Contents LIST OF FIGURES ...................................................................................................................................... ii LIST OF TABLE......................................................................................................................................... iii ABBREVIATION ....................................................................................................................................... iv INTRODUCTION ....................................................................................................................................... 1 CONCEPT OF BUILDING ........................................................................................................................... 2 DESIGN PROCESS..................................................................................................................................... 3 MAJOR SUSTAINABLE FEATURES ............................................................................................................ 9 ECONOMIC CONSIDERATION ................................................................................................................ 14 METHOD OF ASSESMENT ...................................................................................................................... 17 CONCLUSION......................................................................................................................................... 18 REFERENCES .......................................................................................................................................... 20 ANNEXURES .......................................................................................................................................... 21 i LIST OF FIGURES Figure 1 - Clearpoint Residences............................................................................................................. 1 Figure 2 – Balcony View .......................................................................................................................... 3 Figure 3 – Balcony View .......................................................................................................................... 3 Figure 4 – During the Construction Stage ............................................................................................... 4 Figure 5 - Cantilever architecture: Clearpoint Residencies (Construction Stage)................................... 4 Figure 6 - Cantilever architecture: Clearpoint Residencies (Construction Stage)................................... 5 Figure 7 - Cantilever architecture: Clearpoint Residencies (After Finishing) .......................................... 5 Figure 8 - Interior Design of the Apartment ........................................................................................... 6 Figure 9 - Bathroom Arrangement .......................................................................................................... 6 Figure 10 – Kitchen Area ......................................................................................................................... 7 Figure 11 - Roof Top Swimming Pool ...................................................................................................... 7 Figure 12 - Gymnasium ........................................................................................................................... 8 Figure 13 - Squash & Tennis Courts ........................................................................................................ 8 Figure 14 – Apartment Tower Base ........................................................................................................ 9 Figure 15 – Window Arrangement........................................................................................................ 10 Figure 16 – Airconditioning in the Bedroom ......................................................................................... 10 Figure 17 – Planted Terraces ................................................................................................................ 11 Figure 18 – Solar Panel.......................................................................................................................... 11 Figure 19 - Rainwater Harvesting.......................................................................................................... 12 Figure 20 - Automated Drip Irrigation .................................................................................................. 12 Figure 21 - Categories in the BREEAM rating ........................................................................................ 18 ii LIST OF TABLE Table 1 – Main Details of The Project ..................................................................................................... 