The White Bear Lake School District project started in late 2020 for the client, White Bear Area Schools, with a focus on storm shelter peer review and structural observations. The initiative is currently ongoing and involves Braun Intertec as the storm shelter peer review and structural observation team for eight newly constructed and renovated schools within the district, with work still in progress at two schools.
Storm shelter peer reviews and structural observations enable schools to prioritize the safety and well-being of students, staff, and visitors within school buildings. Braun Intertec storm shelter peer reviews meticulously assess the design and construction plans for storm shelters, checking they adhere to necessary standards, regulations, and best practices for effective protection against weather events. Braun Intertec structural observations provide owners with valuable insights to prevent structural failures and support the longevity of school buildings, ultimately safeguarding their occupants.
Storm Shelter and Structural Consulting
The Braun Intertec building and structure sciences team of registered architects, licensed structural engineers, and certified building officials conducted thorough storm shelter peer reviews of design documents and detailed structural observations. These efforts were directed at achieving compliance with the Minnesota State Building Code and ICC 500 standards. The shelters themselves vary in size, ranging from 1,780 square feet to 12,877 square feet, collectively totaling 67,183 square feet.
Navigating Project Challenges
Project challenges included the many components to the building code and ICC 500 that needed to be considered during design, construction, installation, and post-event for storm shelters. These requirements are put in place to prevent the loss of life during a severe windstorm event. An additional challenge was maintaining uniform review standards across several diverse subprojects.
Collaborative Approaches for Client Solutions
The project team was able to deftly execute reviews due to personnel expertise in ICC 500 required construction document peer reviews, special inspections, and structural observations relative to the design, construction, and installation of storm shelters. These requirements protect the public’s health safety, and general welfare. Braun Intertec was also able to use independently designed checklists to maintain uniform review standards, maintained close collaboration, and continuous communication with the owner, design team, and contractor throughout the process.
Community Engagement and Successful Completion
Furthermore, Braun Intertec actively engaged the Cities of White Bear Lake, Hugo, and White Bear Township, facilitating reporting and onsite observations for a comprehensive execution of the project. All storm shelter projects have been successfully completed within the designated budget. The strategic proximity of our White Bear Lake office to the school district resulted in minimized costs for the client.
“When we passed a large bond referendum, we had strong recommendations from those in the construction industry to work with Braun Intertec for all third-party inspections. The team from Braun Intertec is thorough, professional, and are an important part of our team. When challenges come up with construction, they dig in to help identify the problem and find science-based solutions. We feel confident knowing that the critical elements of construction are thoroughly tested and value the collaboration we have with Braun Intertec.” – Tim Wald, Assistant Superintendent for Finance and Operations and White Bear Lake Area Schools.
Braun Intertec closely partnered with design professionals from Wold Architects and BKBM Engineers, as well as with Kraus Anderson Construction, contributing to the successful completion of the projects. Braun Intertec was proud to contribute to a project that closely impacts the safety and well-being of the White Bear Lake community.
