Build your own Sustainable Home

Introduction

Since natural resources started to dwindle with high force due to accelerated consumption by the ever growing population, a myriad of observations suggests that consumers remain full on intention to buy and live sustainably. As large-scale infrastructure development strategies are needed by the developing countries; a great urgency of implementing a proper tool to ensure ecological, economic, social and cultural aspects has been identified, as the conventional practices promote consumption of more resources than the environment can possibly withstand.

Since Sri Lankan physical development agendas are also boosting, we were also in a dire need to take precautions against environmental degradation. Though Sri Lankans were aware that they should use sustainable construction practices, there was no proper mechanism in Sri Lanka to measure the creditability of such practices until the Green Building Council of Sri Lanka (GBCSL) came into sight. The GBCSL as the leading authority to lead Sri Lanka for a greener and sustainable future; acts the one and only organization which has been recognized by Construction Industry Development Authority (CIDA) in Sri Lanka to contribute for greater green synergy in sustainable development.

The Terminology of Sustainable Construction

The concepts ‘Sustainability’ and ‘Construction’ seem to be contradicting each other. To bring these two highly contradicting concepts to a common ground, the concept of ‘Sustainable Construction’ has been introduced. Though the concept of Sustainable Construction can be interpreted in many different ways; at its core it is a construction approach, which aims to balance different and often competing needs against an awareness of the environmental, social and economic limitations during the construction process.

Thus to achieve the heights of sustainability, the smallest unit of the society should be the one to start bringing forth this much needed concept. Family being the smallest unit living together in a place, where we adorably call the “home”; should not merely be an any place where we can survive. It should be green. Let’s see how we could build our homes sustainably. The figure given below shows a home, which has adopted eco-friendly norms.

Let’s discuss them one by one.

Windows: Using windows at right angles can provide natural ventilation and sufficient amount of day light. Thus, use of windows at right locations can drastically minimize use of power electricity for cooling process and lighting.
Transparent roof shield: This mechanism let the sky light penetrate into the house and reflects the heat out. This also reduces artificial lighting in a house.
Green roof: A thin layer of plants and soil rooftops provides a cooling effect to the house, reduces storm water run-offs. Moreover this structure lets the plants absorb carbon dioxide and create oxygen, which enhance the outdoor air quality.
Alternative energy

Solar Panels: Roof-mounted solar panels reduces the requirement of outside energy sources.

Rainwater Collection: Rainwater harvesting can drastically reduce the consumption of portable water for irrigation and toilet flushing.
Vents and operable windows: Use of vents and operable windows can assist in cooling and circulation indoor air better.
Green building materials: Recycled materials can reduce waste of constructions. Use of green building materials can help the sustainability of the built environment.

Since this concept is new to Sri Lanka, when you create your home, pay a visit to Green Building Council Sri Lanka, so that they can assist in making your dream come true.

What is Green Building Council of Sri Lanka?

The sheer enormity of the need of sustainable construction in Sri Lanka has created the necessity to ensure that all the stakeholders cooperate in the implementation of a clear strategy that enables the sustainable construction. Hence the Green Building Council of Sri Lanka (GBCSL) took initiatives to increase the environmental consciousness in Sri Lankan communities. As a consensus-based not for profit organization with diverse and integrated representation from all sectors of the property industry, environment and academia; this was established with a joint effort by the professional institution of architects, engineers, structural engineers, town planners, quantity surveyors, university academics, construction industry leaders, environmentalists and business leaders. The aim of GBCSL is to transform Sri Lanka construction industry with sustainable construction practices and to fully adopt sustainability as the means by which our environment thrives, economy prospers and society grows to ensure the future wellbeing of Sri Lanka.

Green building concept for constructions, which was introduced to Sri Lanka by GBCSL, is an integrative effort to transform the way the built environments are designed, constructed and operated. The scope of green construction reaches from the earliest stages of planning to beyond the end of a structure's life. It runs up and down in manufacturing and supplying chain. It encompasses the production and fate of every substance that goes into or out of a green project. Therefore, scope of sustainable construction requires an interdisciplinary approach. GBCSL is aiming to transform the Sri Lankan construction industry with green building practices and to fully adopt sustainability on which the environment, economy and future well-being thrives.

GREENSL^® Rating System

The development of GREENSL® Rating System and GREENSL® Labelling System has in many ways contributed toward achieving the development goals of Sri Lanka, while ensuring the sustainability of the built environment. GREENSL® Rating System for built environment transforms the design, construction, and operation of built environments and shift practice towards higher performance, lower environmental impact, and ultimately leads to regenerative designs contributing toward the economic development and also the sustainability of the environment. In spite of that GREENSL® Labelling System aims to encourage sound environmental practices and to create both local and international markets for environmentally preferable products.

Green building requires integrated approach, but in practice it depends on new strategies in the various aspects of design and construction. Accordingly, the heart of this rating is an introduction to the eight categories used in GREENSL® namely, Management (MN), Sustainable sites(SS), Water efficiency(WE), Energy & atmosphere (EA), Material & Resources (MR), Indoor environment quality (EQ), Innovation & design process (ID) and Social & cultural awareness(SC). There are several GREENSL® rated constructions in Sri Lanka and the creditability of the sustainability of those buildings have been assured by the GBCSL. It is apparent that Sri Lanka is now stepping into the right track of construction.

Conclusion

Diverse environmental problems ascribing to Sri Lankan built environment have been observed to be accompanied with a further acceleration of resource consumption and the deterioration of the environment in the recent past. Even though the magnitude has not been quantified, recent studies clearly indicate issues in sustainability related to Sri Lankan built environment. Thereby GBCSL took initiatives to increase the environmental consciousness in Sri Lankan communities.

To preserve the equilibrium of the nature while minimizing the ecological, social, cultural and economic issues ranging from resource scarcity to environmental pollution in Sri Lanka; GBCSL is engaged in the holistic approach in transforming Sri Lankan construction industry with green practices to obtain much needed sustainability in the construction of infrastructure. It can be concluded that adaptation of sustainable construction practices for the betterment of Sri Lanka is a must. “Home is the first place to put the foundation for sustainable constructions”.

For more information,

GBCSL secretariat can be contacted through:

srilankagbc@gmail.com OR +94 112679130
OR visiting,
Green Building Council Sri Lanka, 120/10,
"Vidya Mandiraya",
Vidya Mawatha, Colombo 07.

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About Author:

Prof. Ranjith Dissanayake

Head, Department of Civil Engineering, Faculty of Engineering, Peradeniya

Executive Vice Chairman, Green Building Council, Sri Lanka

ranjith[at]fulbrightmail[dot]org

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