2 iii ABBREVIATION GBCSL Green Building Council of Sri Lanka iv INTRODUCTION Colombo city is the business capital in Sri Lanka. The growth of businesses in the city is increasingday by day. As a result of this situation, many urban dwellers those living outside the capital are attracted to the city. The traffic conditions, environmental pollution around Colombo district is getting higher due to these unavoidable movements of vehicles, etc. Solutions for the situation are being implemented as part of the master plan for development of the city. Most of the suburban population who travel to Colombo daily cannot afford to build their own houses within city limits as the cost of land and cost of construction are not within their means. Purchasing an apartment onpayment in instalments is an ideal alternative especially to private sector executives who travel to Colombo daily with their whole family as most such children attend prestigious schools in Colombo. Clearpoint Residencies is a 46-story super luxury apartment complex is in the picturesque locality of Rajagiriya, Sri Lanka. Now completed, it’s the country’s first truly sustainable highrise and the world’s highest vertical garden. Located just a few minutes from the heart of Colombo, the building provides easy access to supermarkets, restaurants, and schools in and around the swiftly developing Rajagiriya. Figure 1 - Clearpoint Residences 1 CONCEPT OF BUILDING Nestled in the tranquil surroundings of Rajagiriya, Clearpoint Residences is slated to Sri Lanka’s first sustainable high-rise and also the tallest residential vertical garden in the world. A brainchild of renowned Archt. Milroy Perera, Clearpoint Residences is a joint venture between Milroy Perera Associates and construction giant Maga Engineering. Both entities are well versed in the nuances of architecture and construction and their expertise has paved the way to create a one-of-a-kind design that is cutting-edge and sustainable. Even though the location remains within a few minutes of a drive from the central business district of Colombo, the complex sits peacefully away from the hustle of the busy roads overlooking Diyawanna Lake. The building consists of 171 spaciously designed 2, 3, and 4 bedroom apartments, a limited number of penthouses, and presidential suites spread over 46 floors. A rooftop swimming pool, gymnasium, squash, and tennis courts are among the many amenities provided in the complex. To minimize solar heat gain, the architects have designed the entire building such that no glass surfaces are directly exposed to sunlight. Location Kotuwegoda, Rajagiriya, Sri Lanka Client Clearpoint Residencies (Pvt) Ltd. Main Contractor Maga Engineering (Pvt) Ltd Structural Engineer Maga Engineering (Pvt) Ltd MEP Engineer Maga Engineering (Pvt) Ltd Design Team Milroy Perera Associates Completion Year 2017 Project Cost Rs. 6 billion Type Building Usage Residencial Height 186 m / 607 ft No of Floor 47 Floors No of Apartments 171 Apartments Structural Material Concrete Awards • Platinum Rating Certification under the GREENSL® Rating System for Built Environment Table 1 – Main Details of The Project 2 DESIGN PROCESS A veritable treat for the senses, Clearpoint Residencies gives luxury living an elegant new twist, its ground-breaking architecture and pristine interiors combining to form the world’s tallest vertical garden. The building consists of 171 spaciously designed 2, 3 and 4 bedroom apartments, a limited number of penthouses and presidential suites spread over 46 floors. In place of ordinary balconies, all apartments will be equipped with large terraces with self-sustaining gardens. Whilst preventing the apartments from receiving direct exposure to sunlight and providing shade, these large terraces will lend themselves as extra entertainment spaces. Figure 2 – Balcony View Figure 3 – Balcony View 3 Clearpoint Residencies foundation of the building is built with reinforced concrete piles. The superstructure is a shatterproof concrete tubular structure which encompasses flat slabs, designed for seismic resistance. Figure 4 – During the Construction Stage The use of post-tensioning systems made it possible to build cantilever swimming pools and balconies. The tower includes 5 m cantilever balconies surrounding the entire building that required a high load-bearing capacity in order to accommodate the loads of the planned plantings. The tower also features 10 swimming pools extending in 5.1 m cantilevers. The current construction boom in Sri Lanka has led to wide spread usage of post-tensioning systems in high rise buildings because these systems make it possible to build extraordinary and seismically resistant designs with long cantilever spans. Figure 5 - Cantilever architecture: Clearpoint Residencies (Construction Stage) 4 Figure 6 - Cantilever architecture: Clearpoint Residencies (Construction Stage) Figure 7 - Cantilever architecture: Clearpoint Residencies (After Finishing) Utracon supplied and installed 74 t of strand post-tensioning tendons in the cantilever beams, flat slabs and walls. The stressed beams enabled the construction of flat girders so each level has the same floor to floor clear height. In the cantilever swimming pool slabs, Utracon installed and stressed 30 strand tendons with FA flat anchorages. In the cantilever balconies, a total of 328 strand tendons including FA flat anchorages and 716 strand tendons including MA multiplane anchorages were installed and stressed. 