When Construction Briefing found itself on the construction site of a new school on the outskirts of Stockholm, Sweden in May, it was surprised to learn that the 593 million kronor (US$55.4 million) project involved the renovation of two bomb shelters.

Sitting under a sheltered area in the school playground, the bunkers are connected underground to the school, which will house approximately 915 pre-school to ninth grade students once complete later this year.

Construction of a new school in Hallunda near Stockholm, Sweden, involves retaining and renovating two bomb shelters (Image: ±ØÓ®ÌåÓý Group)

Contractor Arcona, part of Norway-based Veidekke, is building the new Eleonoraskolan for Botkyrka Municipality in Hallunda. The design-build project involved the demolition of the original 1970s school with the exception of two active emergency shelters.

Hooked up to the electricity and water grid, the renovated public shelters will allow occupants to survive for several days in the event of a disaster or war. 

Sweden has a total of 64,000 defence bunkers - more than any other nation in the world. Theoretically, they are capable of accommodating seven million people. But following the end of the Cold War, they gradually became obsolete. And, according to Sweden’s civil contingencies agency (Myndigheten för samhällsskydd och beredskap, or MSB), no new shelters have been built since 2002.

But ever since Russia’s invasion of Ukraine in 2022, there has been a renewed focus on civil defence infrastructure in Europe.

Germany’s �10 billion shelter programme

Germany, where there has been a long-held belief that preparation for war was unnecessary, now has plans to add shelter space for up to one million people.

That involves an initial investment of â‚�10 billion ($11 billion) over four years, rising to â‚�30 billion (US$34 billion) by the end of the decade. A detailed implementation plan is expected this summer. 

A long hallway in an underground bunker located in the Czech Republic. Europe is increasinging its defence infrastructure spending as the Russia-Ukraine conflict wages on. (Image: Adobe Stock)

The country’s  is overseeing the rapid reactivation and expansion of Germany’s civil shelter network. It’s said only 580 of the country’s Cold War-era bunkers remain functional, covering just 0.5% of the population. By comparison, .

Much of the work will focus on retrofitting existing infrastructure. Metro stations, tunnels, and car parks will be structurally reinforced and fitted with air-filtration systems, blast-resistant doors, back-up power supplies, and water reserves. Public buildings may also see basements converted into hardened spaces.

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And Germany’s fiscal policy has shifted to accommodate such efforts. In March, the government formally suspended its constitutional “debt brake� to allow increased spending on defence, cyber resilience and critical infrastructure.

Construction contracts for structural reinforcements, life-support systems, and secure telecoms will follow in successive tender cycles beginning in 2026.

Big picture, the move marks a broader shift in how European governments approach infrastructure investment, particularly for civic defence and protection. No longer solely about mobility, resilience, or economic growth, infrastructure is again being viewed through a Cold War-era lens: as a first line of defence in the face of potential military conflict.

Procurement outlook, approvals for EU defence infrastructure builds

Inside an underground bunker in Poland. (Image: Adobe Stock)

Germany’s plan, while still in pre-tender phase, signals a coming wave of government procurement.

Contracts are expected in stages starting with engineering consultants and technical surveys, followed by structural works and life-support system installation. Some may be bundled as public-private partnerships, especially if EU funds or NATO resilience programmes are involved.

The EU’s Cohesion Policy framework and Recovery and Resilience Facility already permit funding for dual-use infrastructure: In 2023, Poland put this policy in action and established a Security and Defence Fund to fast-track such investments.

Belgium has also adapted parts of its Trans-European Transport Network (TEN-T) strategy to prioritise military mobility and emergency interoperability.

Back in Sweden, the MSB last year received 100 million kronor (US$10 million) from the government to increase inspections of the country’s many shelters to ensure that they meet the standard. Before years of neglect, they were supposed to be useable within 48 hours� notice.

Building regulations in Sweden used to stipulate that shelters had to be constructed alongside buildings of a certain size in designated shelter areas, with the capability to provide shelter for three days and protect against gases used in war, as well as shockwaves and shrapnel from a bomb weighing up to 250 kilos.

Poland, Baltics already investing in wartime construction

Poland is now the top NATO defence spender as a share of GDP, reaching 4.12% in 2024 and forecast to hit 5% in 2026. The increased investment was driven largely by the spectre of war stemming from the Russia-Ukraine conflict.

Additionally, Poland has redirected around PLN 26 billion (US$7 billion) in EU post-pandemic recovery funds toward dual-use infrastructure, including roads, logistics corridors, civil defence shelters and cybersecurity assets.

It coincides with the Baltic states (Estonia, Latvia, Lithuania), which have undertaken similar plans.

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The triad launched military mobility strategies focused on reinforcing bridges, road corridors, and energy supply lines to NATO standard through its Baltic Defence Line initiative. The plan seeks to spend around �3 billion (US$3.4 billion), including in Poland. The programme includes both retrofitting civil infrastructure to military-grade specs and updating fortifications along the eastern borders.

The massive �15.3 billion (US$17.5 billion) Rail Baltica rail project was also developed with defence capabilities in mind: it was designed to meet modern defence requirements, including the transportation of heavy goods and military personnel.

Dual-use defence projects could generate new demand

Exterior of an old bunker in Central Europe. (Image: Adobe Stock)

With geopolitical risk reshaping planning priorities, civil defence requirements are getting quietly folded into new infrastructure specs across Europe.

Governments are embedding dual functionality into public projects, much like Rail Baltica; designing buildings and transit systems that can serve both civil and emergency roles.

This could generate new demand across several categories: reinforced concrete, waterproofing and ventilation systems, air-filtration technology, emergency signage and communication platforms, and structural resilience audits. Infrastructure suppliers with experience in metro, tunnel and utility projects may be well positioned. Construction technology providers whose platforms support resilience, asset monitoring or digital alert networks could also be vital.

It might in some cases feel a bit like going backward to go forward; projects long thought obsolete � such as concrete bunkers and reinforced rail depots � are once again viable, even strategic. And for Europe’s construction sector, the return of civil-defence priorities could prove a logistical challenge, particularly in refurbishment and retrofitting, but it could signal a significant market shift.

“Our goal is not to fuel fear, but to prepare responsibly,� Germany’s Tiesler said.

Whether preparing for conflict or simply insulating public services from future crises, wartime construction may already (again) be a fixture of the European infrastructure landscape.

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