Now your bank is as green as your money

Hatton National Bank (HNB) has made another pioneering stride with the opening of the first green bank building in Sri Lanka, the HNB Customer Centre in Nittambuwa.

A green building is a structure that is environmentally responsible and resource efficient throughout its lifecycle and this state-of-the-art building embodies the very essence of this concept. In fact HNB Nittambuwa is the first bank building in Sri Lanka to receive the prestigious Leadership in Energy and Environmental Design or LEED Certification from the US Green Building Council.

The new Customer Centre was awarded the LEED GOLD Certification from the USGBC for sustainable design and construction. HNB received a total of 45 credit points and seven prerequisites. The points were awarded for sustainable site selection, water efficiency, energy and atmosphere, indoor air quality and material and resources.

Speaking on the design of the building, the Lead Architect for the project, Suranjan Ranasinghe said that the inspiration for the design came from our past. Ranasinghe stated that our ancestors had carried out most of their trade activities outdoors especially under trees. Therefore the architectural concept utilised the 100-year-old ‘kone’ tree in front of the building along with an 80-foot-long central walkway and full length skylight to make visitors to the building feel that they were in an ‘outdoor’ environment.

From the very beginning the building was designed with the environment in mind. During construction 90% of the construction waste was diverted from a landfill, while 40% of the material used for construction was from the location. Moreover recycled material was also used in several key areas of the building while the topsoil was segregated during excavation and reused later for landscaping. Furthermore, non toxic materials were used for most surfaces.

The Nittambuwa Customer Centre has annual energy savings of up to 30% with solar tubes, glass panels and large windows providing the building with natural light. Additionally, lighting systems with motion sensors switch off automatically when there is no human presence. What is more, meters which monitor energy savings are placed throughout the building.

This eco-friendly building also saves the precious resource of water. Low flush water closets and urinals combined with a rainwater harvesting system save up to 70% of water from the baseline. The Customer Centre has also got a separate waste sorting and disposal facility.

However, the emphasis on going green has not affected any creature comforts as the building contains a highly efficient, chilled water cooling system and CO2 sensors which help to maintain a pleasant environment within the Customer Centre. Ultimately this building was designed with three things in mind: respect for the site, the user and the eco-system.

A few years ago HNB made a commitment to the environment with its Green Pledge, a promise to leave a minimum carbon footprint wherever it operates. The Nittamabuwa Customer Centre is a new chapter in this endeavour.

Nittambuwa was chosen as the location for this pioneering effort as it faces the road which is the gateway to two thirds of the country from the capital. HNB has stated that it wanted this green building to be seen and emulated by its partners, competitors, customers and other stakeholders and in this manner bring around a more viable and sustainable future for our nation’s environment.