Since 1992, following the First Gulf War, Israeli civil defense regulations require every new building to include a standard protected space. These spaces protect against missile and rocket attacks, earthquakes, fires, and hazardous materials incidents.

Classification of Protected Spaces

MAMAD — Residential Protected Room (ממ״ד)

The MAMAD is a reinforced room inside an apartment, and it is the preferred protected space because it is located within the home and can be reached quickly.

Construction: A cube of reinforced concrete with walls extending down to the building’s foundations.

Dimensions:

• Internal area: at least 9 square meters (HFC may permit smaller in special cases, but never less than 5 sq m)
• Height: 2.5 m to 2.8 m
• Width: no less than 1.6 m

Components:

• Blast door — opens outward; prevents penetration of blast and fragments; provides airtight sealing
• Blast window — external steel window (blocks blast and fragments) plus internal glass window (sealing and blast reduction). Double-wing glass must be removed in an emergency; single-wing glass does not need removal.
• Electrical outlets, lighting, and preparation for a telephone connection
• Radio and television antennas
• Interior wall covering meeting Israeli Standard 5075
• Since 2002: infrastructure pipelines for air conditioning (per Israeli Standard 994). AC only on internal walls. Pipes pass only through internal walls, sealed with HFC-approved sealing agents.
• Since May 2010: ventilation and filtering systems (per Israeli Standard 4570) in new construction

Usage restrictions:

• May not be used as a kitchen, washroom, or bathroom
• Can be used as a bedroom if properly ventilated
• No storage of flammable, dangerous, or toxic materials
• Gas tanks must be at least 3 meters from protected room walls
• Drilling holes through walls and dismantling doors or windows is forbidden

MAMAK — Communal Protected Space (ממ״ק)

Found in high-rise buildings, a MAMAK serves up to 4 housing units on the same floor.

Construction: Reinforced concrete cube with walls extending to the building’s foundations.

Dimensions:

• Area: 5 sq m per unit (if the main floor space exceeds 100 sq m) or 4 sq m per unit (if under 100 sq m)
• Height: 2.5 m to 2.8 m
• Width: no less than 1.8 m

Components:

• Blast door (opens outward) and emergency escape/rescue opening
• Electrical outlets, telephone connection preparation, radio/TV antennas
• Permanent lighting and emergency (fluorescent or LED) lighting
• Since 2002: infrastructure pipelines
• Since May 2010: ventilation and filtering per Israeli Standard 4570

MAMAM — Institutional Protected Space

Required in every non-residential building (commercial centers, production facilities, office buildings). May also be approved for residential buildings with more than 4 housing units per floor.

Construction: Same reinforced concrete cube standard as MAMAK, with walls extending to the building’s foundations.

Components: Same as MAMAK, plus an emergency escape and rescue opening. A blast window may also be included.

Building and Public Shelters

In buildings without a MAMAD, MAMAK, or MAMAM, occupants may use the building’s communal shelter or a nearby public shelter — provided they can reach it within the time available for their area.

Exception: If the communal shelter is accessible through an internal stairwell (no exterior walls, no windows, no openings), it may be used regardless of the time constraint.

Enhancement Solutions

About one-third of Israeli society lacks a standard protected space. For these residents, the HFC has approved 6 enhancement solutions that can be installed in existing rooms. These do not provide protection equivalent to a standard MAMAD and are intended only for those who cannot build one. They are not approved for new construction.

All solutions have been tested by the HFC and found to be operational.

Solution	Method	Installation Time	Starting Cost
Shani	Independent steel structure, min. 3 sq m. Fits any space including stairwells and storage areas.	Up to 2 days	—
Magen (Mifram)	Folding steel structure mounted on an existing wall. 27 cm thick, folds flat when not in use. Unfolds in 10 minutes.	2–3 days	—
Ortech	Composite-material panels on steel rails shielding existing walls. Panels ~2 cm thick. Doors/windows replaced with blast-resistant ones.	3–5 days	—
Maoz	Geotextile fabric secured to floor and ceiling with steel posts. No concrete pouring needed. Works in non-geometrical rooms.	4–5 days	—
Liad (HMD)	Galvanized steel sheets with a unique geometrical structure, fixed to floor and ceiling with high-load anchors.	5–7 days	—
Magen 6000	15 mm thick polymeric silicone compound sprayed on internal surfaces. Protective frames added per Israeli Standard 4422.	~5 days	—

Common advantages: Available for immediate installation, no building permits or neighbors’ permission required, and costs start from approximately NIS 35,000.