5 All floors are of high quality, elegant homogenous porcelain tiles and the structural walls are all built with reinforced concrete, while the inner partition walls are built with cement hollow blocks. Internal walls are skim coated with emulsion paint. and all living areas including bedrooms are equipped with multi-split type inverter air conditioners and ceiling fans. These air conditioners are state-of-the-art units fitted with ‘inverter technology’ that consume 40% less energy than average air conditioners. Figure 8 - Interior Design of the Apartment All toilets and bathrooms are mechanically ventilated. Bathroom accessories such as wash basin with vanity counter, wall hung water closet with flush valve system, mirrors, mixer taps, hand bidet shower, towel rails, toilet paper holders, robe hooks, shaver power socket and soap dish holders are all beautifully fitted in to ensure all essential sanitary needs are met. And the maid’s bathroom will be equipped with a bathroom which includes shower facilities and a bib tap and water closet with a hand bidet shower. Figure 9 - Bathroom Arrangement 6 The kitchens will have access to natural ventilation, but the cooking areas will be mechanically ventilated as well. All kitchens will be equipped with fully fitted pantry cabinets with modern branded hood and hob and intend to create unique and beautiful spaces and the bathrooms will be built to perfection, with porcelain flooring and wall tiles up to ceiling level and tempered glass shower cubicles. There will be rainwater showerheads attached creating a hands-free flow of water from above. Figure 10 – Kitchen Area Amenities • The Roof Top Swimming Pool Figure 11 - Roof Top Swimming Pool 7 • The Gymnasium Figure 12 - Gymnasium • Squash & Tennis Courts Figure 13 - Squash & Tennis Courts • • • • • Modern Security & Surveillance Systems Dedicated Parking Proximity Cards for Residents Elevators Garbage Disposal Systems Clearpoint Residencies has been designed with the clear goal in mind: to provide its homeowners the very best of sustainable living, while setting in benchmark for the high rise development. This includes ensuring a structure that survives the test of time, has minimum impact on the adjacent environs, and provided a pleasant and secure environment for its resident. The Designer’s aim was to offer sophisticated setting, harking back to the days when one could experience the greenery of their garden first hand and the birds and butterflies surrounding it. 8 MAJOR SUSTAINABLE FEATURES In place of ordinary balconies, all apartments are equipped with large format terraces with Self – Sustaining gardens. As well as preventing the windows from receiving direct sun exposure and providing shade, these large format terraces will lend themselves as extra entertainment spaces. Sustainability Features The Structure utilizes the very best raw materials and is the product of professional craftsmanship, built to endure the test of time, while also providing occupants with maximum security and unfettered access. By incorporating a variety of tropical flora, Clearpoint ensures each apartment functions as its own microhabitat, creating a synergy between occupants and their environment, whilst seamlessly blending rustic charm, urban sophistication and an attitude of environmental conservatism. Clearpoint Residences is truly the future of high rise living, with its minimal carbon footprint and reduced maintenance cost; a product of creative architectural design and cutting-edge technology. Reduced cost across the board ensures that apartment owners spend considerably less on upkeep and maintenance, whilst also positioning them as the citizen at the forefront of conservation and responsible living. Clearpoint Residences was built up with a process to reduce your carbon footprint and more importantly, reduce maintenance cost across the board. We believe that inhabiting this living tower will be more cost-effective than any other apartment complex in Sri Lanka to date. This is due to the carefully thought out additions and design innovations that have been provided. Figure 14 – Apartment Tower Base 9 Windows & Terraces Formation of a green cover through the planting of trees provides a natural cooling system for the entire building, resulting not only in a fresher and more relaxing atmosphere, but less energy spent on air conditioning. This blanket of trees also endows the building with an innate soundproofing system, blocking out the sounds of the hustle and the bustle of the city around it. Figure 15 – Window Arrangement Air Conditioning Since all apartments receive less heat due to windows not being exposed to direct sunlight, it has been possible to reduce the size of air conditioners, thus requiring less energy to be used. In addition, all apartments are cross ventilated for the purpose of cooling the inside naturally. All living areas including bedrooms are equipped with multi-split type inverter air conditioners and ceiling fans. These air conditioners are state-of-the-art units fitted with ‘inverter technology’ that consume 40% less energy than average air conditioners. Figure 16 – Airconditioning in the Bedroom 10 Planted Terraces The Planted terraces offer the building a unique charter while providing many other benefits. Plants have a natural tendency to absorb sound, both internally and externally. Plants provide shade, cool terraces and buffer radiant