THE home of Australian science, the Shine Dome, will sport a shiny new top and be more energy efficient as work begins to repair the damage from January’s hailstorm which severely dented the Dome’s copper roof tiles. 

Australian Academy of Science CEO Anna-Maria Arabia said:“When the Shine Dome was first built its design was described as unconventional and futuristic. It created all sorts of challenges for the architects and engineers involved and the restoration is no different today.

“This 21^st century restoration of the Shine Dome will see innovative solutions used to bring the outside of the building back to its former glory.” 

She said the concrete roof of the dome was sheathed in copper and under the copper was a layer of vermiculite that partly insulates the interior from outside temperatures. 

Rather than removing the existing copper tiles, the Dome would be covered with a second layer of new copper, with a waterproof material placed between the two layers. The dual layer would create an innovative ventilated roof. Airflow between the copper sheets would  provide insulation and energy efficiency. 

Work had begun to replace the copper over each of the 16 arches, where water drained from the roof into the moat.  

The original copper was intended to oxidise to a dark green-brown over 10 years, but the clean air of Canberra meant that it took much longer. 

She said the same would be true for the new copper that initially would be very shiny, fading to a dark brown over?the coming 12 months?and eventually to a light green over several decades. 

Completed in 1959 and designed by Roy Grounds to provide a home to the Australian Academy of Science, the Shine Dome, previously known as Becker House, was the first Canberra building to be added to the National Heritage List.  

The restoration work was expected to be completed by early 2021.  

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