Press Releases
USAID and VTA go green in southern Sri Lanka
Colombo, October 10, 2008— With the opening of Ahangama Vocational Training Center, the United States Agency for International Development (USAID) is promoting a high standard for green design in Sri Lanka as part of its Tsunami Reconstruction Program.
Built to be a Leadership in Energy and Environmental Design (LEED) certified building, the Ahangama Vocational Training Center meets international green building standards and is the first of its kind in Sri Lanka to receive a silver level LEED certification. Established by the US-based Green Building Council, LEED is the certification of record for sound environmental design worldwide.
“All over the world, including in Sri Lanka, there is a growing demand for “green” energy and building services,” U.S. Ambassador Robert O. Blake said at the opening ceremony. “The Ahangama center will provide a venue for technology transfer and capacity building in “green building” design and construction for Sri Lankan architects, engineers, contractors and vendors. I expect that in the coming years, this center will set a precedent for environmentally sound design both in Sri Lanka and beyond,” he continued.
The school is designed to get more than 70% of its light from daylight thereby reducing electricity costs, the high-performance glass used in the windows will block heat and help keep the rooms naturally cool, and the school will save water by harvesting rain water to be re-used in toilets and taps. The Center will provide training for more than 200 Sri Lankans a year in the tourism sector to support tourism development in the south.
Ambassador Blake also opened the Talalla Vocational Training Center on October 3rd, bringing the total number of vocational training centers completed with USAID funding to six. All centers are developed in partnership with the Vocational Training Authority (VTA) under the aegis of the Ministry of Vocational and Technical Training and implemented by Access International and CH2MHill. USAID has worked closely with the VTA and with Sri Lanka’s private sector to develop the curricula for the schools. The project’s success is in part due to the model public-private partnership put in place between USAID, VTA and the Chevron Corporation, Prudential, and the Mellon Foundation.