Svalbard Global Seed Vault in Spitsbergen
LNS was responsible for the construction of the UN Global Seed Vault on Spitsbergen. The seed vault is built into the mountains of Spitsbergen, as a safety vault, and comprises tunnels and three rock caverns. The permafrost in the rock surrounding these caverns ensures an even temperature of -18° Celsius.
The seed vault was built to conserve seeds from central crops, critical for global food safety. The vault is unique, even on a global scale, and the opening of the vault in March 2008 drew international press attention.
The remoteness of the region and the permafrost were the reasons for selecting Spitsbergen as the location for the seed vault. The location is protected from all known scenarios for a rise in sea levels as a consequence of global climate change, plant diseases, nuclear war, pests, and natural disasters.
This project represented a highly complicated build, due to the challenges of constructing tunnels and rock caverns in permafrost, combined with the complex geological conditions of this location.
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Facts about the project |
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Project name |
Svalbard Global Seed Vault |
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Employer |
Statsbygg on behalf of the UN |
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Type of project |
Tunnels and rock caverns |
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Location |
Longyearbyen, Spitsbergen, Norway |
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Contract period |
April 2007 - February 2008 |
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Form of contract |
Main contract |
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Value |
NOK 50 million |
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Description |
Construction of the world’s largest warehouse for storage of seed. The rock caverns are excavated into the permafrost so that the seed will have an even storage temperature (-18 degrees Celsius). Complicated project with difficult geology. |