Kazakhstan Approves New Standards for Civil Defense Shelters in Basements and Parking

Kazakhstan has introduced a new national standard regulating the conversion of underground spaces into public shelters for use during emergencies. The standard, which comes into effect on January 1, 2026, establishes unified requirements for adapting basements, underground parking garages, and other subterranean areas.

The document, designated ST RK 4016-2025, was developed by KazStandard as part of the National Standardization Plan for 2025 at the request of the Ministry of Emergency Situations. It aims to enhance public safety and preparedness by formalizing the use of existing underground infrastructure for civil defense.

"In global practice, underground spaces—including basements, ground floors, underpasses, and metro systems—are widely used to protect the population," stated officials from the Committee of Technical Regulation and Metrology. "In Kazakhstan, such spaces can also be adapted as civil defense protective structures."

The new standard addresses a regulatory gap by defining procedures for surveying buildings and retrofitting them to shield people during natural disasters, industrial accidents, or military conflicts. It sets mandatory requirements for structural integrity, room layout, and life-support systems.

Key provisions cover ventilation, water supply, electricity, sanitation facilities, and communication systems within shelters. The standard also outlines a technical assessment protocol for buildings that includes inspections of load-bearing structures and engineering networks.

Specific measures are prescribed for reinforcing structures and re-equipping spaces where necessary. The document includes examples of typical retrofit solutions and a table for evaluating a shelter's suitability.

The draft underwent extensive review and was coordinated with numerous state bodies including the Ministries of Emergency Situations, Defense, Ecology and Natural Resources; energy oversight committees; regional emergency departments; business associations; nuclear agencies; and technical committees in industrial safety and construction.

Feedback received during consultations led to several key additions. These include accounting for geographic, climatic, and seismic factors in technical designs; developing counter-drone protection algorithms; providing sample retrofit diagrams; specifying wall reinforcement methods; and planning automated public access systems to shelters. All proposed amendments were incorporated into the final version.

The adoption of this standard is expected to create a unified approach to utilizing underground spaces across Kazakhstan, significantly improving the level of population protection in crisis situations.