Sri Lanka: Green Cities

Call for political support to build green buildings in Sri Lanka

February 27, 2011 - The use of solar power as a means of conserving conventional energy was recommended this week as a key source in Sri Lankan building construction.

At the inauguration of ‘Architect 2011’ – the Annual Sessions of Sri Lanka Institute of Architects in Colombo on Wednesday, keynote speaker Raj Rewel, Principal Architect, Raj Rewal Associates, India said that in his building designing he uses photovoltaic material to get solar power as a method of conserving conventional energy and the Indian government is offering 80% subsidy on the use of such material and recommended that this method be adopted in Sri Lanka too.

Mr Rewal is an eminent architect/urban designer and has made a great impact on Indian cities and community through his architectural approaches for over several decades. His humanist approach to architecture responds to the complexities of rapid urbanization, the demands of climate, cultural traditions and building crafts and technologies.

He told the audience that included Economic Development Minister Basil Rajapaksa that there should be political support to build green cities. He said that there were such cities in the past but they were built by emperors, but today they have to be fitted into the democratic set ups that are prevalent now. He said that in such planning of green cities the architects could play a major role. {continued}