Analytical Review of Organisational Factors Affecting the Usage of Sustainable Building Materials in Sri Lankan Construction Industry

Sustainable development has been continuously emphasising globally, while Sri Lankan construction industry is debatable whether it is moving toward a sustainable future. This can be considered a topic worth rigorous investigation. Sustainability does not impose a constraint to the construction industry, the building sector has a strong global potential to help protect the environment which is lacking in Sri Lanka. The existing literature revels a deficiency in theoretical and empirical knowledge in the use of sustainable building materials (SBM) in the construction industry. Accordingly, the objective of the paper is to fill this knowledge gap by pursuing to recognise the organisational factors that influence the use of SBM in the Sri Lanka construction industry from the perceptions of the facilities managers. Methodology used to achieve the objectives of this research were by literature review, content analysis and Interview survey (conducted by using purposive sampling method for data collection with twenty highly experienced facilities managers who are registered members of the Institute of Facilities Management Sri Lanka - IFMSL). Findings, indicated prominent three organisational factors (awareness and knowledge, top management commitment and local authority governance) that militate the use of SBM, out of twenty-two identified factors.   © 2022 The Authors. Published by Department of Estate Management and Valuation, University of Sri Jayewardenepura. Keywords: Sustainable Developments (SD), Sustainable Building Materials (SBM), Facilities Management (FM

Environmental Repercussions of Gem Mining in Sri Lanka

As an industry, gem mining has both negative and positive impacts on economic and social perspectives. But this has generated a severe negative impact on the environment and health perspectives. Most of these impacts cannot be recovered for an extended period of time while causing the deaths of all living organisms on Earth. This study has portrayed the environmental repercussions of traditional and mechanical gem mining techniques practiced by the gem miners in Ratnapura while discussing the remedies that can be adapted to overcome those environmental impacts with the objective of identifying the environmental repercussion of gem industry in Ratnapura district. The population of this study consisted of the gem mining lands in Ratnapura and out of that selected the five of tunnel gem mine land, backhoe gem mine land and river gem mines land as the sample of this study. Collection of the data was done through the observation and discussions conducted with the gem miners to identify the environmental repercussions of gem mining activities. The analysis of the data was done as a narrative analysis of qualitative research. As a major gem mining country Sri Lanka practiced three techniques for gem mining as tunnel gem mining, backhoe gem mining and river gem mining. Although there is a huge contribution to the economic development of the country, these techniques have several impacts on the environment and many other sources. As an environmental impact there are the contamination of water, erosion of soil, deforestation, losing the nutrients of the soil, loss of animal habitats, loss of biodiversity and many more. To avoid these impacts miners can adapt environmentally friendly methods for gem mining and it is necessary to regulate the mining activities by the government to reduce the impact of mining activities. © 2022 The Authors. Published by Department of Estate Management and Valuation, University of Sri Jayewardenepura Keywords: Environmental repercussions; Gem mining techniques; Remedial measures; Gemmin

Obstacles Faced by Women in Food Crop Cultivation in the Urbanized Areas of Kandy District, Sri Lanka

Women contribute significantly to urban agriculture. Generally, they participate in pre-planting activities as well as post-harvest activities rather than the cultivation activities. However, it is noted that many women engage in gardening without the aid of men. Regardless of their roles, women, farmers face numerous challenges that prevent them from being as productive as they may be in urban environments.  This study investigated the problems faced by women farmers in urban areas with a focus on Kandy, Sri Lanka. According to the matrix ranking, lack of sufficient land was cited as the critical issue that is 48.5% of the respondents, while 9 (13.6%) and 3 (4.5%) respondents placed it as the second and third biggest problem, respectively. Appropriate suggestions were also made, such as agricultural extension programs particularly for women farmers, and including women in agricultural decision-making. © 2022 The Authors. Published by Department of Estate Management and Valuation, University of Sri Jayewardenepura.   Keywords: Women farmers, Urban agriculture, Participation&nbsp

Sustainable Housing for Middle-Income Society in Sri Lanka

Housing is a fundamental human necessity and affects how society interacts with the environment. In the modern era, housing expansions all over the world have significantly increased the number of economic, social, and environmental issues. Making housing constructions in places that are quickly urbanizing more sustainable is a top objective for government agencies, business experts, and research organizations. Managing economic, environmental, and social sustainability factors is referred to as sustainable housing. Major natural resources used in the construction of housing include land, energy, water, and building materials. Minor natural resources used in the process include waste production and air and water pollution. In the community's fight for affordable housing, educated middle-income inhabitants are predicted to be the most susceptible group given expected living standards and monthly income-generating levels. The goals are to explain how the framework for evaluating laws was developed and proven to be valid in order to achieve sustainability in middle-income housing. In order to offer the essential background for developing an interim assessment framework for affordable and sustainable middle-income housing, the research begins by analyzing the current local assessment frameworks and regulations. To evaluate the interim assessment framework, a semi-structured questionnaire survey of business professionals and other stakeholders will serve as the foundation for the secondary study. This intermediate evaluation framework will receive the necessary fine-tuning and industry feedback through discussion and opinions. The interim framework must be transformed into a robust and progressive regulatory structure that enables future success in SH for the majority of middle-class citizens in the nation. The results will next be evaluated in light of Sri Lanka's existing regulatory framework for sustainable middle-income housing. © 2022 The Authors. Published by Department of Estate Management and Valuation, University of Sri Jayewardenepura   Keywords: Sustainable Housing, Middle-income Society, Housing Crisi

Factors Hindering the Use of Urban Farming Techniques in Buildings: Architects’ Perspective

Researchers and the government have advocated for the implementation of urban agriculture projects in Sri Lanka; however, the demand and supply of sustainable urban agriculture initiatives have been limited and are growing slowly. This study aims to explore the obstacles hindering the adoption of sustainable urban agriculture. The research employed a cross-sectional survey methodology using a questionnaire encompassing 19 barriers to the adoption of sustainable urban agriculture, administered to 34 professionals within the relevant industry. The study found that the key barriers inhibiting the uptake of sustainable urban agriculture in Sri Lanka are the lack of experience in implementing urban agriculture projects within the industry, challenges related to maintenance, insufficient technology for implementing, and the higher capital costs associated with sustainable urban agriculture compared to conventional practices. In light of the findings, it can be inferred that the advancement of sustainable urban agriculture hinges on factors such as technological innovation, effective policies, skill enhancement, increased awareness, improved homebuyer engagement, and cost considerations. The research concludes by presenting a comprehensive cycle of barriers that must be addressed to accelerate the adoption of sustainable urban agriculture practices