HNB Nittambuwa receives LEED certification

Hatton National Bank has made a 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.

HNB Nittambuwa is the first bank building in Sri Lanka to receive the Leadership in Energy and Environmental Design (LEED) certification from the US Green Building Council (USGBC).

The 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.

The lead architect for the project, Suranjan Ranasinghe said, "The the inspiration for the design came from our past. Our ancestors had carried out most of their trade activities outdoors, especially under trees. The architectural concept utilised the one hundred-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."

The building was designed with three things in mind; respect for the site, the user and the eco-system.

During construction 90 percent of the waste was diverted to a landfill, while 40 percent of the material used for construction was from the location. Recycled material was also used in several key areas of the building while topsoil was segregated during excavation and reused later for landscaping. Non toxic materials were used for most surfaces.

The Centre has annual energy savings of up to 30 percent with solar tubes, glass panels and large windows providing the building with natural light.

Lighting systems with motion sensors switch off automatically when there is no human presence. Meters to monitor energy savings are placed throughout the building.

Low flush water closets and urinals combined with a rainwater harvesting system save up to 70 percent of water from the baseline. The centre has a separate waste sorting and disposal facility.

However, the emphasis on going green has not affected creature comforts as the building contains a highly efficient, chilled water cooling system and CO2 sensors which help to maintain a pleasant environment within.

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 chapter in this endeavour.

Nittambuwa was chosen for this pioneering effort as it faces the road which is the gateway to two-thirds of the country from the capital.

HNB said that it wanted this green building to be seen and emulated by its partners, competitors, customers and other stakeholders to bring around a more viable and sustainable future for our nation's environment.