Arctic Seed Vault

The Structure
The Svalbard Global Seed Vault is the ultimate protection for the world’s agricultural biodiversity, and will therefore be built to stand the test of time. Put simply, a tunnel will be excavated in the side of a mountain. The facility will have one entrance and a robust security door and airlock will separate the entrance area from the seed vault itself.

In order to maintain the temperature at a constant -10°C to -20°C, the cold Arctic air will be drawn into the vault during the winter, automatically and without human intervention. The surrounding rock will maintain the temperature requirements during the extremely cold season and during warmer periods refrigeration equipment will engage. However, in the event of an equipment failure, temperatures in the vault would not rise above approximately -3.5°C, and would, in fact, take months to warm even to that level which would be perfectly adequate for seed conservation for some years. The inside of the seed storage vault will be lined with insulated panels (in addition to the thick concrete wall) to help maintain the cold temperatures. Electronic transmitters linked to a satellite system will monitor temperature, etc., and send this information back to the appropriate authorities at Longyearbyen and at the Nordic Gene Bank, which will provide the technical expertise for managing the Seed Vault.

The remote location, as well as the rugged structure, provide unparalleled security for the world’s agricultural heritage, and the facility will also be equipped with motion detectors and possibly even CCTV. The presence of polar bears, which prowl the area, may be seen by some as providing an added layer of security.

The Seed Vault, with its combination of natural and mechanical cooling systems and remote location, is designed to provide a service that no genebank or even consortium of genebanks can offer, and which will function effectively centuries into the future.