heat. Oxygen Produced during the daytime provides cleaner air, while leaves act as a natural filter for dust, which otherwise enters the apartment. There is also provision for the occupants to grow their own plants. Figure 17 – Planted Terraces Solar Panels In a significant step towards sustainable Development and energy conservation, Clearpoint Residences uses solar panels to generate electricity for communal areas and mechanisms such as lobby and corridor lighting, elevators and the recycling system. Additional electricity will be sold to CEB using a net metering system. Figure 18 – Solar Panel 11 Rainwater Harvesting Rainwater is collected at ground level and used with recycled grey water for toilet flushing and plant irrigation. Figure 19 - Rainwater Harvesting Automated Drip Irrigation An automated drip irrigation system has been incorporated throughout the building so that terrace gardens are maintenance free. The drip irrigation system will save water when compared with a sprinkler system. Additionally, the water used for irrigation is recycled from the grey water output of the residence, which is also used in the sanitation systems of apartments, thus reducing water usage by 45%. Figure 20 - Automated Drip Irrigation 12 Grey Water Recycling System One of the main uses of water in apartments is for flushing. In an effort to reduce the water usage, recycled water is used for flushing. Water is collected from apartment showers, bathrooms, and sinks. Running it through a recycling system which purifies the water to be less than 10 BOD (Bio Oxygen Demand) the Recycled water is mixed with rainwater and sent through to the bathroom water closets and to the drip irrigation system, which means flushing and the drip Irrigation does not require water from the mains. Solid Waste Disposal Solid waste Generated from the apartment is separated into glass, paper, plastic and metal (with the aid of the occupants) in the garbage room which is situated on each floor and negatively ventilated so odors do not escape into the lift lobby. The waste is then collected and sold to the relevant authorities. The income earned from this process is used to maintain the building, further reducing the cost of maintenance. In addition, all Schindler elevators at Clearpoint will adopt Schindler’s clean Power Factor One (PF1) regenerative drive technology, which, together with PORT will contribute to reducing the building’s overall energy consumption and help meet its sustainability goals. This project will also mark the introduction of Schindler’s PORT destination control technology to Sri Lanka. 13 ECONOMIC CONSIDERATION SOCIAL SUSTAINABLE CONSIDERATION In the site and suburbs like Rajasiriya, it became a highly demanded area. Owning of house in this area is required 20 perches of land value at more than 20-30 million and with another Rs. 40-50 million to build a house. Considering the Clearpoint Apartment, incorporated a solar power system and intelligent, high speed elevators that will generate electricity for common amenities together with efficient AC and grey water recycling system. The combination of such features and common amnesties make living in Clearpoint more economical than owing aa house. Using solar power to power the common elements. Then the electricity bill will be the cheapest of the house owners. The air conditioning cost will be lower than other apartment because of that there are big balconies with plants that reduce the heat gain into the building. The special system to manage solid waste will ensure garbage is separated and sold to relevant sources. The money thus earned will be used to maintaining the building, cutting down cost of maintenance. All these features will drastically reduce the utility and service bills compare to any other building. There are four elevators in the building and an intelligent sensor system has been put in place to direct residents towards the elevator that will take them faster to their residence, saving time. Two parking slots have been allocated for each apartment, which sits under a landscaped garden that acts as a multi-court for basketball, tennis, badminton and other sports. The apartment complex also includes an entertainment area overlooking the garden along with all other amenities needed for a comfortable living. Yet another key feature is that the size of the smallest apartment unit (2 bedroom) is 1,800 sq ft while the average apartment unit (3 bedroom) is 2,300 sq ft. Furthermore, the architect and developer together can allow the residents to customize each apartment by combining rooms and even joining apartments thanks to the innovative design layout of each apartment. Each floor consists of only four apartments or less where each one is built into a corner, providing a panoramic view of the surrounding greenery and the city. 14 ENVIRONMENTALLY SUSTAINABLE CONSIDERATION The Clearpoint Residence is minimal carbon footprint and reduced maintenance cost a product of creative architectural design and cutting-edge technology bringing about sustainability, conservation, and environmentally responsible living to the forefront. The almost one kilo meter horizontal stretch of greenery at Kandalama has been translated to a vertical stretch with planted