Rothera modernisation project takes three British Construction and Infrastructure Awards

BAM UK & Ireland and its partners on the British Antarctic Survey (BAS) Rothera Modernisation Project have won three categories at the 2026 British Construction and Infrastructure Awards (BCIA), the contractor said on 16 October.

The project won Social Infrastructure Project in the Best Projects, Buildings group, International Project in the Best Projects, Building and Infrastructure group, and Project Team Excellence in the Design and Delivery group. It was also a finalist for Sustainability and Environmental Impact.

BAS confirmed the same three wins in its own announcement on 15 October, and said the project was shortlisted for the sustainability award but did not win it. The awards are organised by the Institution of Civil Engineers and New Civil Engineer, according to BAM.

Oliver Darke, Director of Polar Operations, Engineering and Infrastructure at BAS, said: "I am proud of what BAS and our partners have achieved together."

The programme

The Rothera work forms part of the £670m Antarctic Infrastructure Modernisation Programme, which BAS describes as government-funded. BAS said the programme is commissioned by UKRI-NERC and delivered by BAS itself.

BAM said the programme is led by BAS for the Natural Environment Research Council and delivered in partnership with BAM, Ramboll, Sweco, Hugh Broughton Architects, NORR, Turner & Townsend and G&A Barnie Group, with BAM acting as construction partner. Ramboll said it acted as technical adviser to BAS.

BAM said the awards come as the partnership approaches its 10-year anniversary.

At Rothera Research Station on Adelaide Island, the programme covers the new Discovery Building, improvements to the runway and upgraded wharf facilities. BAS said a specialist team designed, manufactured and built the 84m wharf in two Antarctic summer seasons.

Beyond Rothera, BAM said the programme has upgraded infrastructure at King Edward Point Research Station and supported the introduction of the RRS Sir David Attenborough. BAS put the cost of the new wharf at King Edward Point at £11m.

The Discovery Building

The £100m Discovery Building and a new network of site services at Rothera were formally opened in January 2026. BAS said this completed the largest UK construction project ever undertaken in Antarctica.

Construction started in 2019 and, according to BAS, finished on time and to the expected budget. Ramboll said materials for the building had to be transported more than 8,000 miles to site.

BAS said the building has an internal area of 4,500 sq m, with more than 100 rooms and spaces over two floors. It houses an operations tower overseeing air access to Rothera and the deep field, central stores, a vehicle garage and an energy centre that powers the station.

In April 2026 BAS said the Discovery Building had become the first building in Antarctica to achieve a BREEAM Outstanding rating, a grade it said is awarded to just 1% of accredited projects worldwide. The building uses combined heat and power generators that recover waste heat from exhaust gas, and has more than 80 solar panels on its north elevation.

Professor Dame Jane Francis, Director of BAS, said at the time: "The rating reflects the dedication of everyone involved and our absolute commitment to polar science".

BAS said the building is on track to reduce Rothera's carbon emissions by 25%.