Green Consulting

Many organisations would like to commence “Green Projects” but do not know how to commence these. Often Companies have already put up their buildings without following strict green guidelines but this does not mean that they cannot start on the Green Journey. They can.

The Green Journey encompasses a number of areas and it is possible to commence projects in one or more of these. The Goals below indicate a few of the types of projects which can be initiated. AIE can help you commence, monitor and implement projects like these. Arosha Jayasundera, Director of AIE, is a Green Building Associate/Accredited Professional with the Green Building Council of Sri Lanka.

LEADERSHIP: Prioritize environmental health:

  • Develop and commit to a system-wide green and healthy hospital policy.
  • Form a task force consisting of representatives of various departments and professions within the organization to help guide and implement efforts.
  • Dedicate staff resources at the executive/directorate and facility levels to address environmental health issues organization – or system-wide.
  • Invest in research to remove barriers to further innovation.

CHEMICALS: Substitute harmful chemicals with safer alternatives

  • Develop institution-wide chemicals and materials policy and protocols to protect worker, and community health and the environment, while helping drive society wide demand for alternatives..
  • Implement a facility -specific chemicals action plan with benchmarks and timelines.
  • Adopt policies that require disclosure of chemical ingredients in products and materials and seek to ensure that all ingredients have undergone at least basic toxicity testing.

WASTE: Reduce, treat and safely dispose of waste

  • Reduce, treat and safely dispose of waste
  • Protect public health by reducing the volume and toxicity of waste while implementing the most environmentally sound waste management and disposal options.

ENERGY: Implement energy efficiency and clean, renewable energy generation

  • For existing buildings, implement an energy conservation and efficiency program that will reduce energy consumption by a minimum of 10% in a single year, and will continue to produce ongoing energy savings of 2% per annum, resulting in a 10% reduction in each five year period. For new buildings, design to achieve building energy performance targets of 320 kWh/sq m or less.
  • Conduct regular energy audits and use the results to inform awareness and retrofit programs.
  • Once efficiency measures are implemented, investigate the purchase of clean, renewable energy, and if available, purchase at least five percent at the next available opportunity. In existing plants, shift to cleaner boiler fuels.

WATER: Reduce water consumption and supply potable water

  • Establish a framework that aspires to “net zero water use”.
  • Implement water conservation strategies: install efficient faucets and toilets, routinely check plumbing and pipes to prevent leaks.
  • Landscape grounds using drought-resistant plants to minimize water use.
  • Develop joint projects with the community to improve and protect water supplies; support initiatives for public systems to improve water quality, water delivery and wastewater systems for the entire population.

TRANSPORTATION: Improve transportation strategies for staff

  • Improve transportation strategies for staff.
  • Develop transportation and service delivery strategies that reduce the company’s climate footprint and their contribution to local pollution.

FOOD: Purchase and serve sustainably grown, healthy food

  • Purchase and serve sustainably grown, healthy food.
  • Reduce the company’s environmental footprint while fostering healthy eating habits for staff. Support access to locally and sustainably sourced food in the community.

PRODUCTS:Encourage the safely managed and disposal of products

  • Prescribe appropriately, safely manage and properly dispose of products.
  • Minimize inappropriate waste disposal, promoting manufacturer take-back, and ending the dumping of used products.

BUILDINGS: Support green and healthy Building design and construction

  • Aspire to carbon-neutral building operation.
  • Protect and restore natural habitat; minimize the combined footprint of building, parking, roads and walks.
  • Use high reflectance roofing and paving, or “green roof” systems and pervious paving, in order to reduce urban heat island impacts, manage stormwater and promote habitat.
  • Design within local natural and social contexts in order to better integrate the building with the community and natural environment. Site facilities in accordance with solar orientation and prevailing wind.
  • Employ passive systems wherever possible to provide increased resilience and redundancy

PURCHASING: Buy safer and more sustainable products and materials

  • Buy safer and more sustainable products and materials
  • Source sustainably produced supply chain materials from socially and environmentally responsible vendors.

AWARDS and RECOGNITION Available from:

  • Green Building Council of Sri Lanka
  • Presidential Environment Awards (Sri Lanka)
  • Global Green And Healthy Hospitals (international)
  • Green Product Award (international)

Examples of Awards: Green Awards - Ireland

  • The Green Tourism and Entertainment
  • The Green Transport Award
  • The Sustainable Energy Achievement
  • The Sustainable Water Achievement
  • Excellence in Waste Management Award
  • The Green Technology Award
  • Green ICT Award
  • Green Financial Services Award
  • Green Medtech Award
  • Green Healthcare Award
  • Green Data Centre Award