Latest news with #bunkers
Yahoo
27-07-2025
- Business
- Yahoo
Why Buyers Are Paying More for Homes With Bunkers and Survival Amenities
"Hearst Magazines and Yahoo may earn commission or revenue on some items through these links." Most features that raise your home's value are visually obvious: a black front door, solar panels, or an open kitchen with a waterfall island. But the thing that might increase buyer interest the most these days is completely hidden—and on purpose. That's because they're bunkers. Unlike a traditional basement, these disaster shelters come with independent air systems and gas-tight, nuclear blast-resistant doors. Oh, and don't forget the marble kitchen counters and wine fridges. 'I don't make bunkers that feel like a jail cell—they're meant to feel like another room of the house,' says Ron Hubbard, chief executive at Atlas Survival Shelters, where his nuclear-safe shelters can start at $200,000 and include full kitchens, bathrooms, and wine cellars. (Real talk: Some are gun storage, too.) Some of their entrances are hidden behind bookcases or bars, because, as he puts it, we all have a little Bruce Wayne in us. Once seen as an amenity specifically for tin foil hat wearers, the current state of the world has changed all that, and business is booming. Atlas has hundreds of orders on the docket for the next two years. And, according to 2023 survey data from Finder, nearly a third of the population has spent $11 billion on emergency preparedness. Many celebrities have already gotten on board—Josh Duhamel, Mark Zuckerberg, and Kim Kardashian all reportedly have underground shelters—but for the rest of us, adding a bunker to your home doesn't have to be such an extreme investment. Altering an existing basement into a weather- and war-proof shelter can cost between $15,000 and $30,000, which, in renovation terms, is on the low end for a bathroom refresh. And for some people, hiring a contractor won't even be an issue: Hubbard says that developers in Texas and Oklahoma are automatically including 1,000-square-foot bunker basements in the homes they're building. But even if the bunker business is booming, finding civilians who will talk about their shelters is as difficult as, well, identifying a trick bookshelf that leads to a bomb-proof basement. (A rep from Atlas says their customers aren't willing to go on the record 'due to the secretive nature of our product.') Still, Hubbard thinks we may eventually live in a time when Americans need to have access to a shelter. That said, real estate agents say that a home with some type of survival shelter, even if it's not a full bunker, can increase resale value—while, of course, also providing safety. 'We have seen a small influx of compounds around the country building bunkers in the ultra high-end market,' says real estate agent Carl Gambino, founder of Gambino Group, which handles luxury listings in New York, L.A., Miami, New Jersey, the North Fork, and the Hamptons. But that's not the majority, he says: 'We more often see safe rooms, which can contribute positively to sales.' Instead of bunkers, some L.A.–based real estate agents have also seen an increase in fire hardening—adding flame-resistant roofing and siding, for example—following this year's wildfires. To fully protect your home, though, real estate agent Sunny Whang of Compass suggests a multi-pronged approach: metal roofing, roof sprinklers, ember-resistant vents and gutters, enclosing eaves with soffit panels, coating windows, and trimming trees that could spread fire. Resale value aside, wherever you live, consider taking any necessary precautions—however small—to help keep your home (and family!) safe from disasters. Follow on Instagram and TikTok. You Might Also Like 15 Home Bar Gifts Every Cocktail Enthusiast Will Appreciate 32 Low Light Indoor Plants That Can Survive in the Darkest Corners of Your Home These Are the 50 Best Paint Colors for Your Living Room
Wall Street Journal
22-07-2025
- Politics
- Wall Street Journal
Germany Shut Down Thousands of Air-Raid Shelters. It Needs New Ones Fast.
BERLIN—Less than 20 years ago, Germany decided the risk of a military attack on its territory was so low that it decommissioned the country's last air-raid bunkers. Today, it is scrambling to roll back the decision. Of about 2,000 bunkers and air-raid shelters operational during the Cold War, only 580 remain, offering space for 480,000 people, or half a percent of Germany's population. Even this figure is largely theoretical.
CBS News
21-07-2025
- Sport
- CBS News
Totteridge Golf Club's 13th hole has bunkers challenging every shot
The 13th hole at Totteridge Golf Club is one of the best in western Pennsylvania and has several bunkers that present different challenges on every shot. World renowned golf architect Rees Jones designed over 270 golf courses including 14 that have hosted a major championship and four that have hosted the Ryder Cup. He also designed Totteridge Golf Club in Westmoreland County, which features a fantastic layout and the 13th hole there has everything you want in a par 4 with bunkers coming into play several times. "A really challenging tee shot here where you have to kind of thread the needle in between two groups of bunkers," said Totteridge Golf Club head professional Brian Klocek. "Then it sets up for a really challenging second shot into a two-tiered green." The 13th is a monster and with five sets of tees, it can play as long as 460 yards. From the white tees, its around 240 yards to carry the left fairway bunker and an ideal tee shot would be a cut off the left edge of the trap, landing in the middle of the fairway. Where you'll want to land your approach shot will depend on the pin position and uphill putts from the left side of the green will tend to trail away to the right a bit. If you can stay out of the bunkers in the fairway and around the green, par on the 13th hole is a good score. Founded: 2001 Public or Private: Public Location: 2029 Totteridge Drive, Greensburg, PA 15601 Phone Number: 724-837-6700 Website: Course Designer: Rees Jones Par: 72 Yardages, Course Rating, and Slope Rating:
Reuters
17-06-2025
- Business
- Reuters
Tighter carbon rules, slower economy to erode bunker demand growth, IEA says
LONDON, June 17 (Reuters) - Stricter environmental regulations and slower global economic growth will soften marine fuel demand in the coming years, the International Energy Agency said in its annual report on Tuesday. Marine fuel sales jumped last year due to Red Sea disruptions that made shipping companies take longer routes. But demand for those fuels, also called bunkers, could flatline at around 5 million barrels per day (bpd) in 2024-2030, because of weak underlying shipping growth and rising costs from tougher maritime environmental standards, the IEA said. Last April, member states of the International Maritime Organization (IMO), the United Nations' shipping agency, agreed on a carbon pricing mechanism to help the shipping industry reach net zero emissions by 2050. The mechanism, pending final approval in October 2025, will require ships to pay a penalty for above-target greenhouse gas emissions from 2028. Shipping transports over 80% of all traded goods and causes nearly 3% of greenhouse gas emissions, according to UN data. Tariffs will create a harsher environment for global trade and shipping, potentially affecting bunkers disproportionately, and this could accelerate the ongoing disconnect between economic growth and maritime trade, the IEA said. Attacks on vessels in the Red Sea that forced some to avoid the Suez Canal initially supported bunker sales, adding 140,000 bpd to international bunkering demand last year, although this was only slightly above trend, the IEA said. At the same time, weak economic growth and soaring freight and insurance rates acted as headwinds, the IEA added.
