Construction season begins for UK's largest Antarctic research hub

A six month construction season is set to begin at the United Kingdom’s largest Antarctic research and operations hub. Called the Rothera Research Station, it supports leading researchers in frontier science in the region.  This marks the start of the next phase of the British Antarctic Survey’s Antarctic Infrastructure Modernization Program (AIMP), which is part of the UK’s long-term plan to modernize its research facilities in the poles. Through a collaboration with construction services company BAM, engineering and design company Ramboll, and architecture firm Sweco, the project aims to provide polar science infrastructure that will enable the UK to deliver climate, biodiversity and ocean research, and innovation to Antarctica.  According to BAM, this season is expected to be the busiest and most challenging since the program began in 2017. This is especially pertinent given the small window that construction can take place in the region in order to avoid its harsh and dark winte...