Role of technology in providing better basic facilities for condominium properties

Abstract

Sri Lanka, as a third world country, rapid urbanization has increased ranks of urban poor, creating demand for housing and urban services which has remained unsatisfied due to lack of resources and urban lands at reasonable prices. Hence, condominium construction has become popular in the present as a solution to provide accommodations for the increasing population. However, providing required facilities to its occupants is a major problem for the condominium management. According to the literature survey, two of condominium facilities, safety and security and ventilation have been identified as basic facilities which are having severe urge to be improved. Therefore the aim of the study was to explore how to improve the basic facilities in condominiums through the concepts of technology. A comprehensive literature survey was carried out by referring books, journal articles, and relevant other publications leading to a case based field survey, where interviews and observations were used as the data collection techniques. Content analysis was used to analyse the qualitative data. Research has concluded that technology transfer will improve security and safety systems where the techniques identified being Condominium Elevator Safety, Finger Print Readers, Motion Sensors and Access Control. Further ventilation conditions were suggested to be improved through the Balance/Stack Ventilation, Solar Wall/Roof, Heat/ Energy Recovery Ventilators and Wind Catchers. However there are barriers in implementing new technologies which are identified as Lack of cost allocation, Poor mechanism of technology sourcing, transfer and management and Inadequate government or responsible parties’ support and involvement.