NZ construction sector eyeing massive Antarctic base rebuilds

Wednesday, 19 June 2019

Scott Base is getting old. Antarctica NZ wants a complete replacement. The US will also replace McMurdo Station.

The construction sector is hoping to secure some of the $900 million worth of work happening in Antarctica over the next 10 years.

Most of the work involves the rebuilding of McMurdo Station, the largest research base on the southern continent.

Budget approval for nearly US$400m (NZ$615m) came through earlier this year, US Antarctic Program chief program manager Paul Sheppard told a Christchurch audience in May.

Under American law, most of the work must go to US companies, but there may be crumbs, and perhaps croutons, for well-placed New Zealand companies, he suggested.

* Antarctic labs overhaul just the beginning for supercool Scott Base

Scott Base will be rebuilt in the same place on Ross Island.

* Antarctica pumps $178 million into NZ economy

* Radioactive generators powered Antarctic science**

Meanwhile, Antarctica New Zealand's rebuild of Scott Base may cost as much as $290m, according to small print in Budget 2019.

In 2018, the Scott Base rebuild was expected to cost $150m.

Antarctica NZ did not respond to questions about why the forecast cost had increased to $200m-$290m ahead of an expected announcement by Foreign Affairs Minister Winston Peters.

Many buildings at the American McMurdo Station are in poor shape.

Procurement for a main contractor will begin in coming months, Scott Base redevelopment manager Simon Shelton told an Antarctic science conference this week.

If funding is secured in Budget 2021, the rebuild will take about eight years, according to documents.

Peters will make an announcement about Scott Base within the month, Shelton said.

Antarctica NZ has been working on preliminary designs for some years. Budget 2019 included a further $15.3m to advance planning.

The design group includes NZ firms such as architects Jasmax and engineers WSP-Opus, but also has a strong international flavour in London-based Hugh Broughton Architects, which recently designed Britain's Halley VI antarctic base.

Other overseas firms already involved in the Scott Base project include Leeds-based Turner and Townsend as quantity surveyor; and Copenhagen-based Steensen Varming, which is working on building services and has decades of experience in 'cold climate design'.

Construction Industry Council chairman David Kelly thought six to 10 local construction companies were large enough to tackle the Scott Base project.

Antarctica NZ operations general manager Simon Trotter shows off the window design in a recently redeveloped building at Scott Base.

Any profits would be good but almost as important was the opportunity to work in Antarctica. It was a prestigious project and would help with staff retention and skill development, he said.

Leighs Construction manager director Anthony Leighs said he was 'hopeful' the company could contribute.

It has worked in Antarctica since 2004.

The replacement cost of Scott Base could be lowered if science was dialled back, or halted, during the construction period, Shelton said this week.

More than 100 buildings at McMurdo will be replaced by six.

But there were other options, including temporary accommodation units for builders.

New Zealand science would continue during the rebuild, Antarctica NZ operations general manager Simon Trotter promised. Kiwi scientists could also work from other research stations such as the Italian base at Terra Nova Bay, he said.

Scott Base now comprises 11 linked buildings with 86 beds, 'questionable' fire safety, ageing infrastructure and expensive maintenance. Antarctica NZ wants a near-complete replacement, about 100 beds, a hanger, flexible labs including for marine and atmospheric sciences, and social spaces.

The rebuild at McMurdo involves replacing about 100 buildings, some of them Quonset huts dating back to 1957-58, with six large structures up to three stories high.

US National Sciences Foundation Antarctic operations manager Margaret Knuth earlier said the US had continued to continuing science at McMurdo during the rebuild.

It will work through winters by housing builders in beds vacated by scientists.

About US$200m of work at McMurdo is unfunded. There are also plans to replace the US South Pole base starting about 2025.

The Antarctic rebuilds will bring opportunities for New Zealand building supply companies, as well as hotels, airports and harbours.

A study released in 2016 estimated Antarctic-related activities pump $178m into the New Zealand economy. Canterbury is the major beneficiary.