Taking up challenge to create sustainable buildings:

Green rating system introduced in SL

Disna MUDALIGE

Haritha Building GBCSL chairman Prof Priyan Mendis	Environmental conservationist Taya F Diaz	ICTAD chairman Udula Awsadahamy Pictures by Samantha Weerasiri

A locally developed green rating system has been introduced for the first time in Sri Lanka for built environment taking up the challenge to create sustainable buildings for the future. Green Building Council Sri Lanka (GBCSL) has joined hands with the Institute for Construction Training and Development (ICTAD) in implementing this novel rating system.

The GBCSL and the ICTAD is to sign an Memorandum of Understanding (MoU) to initiate the green building concept in Sri Lanka. GBCSL chairman Prof Priyan Mendis said that the new rating system would be introduced with close coordination with the government. The Environment Ministry, Construction, Engineering Services, Housing and Common Amenities Ministry and Power and Energy Ministry have been working together with the GBCSL to work out this initiative.

Green building concept

The concept of ‘green buildings’ aims at increasing the efficiency of energy, water and materials used in buildings, while reducing the negative impact of buildings on human health and surrounding environment through better designing, construction, operation, maintenance and the removal and recycling of waste.

“Going green is no strange concept to Sri Lankans, having a proud history of great civilizations with built great cities, irrigation systems and religious monuments that coexisted with nature and yet provided a sustainable economy and lifestyle to the citizens. However in the current Sri Lankan context this concept needs to be further communicated to make our people embrace and follow this concept,” Prof Mendis observed.

Green rating system

A local green rating system for a built environment has been developed with the support of experts and specialists in the field to tally with climatic conditions and other aspects of Sri Lanka since international ratings which are available at present might not be ideal for a tropical country like ours.

Prof Mendis said that this rating scheme would be initially implemented for government buildings and environs and then would gradually be expanded to other fields considering the priority. Four ratings namely platinum (70 points and above),Gold (60-69 points), Silver (50-59 points) and Certified (40-49) will be given according to an assessment based on a set criteria.

As the first step the GBCSL has trained 50 accreditation professionals to carry out this task and they are to be awarded with certificates on the day of the MoU signing. In addition, to the evaluation of buildings for the ratings, they will also provide their consultation and advices for any interested party registered with the GBCSL on green building practices.

Starting from the selection of a suitable piece of land, they will provide their guidance to adopt green building practices, such as, improving energy efficiency, correct building patterns and designs to control heat, ways to maximize natural light and breeze avoiding unnecessary use of light bulbs and air conditioners and rain water harvesting etc for already existing or new buildings.

The main purpose of the green rating system is to encourage the design of buildings in an environmentally acceptable manner adopting sustainable practices. It is a set of performance standards used to certify commercial or institutional buildings and residential buildings of all sizes, both public and private. It encourages development of environment friendly building solutions.

A total of 100 points are available under the set criteria for ratings covering eight major aspects namely management (4 points), sustainable sites (25 points), water efficiency (14 points), energy and atmosphere (22 points), materials and resources (14 points), indoor environmental quality (13 points), innovation and design process (4 points) and social and cultural awareness (4 points).

Benefits

Sri Lankan Conservationist Taya F Diaz who has enthusiastically joined in to support this venture observed that recent studies have revealed that the building sector accounts for over 40 percent of the world’s energy requirement. He also noted that construction materials produce significant amount of by-product green houses gases. He stressed that a large percentage of the present energy consumption and carbon dioxide generation could be saved by applying certification standards as the introducing new rating system.

He also revealed that according to a local research carried out recently it was found out that the carbon percentage in an air conditioned ward amounted to about 1,000 parts per million (ppm) where as the normal rate should have been 300 ppm. He observed that use of light material such as paneling for separation walls could reduce heat and give a cooling effect making air conditioners unwanted. He noted that such materials do not even become a burden on the earth.

He pointed out that the above method was one fine example of green building practices. The main expectation of this rating system is to encourage and guide people towards these kind of practices in constructions which in return would give number of benefits to the owner including lower operating costs, higher return on investment, healthy interior spaces for occupants, greater tenant attraction and reduced liability and risk, he explained.

ICTAD chairman Udula Bandara Awsadahamy noted that full corporation would be extended to implement this as a national programme which commits to make a zero energy built environment by the year 2050. He noted that this system is a voluntary scheme where designers, builders and owners can achieve recognition for their keen interest to build green.

Let us all incorporate in this endeavour to transform the construction industry in Sri Lanka to embrace sustainability in line with its traditional practices, in a manner that our environment flourishes, economy prospers and ensures the future well being of our motherland.