Browsing by Author "Chandratilake, R"

Now showing 1 - 5 of 5

item: Conference-Full-text
Implement the vertical greenery wall (facade) to multi-stored building in Sri Lankan context
(2013-11-13) Jefas, M; Chandratilake, R; De Silva, N
The use of vertical greening has an important impact on the thermal performance of buildings and on the effect of the urban environment, in both summer and winter. Plants are functioning as a solar filter and help to prevent the absorption of heat radiation of building materials extensively. Applying green façades wall (GFW) is not a new concept, where most of the developed countries have been implemented the vertical greenery to their buildings while realising its sustainable benefits. However, vertical greening can provide a cooling potential on the building surface, which is to be very important during summer periods in warmer climates. In this study, an analysis of the effect on temperature (air and surface) of vertical greening systems on the building level is presented. An experimental approach was set up to measure the temperature on direct and indirect GFW, using infrared thermometer and psychrometer. And the energy saving effect of the thermal resistance was identified by using heat transfer calculation. A comparison between measurements on a bare façade wall (BFW) and a GFW were done in the summer season to understand the contribution of vegetation to the thermal behaviour of the building envelope. Since the research was focused on quantifying the vertical greening systems and in the possible effect on the thermal resistance, the main conclusions that could be drawn from the selected buildings are presented. The evaluation was done in different locations, namely, in front of bare facade wall (BFW) and greened facade wall (GFW), and identified small differences of air temperature between façade walls. Further, it was investigated that inside and outside surface temperature of walls and finally concluded that the vertical greening systems are effective natural sunscreens, due to a reduction of the surface temperatures behind the green layer compared to the BFW. It was found that the energy recovering value between the BFW and GFW. The final result of energy requirement was less to the GFW than the BFW.
item: Article-Full-text
Indoor environment quality of green buildings: Case study of an LEED platinum certified factory in a warm humid tropical climate
(Elsevier, 2015) Ravindu, S; Rameezdeen, R; Zuo, J; Zhou, Z; Chandratilake, R
The indoor environmental quality of a green building is expected to be better, more comfortable and more productive compared to a conventional building. Many studies have been undertaken on user satisfaction of green buildings. However, most of them placed focuses on office buildings in developed countries and temperate climates. Very few studies have been conducted on other types of buildings in developing countries and tropical climate zones. The research reported in this paper aims to investigate the indoor environment quality of a green factory building in a developing country with a warm humid tropical climate. Using a conventional factory as a control, a questionnaire survey was administered among pairs of comparable workers using a Systematic Sampling Technique. Physical measurements of several indoor environment quality variables in similar locations provided an opportunity to corroborate the survey responses. Results showed that thermal comfort, ventilation, and ability to control indoor environment of the green factory were comparatively less satisfactory. Acoustics, indoor air quality and work layout did not indicate a significant difference between the factories. Views to outside, lighting, cleanliness, furniture, and privacy were better in the green factory compared to the control. The study explored the reasons for poor rating of some of the green factory's indoor environment quality variables. This study confirms the need for green buildings to have a climate responsive design that is locally relevant.
item: Article-Abstract
Lessons learned from tsunami damage in Sri Lanka
Dias, WPS; Dissanayake, R; Chandratilake, R
Around 300 000 people were killed by the tsunami that followed the Sumatra–Andaman earthquake on Boxing Day 2004, making it one of the worst disasters in modern history. Up to 40 000 died in Sri Lanka alone, where around 80 000 houses were also destroyed when waves up to 15 m high swept ashore. This paper reports on how coastal buildings and infrastructure in Sri Lanka behaved under various tsunami wave heights and the many lessons learned for reducing vulnerability to future events. In particular, newly published national guidelines for reconstruction emphasise the importance of tying down structures against upward and lateral loads as well as the need to anticipate and reduce soil scour around foundations, especially of backfilled earth.
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Post-december 2004 tsunami reconstruction in Sri Lanka and its potential impacts on future vulnerability
(Earthquake Engineering Research Institute, 2006) Khazai, B; Franco, G; Ingram, JC; del Rio, CR; Dias, P; Dissanayake, P; Chandratilake, R; Kanna, SJ
The 26 December 2004 tsunami displaced more than 500,000 people and killed an estimated 31,000 in Sri Lanka. Damage was not uniform, often reflecting distinct patterns of social, infrastructural, and ecological vulnerability. Severely affected populations tended to be poorer, to live in fragile structures, and to be more exposed to the tsunami as a result of prior environmental degradation in the coastal zone. The massive reconstruction effort may further decrease the resilience of rural communities by degrading the natural environment that sustains their livelihoods. A sustainable reconstruction approach must therefore consider long-term solutions that increase community resilience by fostering socioeconomic, infrastructural, and environmental progress. A reconnaissance team monitored the initial recovery stages and identified mechanisms in supporting research on reducing the long-term vulnerability of human settlements and ecosystems to future environmental hazards.
item: Thesis-Full-text
The Practice of Sustainable concepts in high density residential projects in Sri Lanaka
Kulatilake, NNN; Chandratilake, R; Jayawickrama, T
There is a rapid interest in building sustainable green homes at present, but developers and contractors are reluctant to implement these practices, as the general perception is that the initial costs are high to use in smaller buildings such as residential builds. The study conducted was to determine the decision making process of developers and contractors on sustainable practices in large-scale residential projects. A residential sustainability survey was conducted to ascertain certain factors that relate to sustainability. The participants were members of the ICTAD (Institute of Construction Training and Development), Grades C1 and C2 developers and contractors and also non ICTAD members selected through Sri Lanka Institute of Architects (SLIA) registered members and firms. The sustainability survey was categorized in to different levels by experience with sustainability, frequency of use, familiarity with sustainable practices, importance of implementing sustainability within the company or individuals, experience and opinions on the subject.By conducting the survey the purpose was to compare and analyse and thereby identify the hesitations, cost conflicts, confusion with regard to residential sustainability and levels of integrations. The study revealed that the respondents believed that the cost was most important but also indicated that they believed that it is important to build green to help the environment. They all agreed that sustainable builds were more complicated to design and build and cost more.Based on the survey there was an indication that developers and contractors had experience and was familiar with sustainability. This study was also built upon existing research on rating systems that are applicable on sustainable practices and other sustainable practices present in the residential sector.