Carbon neutral design process towards sustainable tourism architecture: a case study of tourist accommodations in Ella

Abstract

The life cycle design process is a key determining factor of the Carbon Footprint (CF) of a building. The study explores the Carbon-Neutral Design Process (CNDP) as a life cycle design approach focusing on mitigating CF during the design process. CNDP suggests design strategies, recommendations, and interventions to reduce CF. Recognizing the tourism industry’s significant carbon emission, environmental impact, and socio-cultural significance; the study aims to examine the level of integration of CNDP to mitigate CF in the tourism accommodation in Sri Lanka. The Ella tourism zone was selected as the context for the study. Due to its rapid tourism development and environmental impact. The research methodology involved developing a scorecard based on comprehensive literature mapping of the CNDP considerations. This developed scorecard was used to conduct a qualitative, comparative analysis of 4 selected cases. These 4 cases were chosen from a pool of 10 identified hotels within a 1.5 km radius of Ella urban center, ensuring a non-biased selection process. The findings indicate less concern for microclimate in the design phase and a lack of awareness of carbon emissions during the construction and operational phases. The case study buildings are evident for limited use of natural ventilation, renewable energy, and low-carbon construction materials. Thus, it highlights the importance of regional-level regulations for CF mitigation at neighborhood, site, and building scale to achieve sustainable tourism architecture.