ComBank relocates Trinco branch at purpose-built eco-friendly building

Wednesday, 3 February 2021 00:00 - - {{hitsCtrl.values.hits}}

Commercial Bank Chairman Justice K. Sripavan flanked by the bank’s Managing Director S. Renganathan (second from left) and Chief Operating Officer S. Manatunge and accompanied by members of the corporate and senior management formally declares open the new Trincomalee branch building

Sustainability and salubrity were the operative words when the Trincomalee branch of the Commercial Bank of Ceylon relocated to a purpose-built eco-friendly building on land owned by the bank in this scenic north eastern resort town this week.

Built in conformity with sustainable construction principles that not only minimised environmental impacts during construction but will reduce the branch’s carbon footprint during operation, the new branch building is set in landscaped gardens that emphasise nature rather than the structure itself with a majority of the space conceded to the outdoors.

Located at No. 420, Court Road, Trincomalee, the two-storey edifice is fitted with rooftop solar panels that will generate a major percentage of the electricity required under a net-metering system; an overhead rainwater harvesting facility and its own sewage treatment plant that will recycle sewage into water to irrigate the gardens. All garden lights are powered by dedicated independent solar panels.

The building is designed to maximise use of natural light during daytime further reducing energy consumption and is equipped with energy-efficient air-conditioning that enhances its ‘green’ credentials. Befitting the location, a separate holiday bungalow has been constructed on the premises for the use of the bank’s staff on official visits or on furlough.

For customers, the new branch building has an ATM, a Cash Recycler Machine (CRM) and an e-Slips cheque collection capability that together offer access to cash and deposit facilities around the clock, 365 days of the year.

The new branch building was formally declared open by Commercial Bank Chairman Justice K. Sripavan on 1 February in the presence of the bank’s Managing Director S. Renganathan, Chief Operating Officer Sanath Manatunge and representatives of the corporate management.

Commercial Bank has been serving the people of Trincomalee since March 2000 when the Bank’s first branch in the town opened at 191, Central Road. The bank said it will continue to operate the Automated Banking Centre (ABC) that was part of the old branch, for the convenience of customers.

The first Sri Lankan bank to be listed among the Top 1000 Banks of the World and the only Sri Lankan bank to be so listed for 10 years consecutively, Commercial Bank, which won more than 25 international and local awards in 2020, operates a network of 268 branches and 885 ATMs in Sri Lanka.

Commercial Bank’s overseas operations encompass Bangladesh, where the bank operates 19 outlets; Myanmar, where it has a Microfinance company in Nay Pyi Taw; and the Maldives, where the bank has a fully-fledged Tier I bank with a majority stake.