The Antarctic season 2025/26 marks a milestone for the British Antarctic Survey (BAS) and its Antarctic Infrastructure Modernisation Project (AIMP), as the new Discovery Building now begins its operational function. Starting in November, specialist teams will be on site to verify that the building’s critical systems are functioning as expected and to carefully oversee the demolition of six older buildings whose functions are now integrated into the Discovery Building.
The Discovery Building was commissioned by the Natural Environment Research Council (NERC) as part of the long-term government-funded AIMP and serves as the “beating heart” of Rothera. From a single modern hub it will provide power, drinking water, wastewater, heating and communications. It contains 60 rooms across 4,500 square metres of interior space and is expected to reduce BAS’s CO₂ emissions at Rothera by 25%.
Key elements of the facility are already operational:
• The energy centre supplies power. Engineers are currently optimising the generator system to recover heat more efficiently to warm the building and distribute excess heat to the nearest 24/7 building, New Bransfield House.
• The vehicle workshop – providing maintenance teams with a safer, more efficient and more comfortable environment.
• The operations tower – monitoring air access to Rothera and the deep field.
• The central store – housing all supplies for Rothera.
From construction to responsible decommissioning
As the Discovery Building assumes its operational role, work is now beginning on the responsible decommissioning of older infrastructure. The buildings to be demolished include Fuchs (formerly used by science teams for field preparation), Chippy Shed (which housed a carpentry workshop and electronics workspace), Binghams (formerly a heavy industrial workshop and later a carpentry shop), the former vehicle garage, the old generator shed, and Old Bransfield House with its operations tower, once the control centre for flights and home to scientific offices, originally built as accommodation.
The process, consisting of isolation, interior strip-out and dismantling, is designed to minimise environmental impact. All demolition waste will be removed from Antarctica and returned to the UK for recycling. Where possible, materials are assessed for reuse.
Throughout the season, teams will continue to conduct tests and ensure that mechanical, electrical and plumbing systems are operating as expected. Recommissioning of certain critical systems is scheduled to be completed by the end of January 2026. This includes fine-tuning the generators to recover and utilise as much heat as possible.
The teams will also review and optimise the building’s fire detection and alarm systems. The Discovery Building features several systems suited to different risk levels, including standard heat and smoke detectors throughout the building and advanced VESDA (Very Early Smoke Detection Apparatus) devices in higher-risk areas such as the central store and the vehicle garage, which continuously monitor air for early signs of smoke particles.
Final interior works continue, including painting and decorating, especially in the building’s communal and social areas. Training and handover documentation for the Discovery Building is expected in March 2026, with full handover scheduled for completion by the end of April 2026.
By the end of the 2025/26 season, both the handover of the Discovery Building and the decommissioning of outdated facilities will be complete. This paves the way for a streamlined, more efficient Rothera Research Station prepared for the future of polar science.
Press release by the British Antarctic Survey (BAS)