CIOB launches www.greenbuild.lk

Deputy Minister of Finance Lakshman Yapa Abeywardena launching the CIOB www.greenbuild.lk website while Ceylon Institute of Builders President Dr. Rohan Karunaratne, World Construction Symposium Sri Lanka Chairperson Professor Chitra Weddikkara, Lanka Exhibition and Conference Services Managing Director Arjuna Dharmadasa and CEO Asim Mukthar look on

The Ceylon Institute of Builders (CIOB), the premier professional body, which actively promotes Green constructions in the country, launched its website www.greenbuild.lk at an official ceremony held at the Taj Samudra Hotel in Colombo recently. This website is the comprehensive portal totally dedicated to the Green buildings concept in Sri Lanka. 

Entrepreneurs and professionals in Sri Lanka’s construction industry can log on to www.greenbuild.lk to gather more information on the diverse programs launched by the CIOB to actively promote and give a big boost to Green constructions.

The official ceremony to launch the www.greenbuild.lk website was held under the patronage of Deputy Minister of Finance Lakshman Yapa Abeywardena. The launch was attended by a large and representative gathering including Ceylon Institute of Builders (CIOB) President Dr. Rohan Karunaratne, World Construction Symposium Sri Lanka Chairperson Professor Chitra Weddikkara, Lanka Exhibition and Conference Services (LECS) Managing Director Arjuna Dharmadasa, Chief Executive Officer Asim Mukthar, entrepreneurs and professionals in the construction industry.

‘Construction Expo–2017’, the premier construction exhibition jointly organised by the CIOB and LECS, was also formally introduced at this ceremony. ‘Construction Expo – 2017’ will be held on 2, 3 and 4 June at the Bandaranaike Memorial International Conference Hall (BMICH) in Colombo. This key event will be hosted on a grand scale for the sixth successive time this year. As Sri Lanka’s premier Green Constructions Expo, the salient feature of Construction Expo –2017 will be the creation of a separate exhibition zone for Green buildings. This exhibition affords a progressive opportunity and an invaluable platform to construction companies, which have secured the Green Mark certification from the CIOB, to further promote Green Buildings, Green Building Products and Green Building Services.

Expressing his views at the official launch, Deputy Minister of Finance Lakshman Yapa Abeywardena said that the prolonged drought faced by the country at present has impacted adversely on the construction industry as well. At a time the ongoing drought reflects the vital importance and  dire necessity for more and more environment-friendly Green constructions, the initiative taken and the keen interest shown by the CIOB regarding the Green concept should be deeply appreciated, the Deputy Minister stressed.

Speaking on the occasion, Ceylon Institute of Builders (CIOB) President Dr. Rohan Karunaratne said: “During the past few years, the construction industry in Sri Lanka witnessed a decline to some extent. But, now this vital sector has picked up significantly and is on a progressive upward trend. We took the initiate to launch this website with the core objective of giving a bigger impetus to Green constructions. The modern trend in the construction industry is the concept on Green buildings. In this backdrop, we decided on the apt theme ‘Towards a Green Sri Lanka’ for the forthcoming Construction Expo – 2017 Exhibition.”

Over the past five years, The Ceylon Institute of Builders has focused primarily and given top priority to the promotion of Green buildings in Sri Lanka. This sustained effort proved to be a rewarding experience as it has helped to trigger a wave of interest on Green buildings in the country’s construction industry. Taking into consideration the timely necessity in this regard, CIOB unveiled this special website to provide a more comprehensive service to its members. In addition, CIOB has also set in motion a series of action programs aimed at promoting Green constructions.

One such initiative is the conferring of CIOB Green Mark certification to large-scale Green constructions following a due process of inspection. In addition, a Green Awards presentation ceremony is organised annually. At this event, CIOB Green Mark certificates and awards are presented to Green Buildings, Green Building Products and Green Building Services. Apart from this ceremony, an Advanced Certificate Course for Green Project Managers targeting executive grade officers of construction companies is also conducted by the CIOB with the aim of taking Green buildings in Sri Lanka to accepted international standards.