terraces circling the entire structure and an inbuilt self-sustaining watering system at Clearpoint residencies. It steps aside from the typical apartment complexes with compacted units while redefining the idea of congested urban living. In place of ordinary balconies, all apartments will be equipped with large terraces with selfsustaining gardens with an abundance of local species. There is also provision for the occupants to grow their own plants. Maintenance purposes calls out for modularized strategies where the concrete floor would be free from loose soil while the trees will be held by plastic containers. These terraces will prevent the apartments from direct exposure to sunlight. Hence while providing shade; it will also lend itself as an extra entertainment space. These terraces that offer a formation of a green cover through the planting of trees will provide a natural cooling system for the entire building, resulting not only in a fresher and more relaxing atmosphere, but less energy spent on air conditioning. This blanket of planted terraces also endows the building with an innate sound proofing system, blocking out the sounds of the hustle and the bustle of the city around it. Since all apartments receive less heat due to the windows not being exposed to direct sunlight, it has been possible to reduce the size of air conditioners, thus requiring less energy to be used. In addition, all apartments are cross ventilated for the purpose of cooling the inside naturally. In a significant step towards sustainable development and energy conservation, Clearpoint Residences uses solar panels to generate electricity for common areas and mechanisms such as lobby and corridor lighting, elevators, and the recycling system. Additional electricity will be sold to Ceylon Electricity Board using a net metering system. An automated drip irrigation system has been incorporated throughout the building so that terrace gardens are maintenance free. The drip irrigation system will save water when compared with a sprinkler system. To reduce the water usage, recycled water is used for flushing. Water is collected from apartment showers, bathrooms, and sinks. Running it through a recycling system which will purify the water to be less than 10 BOD (Bio Oxygen Demand) the Recycled water is mixed with rainwater and sent through to the bathroom water closets and to the drip irrigation system, which means flushing and the drip Irrigation does not require water from the mains. Solid waste Generated from the apartment is separated into glass, paper, plastic, and metal (with the aid of the occupants) in the garbage room which is situated on each floor and negatively ventilated so outdoors do not escape into the lift lobby. 15 ECONOMIC SUSTAINABLE CONSIDERATION There is no doubt that mid-range housing projects are in high demand in the suburban areas of the country, specifically in Rajagiriya, Malabe, Wattala, Ja-Ela, Panadura and Moratuwa. However, not many luxury houses and/or condominiums have been constructed in the suburban areas of Sri Lanka yet. A luxury condominium in Colombo would cost more than Rs. 30 million due to increased land prices and demand within the city. On the other hand, tourism and expat arrivals have increased quite extensively over the years. With much lower expenses compared to other nations; Sri Lanka can be considered a long-term stay travel destination. Luxury projects in such areas could provide a better return on investment in the near future. An apartment here comes at a hefty price, simply because it uses state-of-the-art technology to combine sustainability with luxury living, but it certainly is a footprint for buildings of the future. 16 METHOD OF ASSESMENT Clearpoint Residences has been awarded with the Platinum Rating Certification under the GREENSL® Rating System for Built Environment, at the Annual Green Building Awards Ceremony 2018 held at Earls Regency Hotel, Kandy last week. This prestigious Awards Ceremony was organized by the Green Building Council of Sri Lanka with the prime objective of promoting cost effective high performance environmentally friendly green buildings incorporated with extremely efficient energy and water saving mechanisms and measures taken to ensure healthy and comfortable indoor environment. Furthermore, this awards scheme recognizes the developers who aspire to implement such green building practices as a value addition to both their product and to the real estate industry as a whole. The Sri Lanka Green Rating System for existing buildings is a set of performance standards used to certify the operations and maintenance of all forms of commercial or institutional buildings and residential buildings of all sizes, both public and private. Platinum is the highest rating a green building can earn under the GREENSL® Rating System. .As per this rating system, Clearpoint Residencies is one of the highest-rated green buildings in Sri Lanka. Regarded as the ‘tallest vertical garden in the world’ and is Sri Lanka’s first sustainable high-rise apartment complex. This Platinum Green Rating will further add value to the property and benefit the residents who have already occupied their apartments at Clearpoint Residencies. A Green Environmental Rating