COST PLANNING
need to be shipped to Antarctica the season prior to enable construction early in the following season. Air freight, where available, is costly so would tend to be reserved for personnel and critical items. Environmental Management: Any substantial construction work will require a Comprehensive Environmental Evaluation (CEE) in order to comply with the environmental provisions of the Antarctic Treaty. The CEE will set out how the project will reduce environmental impacts to an acceptable level including minimising impacts on local flora and fauna; the management of any hazardous materials; the containment of construction debris, and; the removal of any demolition or construction waste from the continent. Preliminary and General Costs: Like any remote locations project, consideration needs to be given to the transport of construction personnel to the site and the provision of temporary accommodation and welfare. Additional requirements for Antarctic projects includes the provision of ECW clothing and appropriate
field training to ensure personnel are equipped for safely managing their work within the extreme climatic conditions. Predeparture and field training requirements for deployed personnel vary considerably between the various national Antarctic institutes. The cost of additional fuel (typically winterised diesels or aviation turbine fuels) purchase and transportation for construction plant and equipment will also need to be carefully calculated. Quantitative Risk Analysis: The many risks and uncertainties arising from the extreme climate and remote location of Antarctic projects means that both the inherent and discrete risks tend to be much higher than for conventional projects. From an estimating perspective, it is essential that both the inherent risks within the base cost estimate, and the cost impacts of any unmitigated discrete risks are given regular due diligence. Quantitative risk assessments should be undertaken to provide indications of realistic contingencies at the desired probability levels.
SUMMARY With activity on the Antarctic continent increasing, quantity surveyors are well positioned to support construction work with robust construction cost management. By considering and understanding the unique political, environmental, and technical factors and risks encountered in Antarctic projects, quantity surveyors can ensure cost advice is reliable, effective and value adding.
This article has been written by Gary McDonald LFAIQS, CQS, AIQS Past President, AECOM Technical Director; Chris (CJ) Reyneke MNZIQS, AECOM Technical Director – Past NZ Technical Practice Lead Cost Management; and Marcel Frei NZIQS Fellow, Registered QS, AECOM Associate Director – Christchurch QS Team Lead.
¹Australian Antarctic Division, "About the Davis Aerodrom Project," 2021. [Online]. Available: https://www.antarctica.gov.au/antarcticoperations/travel-and-logistics/aviation/davis-aerodrome/about-the-project/. [Accessed 30 April 2022]. ²New Zealand Ministry of Foreign Affairs and Trade, "Proactive release – Scott Base Redevelopment Implementation Business Case," 2021. [Online]. Available: https://www.mfat.govt.nz/en/media-and-resources/proactive-release-scott-base-redevelopment-implementation-businesscase/. [Accessed 30 April 2022]. ³Secretariat of the Antarctic Treay, "The Antarctic Treaty," 2022. [Online]. Available: https://www.ats.aq/e/antarctictreaty.html. [Accessed 30 April 2022]. ⁴Secretariat of the Antarctic Treaty, "Environmental Protection," 2022. [Online]. Available: https://www.ats.aq/e/environmental.html. [Accessed 30 April 2022]. ⁵Britannica, "Climate of Antarctica," 2022. [Online]. Available: https://www.britannica.com/place/Antarctica/Climate. [Accessed 1 May 2022]. ⁶D. Brockett, "Antarctic Katabatic Winds - GCAS Literature Review," 2005. [Online]. Available: file:///C:/Users/marcel.frei/Downloads/ Brockett_D_Lit.Review%20(1).pdf. [Accessed 1 May 2022]. ⁷B. Davies, "Grounding Lines," 2022. [Online]. Available: https://www.antarcticglaciers.org/glacier-processes/grounding-lines/. [Accessed 1 May 2022]. ⁸A. H. McCarthy, L. S. Peck and D. C. Aldridge, "Ship traffic connects Antarctica’s fragile coasts to worldwide ecosystems," Proceedings of the National Academy of Sciences, vol. 119, no. 3, 2022. ⁹A. Gunars, "Effect of Cold Weather on Productivity," Cold Regions Research and Engineering Lab, Hanover, NH, 1986. ¹⁰P. Diedericks, "Optimizing Winter Construction," in Proceedings of the CIB Task Group 58: Clients and Construction Innovation Workshop, Alberta, 2009. ¹¹J. Weale, L. Barna, W. Tobiasson and J. Mercer, "Elevated Building Lift Systems on Permanent Snowfields," The U.S. Army Engineer Research and Development Center, Hanover, NH, 2014.
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