Mapping school exposure in Skopje region: A building-level dataset for seismic risk assessment

This paper presents the Skopje School Exposure Dataset, an exposure dataset comprising 198 school buildings, including 165 primary and 33 secondary schools, located in the Skopje region of North Macedonia. Developed as part of a broader nationwide exposure model for school buildings, the dataset provides general information for each asset, including its name, address, geographical location, and administrative classification. It also includes structural characteristics classified according to the GEM Building Taxonomy v3.2, such as construction material, lateral load resisting system, ductility level, and number of storeys. Additional information covers occupancy during school hours, including pupils and staff, as well as total floor area and estimated structural replacement cost. The dataset was compiled using a bottom-up approach that integrates multiple sources, including previous research projects, governmental and cadastral records, and publicly available online sources. The Skopje region is home to one-third-of the country's population, and therefore a large share of its school buildings and pupils, making it a priority for seismic risk assessment. The school buildings in the Skopje region cover approximately 534 thousand m² of floor area (∼34% of the national total), with an estimated replacement cost of €433 million (∼34% of the national total), and a combined occupancy of around 90.7 thousand occupants (∼32% of the national total) across 17 municipalities. As the first openly available and harmonised exposure inventory of school buildings in the Skopje region, the dataset provides a transparent basis for seismic risk assessment, emergency preparedness planning, and the prioritisation of retrofit interventions for educational infrastructure.