Browsing by Author "Vidyaratne, H"

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item: Conference-Full-text
Applicability of green roofs in Sri Lankan high-rise buildings: drivers and barriers
(Ceylon Institute of Builders, 2018-06) Subaskar, C; Vidyaratne, H; Melagoda, DG; Sandanayake, YG; Gunatilake, S; Waidyasekara, KGAS
Sri Lanka is experiencing a construction boom and there are many high-rise building constructions coming up. Thus, many adverse effects are associated with high rise buildings. Greenery provides several benefits to the environment and reduces these effects. However due to limited space in urban areas it is impossible to plant new plants, trees and vegetation around the buildings. As a solution green roofs can be adopted as they provide many environmental and sustainable benefits from rooftops. Though this concept is more popular across many countries over the past few decades, still implementation of this technology in Sri Lanka is new and scant. Due to the lack of past researches, awareness on green roofs is very low for professionals, developers, government authorities, building owners and general public. The aim of this research is to identify and analyse the potential of green roofs in high rise buildings in Sri Lanka. A comprehensive literature review was carried out on popularity of green roof in global context, types of green roofs, components of green roofs, barriers and drivers in implementing green roofs. The data collection was conducted through expert interviews and questionnaire survey. Expert interviews were carried out to validate the barriers and drivers identified through literature review in Sri Lankan context and questionnaire survey was used to identify the most significant barriers and drivers. Purposive sampling techniques was used for selection of the respondents. The data collected from expert interviews were analysed through manual content analysis and the data collected by questionnaire were analysed using RII method. The final outcome of this study finds that green roof is an applicable concept for Sri Lankan high rise buildings.
item: Article-Full-text
Prospects and restraints of green roofs for high-rise buildings in Sri Lanka
(Emerald Publishing Limited, 2020) Charles, S; Vidyaratne, H; Melagoda, DG
Purpose – Green roofs are acknowledged as a method to substitute greenery washed out by the urbanization. They provide many ecological and sustainable benefits of greenery; reduce the adverse effects of high-rise building constructions. Though this concept is more popular across many countries over the past few decades, still, implementation of this technology in Sri Lanka is new and scant. Hence, the purpose of this paper is to identify and analyze the potential of green roofs in high-rise buildings in Sri Lanka. Design/methodology/approach – The data collection was conducted through expert interviews and questionnaire survey. Expert interviews were carried out to validate the prospects and restraints identified through literature review to the Sri Lankan context and analyzed using content analysis. Questionnaire survey identified the most significant prospects and restraints using descriptive statistics and paired sample t-test. Purposive sampling was used to select participants. Findings – Reduction of air pollution, aesthetical appearance, thermal benefits and energy savings, reduction of an urban heat island effect, the addition of points in the green rating system are the top most significant prospects that need to be highlighted in promoting green roof systems in Sri Lankan high rises. Less space allocation on rooftops, lack of technical competence and lack of awareness and research are restraints that need most effective elimination strategies to encourage green roof systems. Originality/value – The first identified and quantified prospects and restraints for green roof system in Sri Lankan high-rise buildings can be utilized by the government, donors, multi-lateral agencies to promote the sustainable development in Sri Lanka and this knowledge could be used in different scale awareness programs. The value of this paper is such that the paper discusses the links of green roofs with the other facets of sustainability. The new legal reforms and amendments in Sri Lanka could potentially be pending with findings of this study.