Nestled in Antarctica is one of the most revolutionary new green research buildings the world has ever seen. Built to withstand extreme temperatures (air temperatures range from -5°C to -50°C, plus winds), Princess Elisabeth Antarctica is the first “zero emission” polar research station on the planet.
Princess Elisabeth Antarctica was designed, built and financed, with the support of its public and private sponsors, by the International Polar Foundation, a charitable non-profit organization working to promote polar research and understand the impact of human actions on the environment and the evolution of millennial climate cycles. The “zero emission” research building offers a tangible example that green buildings can be designed and constructed for any environment.
The outside shell of the Princess Elisabeth Station was recently completed during the 2007-2008 austral summer season. The first team members arrived at the station to start the second construction phase in November 2008. In February 2009, after having integrated the station’s interior systems, the station will be officially inaugurated. We caught up with Alain Hubert, director of the Princess Elisabeth Station project and chief engineer of site construction, in cyberspace to ask him a few questions about the innovative eco-design of the Princess Elisabeth Antarctica (PEA).
How revolutionary is the Princess Elisabeth Antarctica?
The genius in this new structure lies in the truly innovative way in which known building technologies, renewable energy and water treatment technologies have been seamlessly integrated into a structure and an operating system that is reminiscent of a living organism. Unique in its design and conception, the PEA Station is the only polar research facility to be conceived and built to operate entirely on renewable energies.
The Princess Elisabeth Station is also a first in many other respects. The advanced design methodology, including analysing the day-to-day requirements and needs of the research teams, the balance of new and proven technologies installed in the station, the intelligent integration to achieve the “zero emission” target, the private sector involvement in the financing, and the private/public partnership for future operations, are all innovative aspects which open up new possibilities for designing polar research stations of the future.
How many people were involved in the design & construction of the PEA?
With a commission from the Belgian federal government, the International Polar Foundation set out to design, build and finance, through private and public sponsorships, this symbolic station in Antarctica.
Several internationally renowned companies have joined the project to create real and vibrant partnerships which have advanced in a fruitful collaboration and knowledge sharing exercise. The role of the private sector in supporting this project, and the public enthusiasm that has accompanied every phase in the process, has greatly motivated the team to make a real difference.
There are many individuals and companies that have participated in this project technically, physically or financially.
How many people can live at the station?
Austral summer station: open from November to February.
Maximum capacity: 25 people.
Expected lifespan: 25 years minimum.
Total usable space: 400 m² main building + 1000 m² technical areas.
What are the physical challenges of living in Antarctica?
In the region of Utsteinen (building site of the Princess Elisabeth) only:
Air temperature: from -50°C to -5°C.
High winds: dominant Katabatic winds which can blow up to 250 km/h in the Eastern direction.
Very dry climate.
24-hour daylight: 100 days out of 120 during austral summer season.
What is the cost of building the station?
22 million euros – for the design, building, equipment and logistics.
What were the extra costs associated with creating a zero emission research station? Will the costs balance out over time using renewable energy?
It is difficult to quantify the additional costs associated to building a “zero emission” station as opposed to a more conventional station (if there even are any). If it comes out that there are additional costs associated with building a conventional station, these would mainly be caused by the specific hardware and studies the construction of such a station entails.
But this project takes us in the right direction with regard to the need for rethinking the future in the face of climate change. Princess Elisabeth will be the first “zero emission” facility in Antarctica, at the beginning of an era where the rising cost of fuel has begun to seriously endanger future research activities (especially in Antarctica, where the cost of fuel is even higher than anywhere else in the world, due to the high logistical costs). It is expected that within 3 to 4 seasons, the extra costs associated with building such a station (if there are any) will be paid back. The Princess Elisabeth Station shows that the climate challenge is not insurmountable where there is goodwill and collaboration between peoples, sectors and countries. And this is priceless.
What was the most challenging aspect of the PEA to 'green'?
The energy management work, both locally and remotely. Electricity is a complex system and there is not much experience around yet in remote controlling technology.
What was the easiest aspect of the PEA to 'green'?
High-tech materials turned out to be inappropriate to our needs. For example, we started out with the idea of building the station in wood but then moved on to a steel structure. In the end, we came back to our original idea because it was the most appropriate (lightweight, sustainable, no mould/ dry rot because of Antarctica’s dry climate, and it has a higher thermal mass which enables it to keep heat in better than steel).
What challenges do the temperature extremes place on the solar panels and wind turbines?
Solar panels are actually more efficient (5-10% efficiency increase) when subject to cold temperatures. However, the main challenges for the solar panels and wind turbines are associated with the brittleness of plastics and metal at low temperatures.
Will the systems fail in extreme temperatures?
The Princess Elisabeth Station was conceived to achieve high standards for functionality, safety and minimum environmental impact. The station’s operating systems should not, theoretically, fail (they have been pre-studied and chosen for their ability to live up to such temperatures and risk-analysis scenarios have been implemented in the systems).
What are the back-up power generation systems?
The diesel generators are only there in case of an emergency. They need to be started up for a few minutes every once in a while so that they don’t fail the day they really are needed.
Will the people live in a zero emission manner at the station?
Not only will all the water used at the station be recycled (75% of water is reused a second time in the station – the resulting 25% is rejected through a crevasse after recycling), the trash generated at the station will be sorted and loaded into containers, in order to be sent back to Europe by ship (this last aspect is guaranteed by the Antarctic Treaty – all stations in Antarctica are obliged to do so). The objective is to have hydrogen fuelled vehicles at the station in a few years. For the moment, though, the “zero emission” label of the station is for its operational mode.
The station in its operational mode is completely autonomous and energy self-sufficient.
Will the station be open to the public?
The PEA Station is a research station dedicated to scientists. It is not open to the wider public as such.
For more information visit:
The Polar Foundation: www.polarfoundation.org
Polar Science website: www.sciencepoles.org
Educational website: www.educapoles.org
Polar Expeditions website: www.explorapoles.org
Princess Elisabeth Station website: www.antarcticstation.org
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