Bank of Ceylon’s Kekirawa branch wins GREENS Gold Rating award for environmental sustainability

The team leader of the project Civil Engineer R.C. Dassanayaka (centre) and the Deputy General Manager Support Services (BOC) S. Hewawitharana (third from left) receiving the award from World Green Building Council Chairman Thi Lee Siang (fifth from left). BOC Kekirawa Branch Manager J. Palihena, BOC AGM Administrative Services Priyanthi Wijesekera, BOC Project Electrical Engineer B. Thilakawardena and other dignitaries were 

also present

The Bank of Ceylon was recently awarded the prestigious GREENS Gold Rating at the GBSL Awards Ceremony 2017 organised by the Green Building Council of Sri Lanka with special reference to the bank’s Kekirawa branch building which was built according to eco-friendly standards. 

The awards ceremony took place with the participation of the Chairman of the World Green Building Council serving as the Chief Guest at the Earl’s Regency Hotel, Kandy. The bank’s Kekirawa branch was refurbished and rebuilt in early 2017 using minimal environmentally hazardous methods and materials whilst minimising the cost by recycling and up-cycling materials that were taken from the previous building. The BOC Kekirawa branch was one of three initial branches to be converted into a green branch, with the other two being the Kilinochchi and Thissamaharama branches. Currently BOC maintains 20 branches under the Green Banking concept.

When refurbishing the branch, there was minimal material usage and eco-friendly materials were used and improved to produce better environmental quality. The interior of the Kekirawa branch is designed to let in as much daylight as possible to minimise the usage of electricity during the daytime whilst using batten type LED bulbs with a specially manufactured diffuser system and at the same time solar panels were fixed to produce 83% of the electricity used by the branch. 

All necessary fixtures and fittings are environmentally certified. These include air conditioners that have inverter technology, automated fresh air ducting and are CFC-free. They measure indoor air quality with CO2 meters. 

The branch also includes a vertical green garden which helps to maintain a comfortable interior temperature and which refreshes air, improves air quality and uplifts the overall atmosphere. These green gardens are maintained through a supply of rainwater whenever possible through the rainwater harvesting system that is installed within the branch. Well-planned landscaping allows the branch to save 25% of the energy compared to a similar type of base building. 

“Moving forward the bank has formulated its comprehensive sustainability policy to address strategic placement of procedures and processes to strengthen the triple bottom line: social, economic and environmental pillars. 

“Strategic Corporate Social Responsibility is embedded in the sustainable policy of the bank. The strategic implementation of digital transformation, which commenced in early 2014, has gradually replaced many traditional procedures, policies and technologies and has laid down a solid foundation for the bank to embark on Green Banking,” stated General Manager D.M. Gunasekara. 

The Bank of Ceylon has been engaged in green initiatives such as E- Learning, altering internal systems and processes to be tech-savvy, thereby achieving a minimised carbon footprint, paper recycling and E-waste management apart from maintaining green branches. 

Engaging society to walk alongside this noble initiative, the bank planted 100,000 trees in line with its 75th anniversary in 2014, gathering schoolchildren and members of the public from all over the country. The bank continues to maintain these planted trees. 

BOC was also recognised as the highest financial assistance provider for solar power technology at the ceremony held to mark the generation of 100 MW through renewable energy organised by the Ministry of Power and Energy. 

For BOC, improving social and economic wellbeing is an integral part of its core operations. In this regard, the bank ensures that it follows ethical guidelines to sustain customer relationships. Whilst providing a dedicated banking service to its community, BOC looks into the sustainability of its customers’ business as well. 

The bank at all times encourages environmentally-friendly projects and sees that loans and advances are granted to deserving environmentally-friendly projects that reap greater benefits for the community. By increasing its CDM/ATM network to over 900 machines throughout the country, encouraging customers to enrol with Online Banking, introducing a no passbook SmartGen account option, workflow automation and Document Management Systems, the Bank of Ceylon has not only promoted green banking but also promoted sustainable and inclusive economic growth.