Yahoo
09-06-2025
- Business
- Yahoo
Are bunkers really making a comeback in Europe?
Russia's full-scale invasion of Ukraine and a recent nationwide blackout affecting Spain and Portugal have shaken people's sense of security in Europe. For decades, bunkers were largely ignored — but now, interest is surging, particularly among private citizens, according to companies that specialize in building or restoring shelters. In Spain, for example, the private construction of bunkers has increased by 200% since Moscow launched its war in early 2022, industry companies report. Countries like Germany, France and the Baltic states are reportedly among the most advanced in their preparedness. Boom in demand from the private sector Companies specializing in the construction of private shelters or the reactivation of old bunkers in Germany are seeing an increase in demand. At Bunker Schutzraum Systeme Deutschland (BSSD), an employee describes an "exponential" increase in inquiries since 2014 — a trend that accelerated again in 2022 following the war in Ukraine, though still on a relatively modest scale. The clientele is made up entirely of private individuals. "Nothing is being done by the government," says Mario Piejde, the company's technical director and spokesperson. "People are slowly waking up and taking matters into their own hands — not just because of the fear of war, but also concerns about power outages or civil unrest." According to BSSD, 80% of current projects involve refurbishing older, privately owned bunkers, while 20% consist of converting basements in new residential buildings into protective shelters. At another firm, the Deutsches Schutzraum-Zentrum (DSZ), the trend skews in the opposite direction. Owner Peter Aurnhammer reports that 80% of their work involves new builds, where part of the basement is specifically designed as a secure shelter. Interest is growing across all demographics, he adds. "We see demand from all corners of society — tradespeople, doctors, politicians, business owners and families planning new homes with integrated shelter space." Music, art and carnival Today, the high-rise bunkers in Frankfurt are mainly used for civilian purposes - even if they are not as spectacular as the St Pauli bunker in Hamburg, a massive World War II shelter turned plant-covered hotel and tourist magnet. Some are used as rehearsal rooms for musicians or studios for artists. Others became clubhouses, youth centres or carnival clubs. Companies that already existed during the World War II still have bunkers from this period - one example can be found on the site of an industrial company in Frankfurt's Ostend district. The operators do not want the exact location to be publicized for fear of uninvited visitors. Today, the rooms are used as storage space or are empty. The door to a secret cellar that opens with a squeak From the outside, only the worn inscription "Luftschutzraum" (air-raid shelter) on a cellar grating indicates the existence of the facility. The path leads through a security door that can only be opened with a coded key card. Past clattering machines and the grinding noises of a conveyor belt, worn concrete steps lead into a labyrinth of corridors and windowless rooms that are not accessible to the public. An arched iron door squeaks open 12 metres underground. In the light of a torch, the words "Shelter for 45 people" written in German can be seen in Gothic script on the weathered paintwork of the door. The room is completely empty - but during the heavy airstrikes on Frankfurt in 1943 and 1944, dozens of people were crammed into a very small space. A few metres further on, the door to the former "command post" stands ajar. Apart from a few coat hooks, there are no longer any personal belongings or parts of the interior fittings of the time. The existence of separate toilets and showers for men and women suggests that stays could last several days. Bunkers 'not a contemporary approach' According to the Federal Office of Civil Protection and Disaster Assistance (BBK), Germany currently still maintains 579 public shelters with a total capacity of around 478,000 people. However, in 2006, the government decided to gradually decommission shelters and repurpose them for other uses. As a result, the nationwide provision of public shelters for defence purposes is no longer included in Germany's current civil defence strategy. The BBK emphasizes that times have changed: "For a long time, the construction and maintenance of public shelters was seen by the public as a central civil defence measure," said a spokeswoman. However, even during the Cold War, a maximum of 2% of the population could have found refuge in public shelters. The threat scenarios then and now are not comparable, she added. "Against this background, new ways of protecting the population must also be pursued. A nationwide construction of shelters is therefore not a modern approach to ensure effective protection of the population." Advice: Stock up on food, flashlight and a radio Russia's invasion of Ukraine has brought new challenges for civil defence across Europe, according to Roman Poseck, interior minister of the German state of Hesse. He emphasizes that citizens can help bolster societal resilience by maintaining basic emergency supplies - such as food, water, a flashlight, spare batteries and a battery-powered radio. "The security situation has fundamentally changed for all European countries."
