Sri Lanka’s leading construction firm Maga Engineering received recognition for its pioneering efforts in the field of environmental integration at the Best Corporate Citizens Sustainability Awards (BCCSA) 2017 organized by The Ceylon Chamber of Commerce. The company was also adjudged one of the Ten Best Corporate Citizens in Sri Lanka.
The company emerged as the category award winner for Environmental Integration in recognition of its best-in-class performance in integrating environmental concerns into core business practices, including the promotion of sustainable buildings and reduction of its environmental footprint through resource efficiency and use of renewable resources. Of particular note was the successful completion of two landmark Green Building projects during the year, that have not only set local standards but global benchmarks — Clearpoint Residencies in Rajagiriya, the tallest vertical garden in the world and the NSBM Green University Town in Homagama, which is the first green University in the South Asian region.
Clearpoint Residencies in a 47-storey green building with cantilevered terraces on each floor that contain a variety of hand-picked, nursery-nurtured plants. These planted terraces offer the building a unique character while providing many benefits: Formation of a green cover provides a natural cooling system for the entire building, resulting not only in a fresher, more relaxing atmosphere, but less energy spent on air-conditioning. This blanket of trees endows the building with an innate soundproofing system. It also provides shade and buffer radiant heat. Oxygen Produced during the daytime provides cleaner air, while leaves act as a natural filter for dust. Clearpoint is also the first high-rise building in Sri Lanka to contain fully-fledged rainwater harvesting, automated drip irrigation, grey water recycling and solid waste disposal systems, as well as solar panels that can power all its common areas.
NSBM Green University town is a BCA Greenmark rated green building that will eventually house 30,000 students and offer state-of-the-art educational facility that has incorporated many energy-efficient principles. Established under the Ministry of Skills Development and Vocational Training, the building was ceremoniously opened in October 2016. In addition to the above, Maga has also helped found the Green Building Council of Sri Lanka, whose pioneering efforts in developing and implementing the Green SL Rating System has enabled many Sri Lankan companies to embrace principles of green building design and construction.
Commenting on the awards, the Chairman & Managing Director of Maga Engineering Mr. M. G. Kularatne noted: “The construction sector inherently has a larger ecological footprint than most sectors. Therefore, we hold a deep responsibility towards doing our best to minimize this adverse footprint, and go one step beyond by creating a positive impact through the built environment. With Clearpoint Residencies in particular, we, together with Milroy Perera Associates, took the bold step of fully integrating sustainability principles into a large-scale commercial venture. The unique project presented us many technical and operational challenges, but we had clear design intent from the start and an amazing construction team. We are proud to note that it was designed and constructed by an entirely Sri Lankan team of architects, engineers and construction professionals. I believe through this project we were able to prove that commercial considerations and ethos of sustainable development can indeed coexist. Therefore, we hope this project will act as a catalyst for the real estate sector and help give new direction to the nation’s upcoming infrastructure.”
The above awards also endorse Maga’s investments in developing its supply chains and communities across the country over the last few years. The company remains focused on service and product excellence and is committed to its vision of creating lasting socio-economic value for all stakeholders. Being a multidisciplinary construction company, Maga offers a diversified range of construction and allied services across industrial, government, real estate and commercial sectors in Sri Lanka.
