The Texas A&M University System Board of Regents has granted its approval to build the new State Emergency Operations Center (SEOC) and agency headquarters.

Being built for the Texas Division of Emergency Management (TDEM), the approximately 296,000ft² facility will comprise a five-storey office building alongside the SEOC.

The building will be located near Austin-Bergstrom International Airport in Austin, Texas, US.

Texas A&M University System chancellor John Sharp said: “This project will allow TDEM to consolidate its staff and coordinate state-wide emergency response efforts from a single location.

“Right now, TDEM staff are scattered across multiple locations and in rented office spaces.”

The project will cost around $370m, with $9.7m for site purchase and approximately $360m for construction.

TEM chief Nim Kidd said: “With this investment by the legislature and the support of the governor and Board of Regents, Texas will increase its capabilities to better prepare for, respond to, recover from, and mitigate against any disaster we face.

“Communication and coordination are cornerstones of emergency management, and our new facilities will provide TDEM and our emergency management partners with the space and technology to more effectively serve our communities across Texas.”

The new SEOC will be 90,068ft² and is designed to withstand windstorms of up to 200mph.

It will accommodate 300 people and feature meeting rooms, a shared information centre, a press conference room, and food services.

The headquarters of the TDEM will be built using a mix of traditional steel-framed construction and mass timber.

Construction on the facility will begin this month and is set for completion in August 2026.