Abstract:
The rapid growth of global human population necessitates the facilitation of increased
number of buildings and other infrastructure. Primarily in economically developing
nations, these buildings are designed only complying with local level regulations and
standards which are outdated and not carrying allowance for disaster risk reduction and
climate changes such as global warming. In the context of Sri Lanka, unplanned
developments and expansions due to urbanization has made the community and their
assests and resources vulnerable to natural hazards like floods, landslides, tsunami,
droughts, coastal erosion and cyclones. Out of them, floods, landslides, heavy winds
and Tsunamis have caused the highest number of damages to buildings and loss of
human lives during the period of 1965 to 2019 and hence can be considered as
significant in providing action.
Since anthropogenic natural hazards have kicked off to occur more frequently, it is vital
to erect buildings, especially community shelters, in a way that they can withstand
strains and pressures that will be imposed by changing future trends. Striving to achieve
its vision, the Green Building Council of Sri Lanka (GBCSL) is playing a commendable
role in maximizing Sri Lanka’s greener practices and sustainability through the
development of green rating tools for buildings and infrastructure, recognition of green
materials to be used as construction materials and conducting professional training
programs, green talks, workshops and many CSR activities. It has inculcated
sustainability and resilience in their rating systems and practices, through enhancing
the usage of locally manufactured and less energy consumed material and reducing
resource and energy consumption in buildings, it has not yet been properly recognized
the need to inculcate the Disaster Risk Reduction (DRR) mechanisms in to their rating
systems. Therefore, to ensure an economically viable, environmentally-friendly and
socially recognized growth in Sri Lanka, it’s high time that the sustainable disaster risk
reduction and mitigation measures are incorporated in the design, construct and
operation phases of buildings.
Thus, this study was carried out to incorporate the DRR and disaster resilience
structural and non-structural mechanisms for floods, landslides and heavy winds into
the existing categories of the rating tools for buildings, cities and transportation
infrastructure of the GREEN SL Rating System for Built Environment in Sri Lanka in
transforming the existing construction industry of Sri Lanka into a disaster resilient and
a sustainable one.
Citation:
Abeysinghe, A.A.S.E. (2020). Integration of the disaster risk reduction (DRR) and disaster resilience mechanisms into the green building rating systems-case study on the green SL Rating system of Sri lanka [Master's theses, University of Moratuwa]. Institutional Repository University of Moratuwa.http://dl.lib.uom.lk/handle/123/22280