construction. “ICF did provide a higher R-value for the walls than other phases of the high school that utilized brick over cold-formed metal framing,” Garrett explained. This enhanced thermal efficiency reduces operational costs while improving occupant comfort in large-volume spaces.

Environmental considerations influenced material selection beyond performance requirements. “ICF was partly chosen due to the environmental impact of transporting lightweight forms to the job site and bringing in ready mix concrete from a close by concrete plant,” according to Garrett. This approach minimized transportation-related environmental impacts compared to alternatives like precast concrete panels requiring long-distance shipping.

Regional Impact and Industry Leadership
As one of the largest high school storm shelters in Texas, the project demonstrates solutions for districts facing similar safety requirements while maintaining functional educational spaces.

“The client has proudly shown the gym to other school districts and several tours have been given to the Texas Society of Professional Engineers to showcase how to create a cost-effective storm shelter in schools that still function as very usable space,” Garrett reported. “This project was a complete success and Lubbock-Cooper ISD has already started to consider how else ICF can be utilized on future district projects,” Garrett notes. “Because of the speed of construction, budget, and performance of the ICF, the design team is already implementing ICF for Liberty High School’s Auditorium in the next phase of the project.”

Community reception has exceeded expectations. “The owner was extremely satisfied with the finished gym. The gym, although a storm shelter, has been received by the community as a safe, aesthetic gathering space for the community to enjoy,” according
to Garrett.