System applicable to Sri Lanka has been formulated as a ‘homegrown system’ with all norms acceptable to leading rating systems, after conducting research projects and workshops by an Expert Committee appointed by the GBCSL, with the assistance of national and international experts. The Expert Committee has studied the experiences of green building initiatives of India, China, Indonesia, Malaysia and Singapore, which are the rapidly growing economies in our region. The GBCSL commissioned a panel of Certified Assessors to validate the documentation for all claimed credits and assure that they conform to the compliance requirements as outlined in the ratings document. Other Awards: • Asia Property Award Sri Lanka 2018 including Best Green Development & Highly Commended Best Luxury Condo Architectural Design • Maga Engineering emerged the category winner under best Managed Project in Construction/ Infrastructure Development Sector for the Construction of 47 story Clearpoint Residences at the recently concluded National Project Management Excellence Award – 2018. This prestigious award ceremony, organized by the Project Management Institute Sri Lanka Chapter was held for the 2nd time in Sri Lanka to recognize complex projects that best deliver superior performance of Project Management practices, superior organizational results and positive impacts on the society. 17 CONCLUSION As per considering above major sustainable factors, economic consideration “Clearpoint Residencies” has ushered in a new era for Sri Lankan Green building concept. It is still the tallest vertical garden in the world meaning it was built with sustainability and environmental impact in mind. Clearpoint offered many unique design and construction challenges along the way. 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. There are two aspects to “going green”. One reason is that people disagree with the generalized systems in place to contribute to waste, abundance for some and poverty for others. Another reason is that many people come to the conclusion that the way everyone else is living may not be the best way for them. They seek out other approaches that make more sense for their morals and their budgets. The size of the vertical garden is predicted to conquer the withstanding record holder “One Central Park” building in Sydney, Australia. And also, the Clearpoint Residencies can achieve the other sustainability awards. There are three major building rating and certification systems that provide the basis for the other approaches used throughout the world: the Building Research Establishment Environmental Assessment Method (BREEAM), which was developed in the U.K., the Sustainable Building Challenge Framework (SBTool), which was developed by the collaborative work of 20 countries, and the Leadership in Energy and Environmental design (LEED), which was developed in the U.S.A. This project also achieve the LEED rating and it can be also applying the BREEAM rating. BREEAM measures sustainable value in a series of categories, ranging from energy to ecology. Each of these categories addresses the most influential factors, including low impact design and carbon emissions reduction; design durability and resilience; adaption to climate change; and ecological value and biodiversity protection. There are several categories in the BREEAM rating, and it can be listed as follows. Figure 21 - Categories in the BREEAM rating 18 In our point of view, the project can achieve the higher points in above categories. Because of that the project already got the LEED certificate and BREEAM is the more advance one than the LEED. 19 REFERENCES 1. Athapaththu, K.I. and Karunasena, G., 2018. Framework for sustainable construction practices in Sri Lanka. Built Environment Project and Asset Management. 2. CIDA (2018) ‘Cida journal 2018’, 16. Available at: https://www.cida.gov.lk/content/files/publications/441) cida journal 2018.pdf. 3. Godman, L., Power, J., Jones, S. and Harris, G., 2015. Alpha space-where plants fly beyond the vertical garden. Journal of Green Building, 10(2), pp.1-23. 4. Jayasinha, A. (2016), “Five of Sri Lanka’s best green buildings”. available at: http://roar.lk/economy/green buildings-sri-lankas-corporates-can-keep-clean/ 5. Kajeenthan, K. and Ranaweera, M.P., 2019. Structural Survey of High Rise Buildings in Colombo Sri Lanka. Data Mining and Knowledge Engineering, 11(6), pp.100-107. 6. Khaniya, B., Gunathilake, M.B. and Rathnayake, U., 2021. Ecosystem-based adaptation for the impact of climate change and variation in the water management sector of Sri Lanka. Mathematical Problems in Engineering, 2021. 7. Liyanage, K.C.W., Kawmudi, W.N., Galadeniya, G.G.S.S., Perera, P.L. and Amaratunga, A.A.R.K., Impact of the cost factor on implementation of Green Building Concept in Sri Lankan construction industry. 20 ANNEXURES ANNEXURE 01 - SECTION DRAWING ANNEXURE 02 - TYPICAL FLOOR PLAN – 6TH TO 48 FLOOR (EVERY EVEN NUMBERED FLOOR) ANNEXURE 03 - TYPICAL FLOOR PLAN – 6TH TO 48 FLOOR (EVERY ODD NUMBERED FLOOR) ANNEXURE 04 - POOL FLOOR PLAN ANNEXURE 05 - 3 BEDROOM APARTMENT CONFIGURATION ANNEXURE 06 - 4 BEDROOM APARTMENT CONFIGURATION ANNEXURE 07 - 4 BEDROOM APARTMENT CONFIGURATION WITH POOL ANNEXURE 08 - PENTHHOUSE SUITE 21