CIOB signs landmark MOU with BCA Singapore

Wednesday, 1 October 2014 02:40 - - {{hitsCtrl.values.hits}}

Ceylon Institute of Builders President Dr. Rohan Karunaratne being congratulated by Singapore Minister for National Development Khaw Boon Wan after signing the MOU. Also present are (from left): BCA CEO Dr. John Keung, BCA Executive Director (Services) Choo Whatt Bin, Singapore Minister for National Development Khaw Boon Wan, CIOB President Dr. Rohan Karunaratne and BCA Chairman Quek See Tiat The Ceylon Institute of Builders (CIOB), the premiere body of the Building Profession in Sri Lanka recently signed a landmark MOU with the Building and Construction Authority (BCA) of Singapore which is a statutory body established under the Building and Construction Authority Act of Singapore, to obtain technical assistance to promote and develop the green built environment in Sri Lanka. The MOU was signed at the inaugural session of the International Green Building Conference held from 1-3 September 2014 at the Sands Expo and Convention Centre, Singapore. A delegation of CIOB senior members headed by its President, Dr. Rohan Karunaratne was in Singapore to ink the landmark MOU. The MOU covers a wider scope in five major areas of cooperation such as, Exchange of Best Practices, Professional Development, Promoting Business Opportunities, Business Missions and Partnering in Major Events. More specifically, the MOU will pave the way for BCA to build the capacity of the Sri Lankan construction industry to apply green building knowhow, technologies and applications making the Sri Lankan built environment to be more sustainable, environmentally friendly and economically affordable. The BCA will undertake to train Sri Lankan building professionals to be certified as Green Building Auditors who will in turn carry out Green Building Audits in Sri Lanka and ensure that buildings and other infrastructure projects conform to international green building standards. The CIOB will also introduce its own green mark in collaboration with BCA of Singapore which will be awarded to buildings and projects that meet the required green building standards. The MOU will cover not only the constructed buildings but also building materials and other related services as well. The BCA/CIOB certified auditors will also be able to standardise building materials also on their level of conformity and award such materials the BCA/CIOB Green Mark. The MOU is the first of its kind where a Sri Lankan construction industry body has been partnered with an international green building accreditation body for a comprehensive technology transfer program aiming to improve environmental, social and economic sustainability of Sri Lanka’s built environment.