The Princess Elisabeth Station is a concrete example of what can be accomplished when collaboration between peoples, sectors and countries tackles the challenge of climate change with a spirit of goodwill. Unique in its design and construction, the Princess Elisabeth Station is the only polar research facility to have been conceived and built to operate entirely on renewable energies with no carbon emission. Wind power will thus be used solely to supply the station with electricity, while solar power will provide both electricity (photovoltaic solar panels) and hot water (thermal solar panels), allowing the station to function with zero carbon emission.

Moreover, solar energy also heats the inside of the station by passive solar gain, a technique optimized by the building's layout and window arrangement. Combined with the heat released by the core systems and human occupation and regulated by the station’s ventilation system, this method has proved efficient enough not to need additional heating to warm the station in the summer.

In addition, an advanced water treatment system treats 100% and recycles 75% of the water used in the station and treats the remainder of the wastewater to make it suitable for disposal in Antarctica under the stringent environmental mandates stipulated in Madrid Protocol under the Antarctic Treaty System (ATS).

Taking full advantage of currently available passive building techniques, the Princess Elisabeth Station’s skin, insulation, shape, orientation and window disposition allow an efficient use of radiative solar energy. A comfortable ambient temperature is maintained inside the building with little energy input through sophisticated ventilation and air circulation systems as an integral part of temperature and humidity management.

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