The Mary E. Britton Middle School in Lexington, Kentucky, includes an ICC-500 rated tornado shelter, designed for 250 mph wind loads. The school is Fayette County’s first new middle school to open in more than 20 years. Serving more than 1,200 students in 170,000 square feet, this is one of the largest middle schools in Kentucky. The school was the 1st Runner Up in the Education category in the 2026 ICF Builder Awards.
Out of a 140-week construction schedule, ICF installation by Rising Sun Developing took only 290 days. 88% of the school’s exterior walls were built using ICFs from Nudura by Tremco CPG.

Construction and Design
The design integrates specialized spaces such as a Baptist Health–sponsored medical sciences lab, a state-of-the-art agricultural sciences laboratory, and an ICC-500-compliant tornado shelter. “Detailing of the storm shelter roof to the ICF wall was a unique challenge as the debris impact rating of the storm shelter had to be maintained for the entire shelter envelope,” said Brian McMillan, PE, Principal-in-Charge with structural engineer Brown + Kubican PSC. “The insulation creates too large of a gap, so we detailed an insulation leave-out strip on one side of the form at the room level which allowed a concrete corbel to extend to the outside face of the ICF. The storm shelter’s concrete roof slab then tied into the face of this corbel. Coordinating these systems across more than 290 days of ICF installation demanded precision and innovative sequencing. The final result demonstrates a highly creative integration of modern educational environments with durable construction technologies.”
This was a public-bid project, requiring cost competitiveness and strict adherence to schedule. Using ICFs allowed the project to stick to the schedule and deliver strong energy performance and resilience. “Completed on time and within budget, the project has been met with strong owner satisfaction and will serve as a model of durability, sustainability, and cultural significance for years to come,” said McMillan.

Significance and Impact
A hallmark of the building is its vocational agriculture program, which includes hands-on learning labs, outdoor spaces, and a state-of-the-art chicken coop. Superior thermal performance from the ICFs combined with geothermal heating and cooling systems and LED lighting reduces operational costs and environmental impact.

As the first new middle school in Fayette County in more than 20 years, it has already received wide recognition and community attention. “With its innovative program spaces, resilient ICF construction, and connection to Kentucky’s agricultural industry, the school sets a precedent for how educational facilities can reflect local identity while embracing advanced building technologies,” McMillan said. “The project demonstrates that ICF systems can be applied successfully at scale in complex institutional buildings, advancing awareness and adoption of the system in the K-12 market.”