A refurb to meet twofold climate challenges

A refurb to meet twofold climate challenges

Troll research station, Anarctica

The Norwegian Troll Forskningsstasjon (‘Research station’), located in Jutulsessen, Antarctica, serves as a critical base for biological, glaciological and geological research, and it is operating in one of the most challenging environments on the planet.

The Troll station was originally built in 1989-1990, but its facilities were only suitable for summer use. In 2005, the station underwent an upgrade, including a construction of a 3,000-meter-long airstrip on the glacier. The upgrade was essential for maintaining a continuous, year-round presence in the region and for supporting research and logistics, including providing a transport route for other stations in Dronning Maud Land.

 

Photography by Øystein Mæland, Troll

Climate challenges both indoors and outdoors

The station is approximately 235 km from the coast, a distance taking 3-5 days to cover with cargo, e.g. a new indoor climate solution. Troll houses six personnel during the harsh winter months, with up to 80 people arriving during the summer season.

The Antarctic climate presents significant challenges for both indoor and outdoor environments which is why reliability is the most important factor in selecting an indoor climate solution. The most pressing issues include high winds and low temperatures, which can cause ventilation intakes to be blocked by snow. 

A reliable indoor climate solution is critical

The existing solution, based on a GOLD air handling unit, has provided a good indoor climate and trouble-free operation for nearly 20 years. 

The unit was inspected during the spring of 2024, when the conventional “technical lifespan” of the unit was about to expire. At that point, the unit was found nicely kept and the harsh outdoor climate conditions had in fact worked in the unit’s favour - thanks to the low humidity levels, there were no signs of rust. However, an indoor climate solution in building on the South Pole, has to work flawlessly which is why it was decided to upgrade the GOLD unit with a refurb kit.

A Refurb solution for the environment

A full system replacement at Troll was not an option since there will be a new station built and ready in 10 years. We then decided to provide our refurb kit to upgrade key components in the existing unit. As a result, the energy efficiency was improved and spare parts availability was ensured for years to come. The refurb also provided the system with modern controls for an enhanced system performance and better monitoring. The unit can now also be connected to the building management system (BMS). 

Our solution provided values beyond just technical performance. The upgrade was time-efficient and cost-effective, but just as important - it minimised the environmental impact, supported the station's sustainability goals and ensured that the researchers were going to feel good inside.

 

Find our expert's blog post about refurb kits

All about our GOLD refurb kits
We are very pleased to reuse large parts of the old system instead of replacing everything. This is fully in line with our vision of sustainability, especially important in the Arctic regions.
Øystein Mæland, Electrician at Troll research station.

The Refurb kit goes hand-in-hand with RE:vitalise

RE:vitalise, one of the three intiatives wihtin our RE:3 concept, stands out as the most effective way to reduce embodied carbon. RE:vitalise covers activities and solutions which aim to keep products in the place they are. That way, significantly fewer and smaller transports are needed and only necessary components are newly produced.

The GOLD refurb kit obviously goes hand-in-hand with RE:vitalise.

 

Find out more about RE:3