Summary
- Obligation: the mamad has been mandatory in new buildings since the early 1990s, according to the Home Front Command.
- Surface area: about 9 m² of interior space as a general rule, with possible exemptions.
- Construction: reinforced concrete poured in one piece, airtight, with filtered ventilation and an armoured door and window.
- Ventilation: the Israeli standard SI 4570 governs the ventilation system.
- Permit: approval from the Home Front Command is required for the building permit.
- Context: the State Comptroller estimates that nearly 3 million people have neither a mamad, nor a public shelter, nor standard protection.
1. What Is the Mamad?
The mamad (ממ"ד, safe room) is a protected space built into the home. It is not a collective shelter: it is a room planned from the design stage of the building.
Its function is to offer protection inside the apartment itself. This is what distinguishes it from public shelters or shared spaces: you reach it without leaving your home.
For a foreign buyer, the mamad deserves a place in the comparison between two new properties, just like the surface area or the orientation.
2. An Obligation Dating Back to the 1990s
The mamad has been mandatory in new buildings since the early 1990s, according to the Home Front Command (oref.org.il).
This age explains a contrasting situation. Homes built before that period do not necessarily have one. New developments, on the other hand, must include it in the permit and in the construction.
3. About 9 m², with Exemptions
The surface area of the mamad is about 9 m² of interior space as a general rule, with possible exemptions (same source).
The figure is therefore a reference, not an absolute guarantee. A project may obtain an exemption, and the actual surface area depends on the design and the constraints of the building.
For the buyer, the practical question is twofold: what surface area is actually delivered, and how is this room counted within the apartment? The answer appears in the plans and the contract, and it deserves written verification rather than an impression from a viewing.
4. Reinforced Concrete Poured in One Piece
The construction of the mamad rests on a simple principle: a continuous envelope. The mamad is made of reinforced concrete poured in one piece, airtight, with filtered ventilation and an armoured door and window (same source).
"Poured in one piece" is not a construction detail. The continuity of the reinforced concrete contributes to the protection of the whole.
Airtightness completes this system. A protected room that lets unfiltered air or water through loses part of its purpose. This is why ventilation and openings are treated as technical elements, and not as finishes.
5. Filtered Ventilation and Standard SI 4570
The mamad has filtered ventilation. The Israeli standard SI 4570 governs this system.
A closed, airtight room without air renewal quickly becomes unusable. Filtered ventilation addresses this contradiction: maintaining airtightness while ensuring breathable air.
For the buyer, this means that the mamad is not simply a room with thick walls. It includes a technical system, which must be compliant. Verification of this point falls under the technical inspection.
6. Approval from the Home Front Command
Approval from the Home Front Command is required for the building permit (Knesset Research and Information Center, 05/03/2026).
This requirement places the mamad at the heart of the authorisation procedure, and not at the end of the construction site.
For the buyer, the approval is therefore an indication of compliance. It does not replace an inspection of the home as delivered.
7. Why New Builds Change the Picture
According to the State Comptroller (06/01/2026), nearly 3 million people have neither a mamad, nor a public shelter, nor standard protection.
This figure gives new builds an argument that goes beyond construction quality alone. Buying a new home in Israel means acquiring a property that includes, in principle, a protected space. Buying an older property does not guarantee it.
The argument must remain measured. A mamad does not replace a public protection policy, and not all new homes are equal. But for a family comparing two properties, the presence of a compliant mamad is an objective criterion.
8. What to Check Before Buying
- The permit: approval from the Home Front Command must appear in the authorisation procedure.
- The surface area: check the actual surface area of the mamad in the plans and the contract, taking possible exemptions into account.
- The openings: armoured door and window, in accordance with the design described by the Home Front Command.
- The ventilation: the system must comply with standard SI 4570.
- Airtightness: it is part of the technical inspection, just like the plumbing and the windows.
These checks are carried out before or just after handover, with an independent inspector. They are not limited to the sales viewing.
9. Frequently Asked Questions
Is the mamad mandatory in all new homes?
In principle yes, in new buildings, according to the Home Front Command.
What surface area should be planned for a mamad?
About 9 m² of interior space as a general rule, with possible exemptions. The surface area actually delivered appears in the plans and the contract.
How is the mamad built?
In reinforced concrete poured in one piece, airtight, with filtered ventilation and an armoured door and window. Ventilation is governed by the Israeli standard SI 4570.
Who checks the mamad before the permit is issued?
Approval from the Home Front Command is required for the building permit (Knesset Research and Information Center, 05/03/2026).
How many people have no protection?
According to the State Comptroller (06/01/2026), nearly 3 million people have neither a mamad, nor a public shelter, nor standard protection. This is why the presence of a mamad is a criterion in its own right when comparing new and older properties.
Sources
- Home Front Command, oref.org.il (obligation, surface area of about 9 m², reinforced concrete construction, filtered ventilation).
- Israeli standard SI 4570 (mamad ventilation).
- Knesset Research and Information Center, 05/03/2026 (approval required for the building permit).
- State Comptroller report, 06/01/2026 (nearly 3 million people without protection).
Tell Us About Your Project
Our team supports foreign buyers in reading plans and checking the equipment of new homes. Contact us to study your project, browse the available new developments or explore the cities where we operate. To place the mamad among the other contract terms, see our Hebrew legal glossary of real estate.
Disclaimer: this is not legal advice. The characteristics of the mamad depend on the permit and the contract; consult an Israeli lawyer and a technical inspector before signing.