Eco-Friendly Antarctic Research Buildings

The construction of a research building is always a challenging endeavor given the specific needs and sensitivities of scientific facilities, but this challenge is all the more elevated when it comes to designing a facility that has to withstand the extreme climate of Antarctic winters, which is precisely what the British Antarctic Survey is facing up to with its 'Discovery Building' at the Rothera Research Station.

This Antarctic research building is set to function as a dual-story facility that is designed to be able to replace several older structures with a single building that will offer around 4,500 square meters of space.

By bundling the operations and activities of a number of smaller buildings into one large structure, this research building aims to function in a more efficient manner, with the 'Discovery Building' set to be more eco-friendly thanks to the use of technologies such as rooftop solar panels which will help curb carbon emissions by 25 percent.

Image Credit: Hugh Broughton Architects