The Ministry of Environment and National Resources is to be housed in a new environment friendly building constructed of recycled material and using solar power, Minister Patali Champika Ranawaka said yesterday (30).

The environment friendly building would be designed by the Architecture Department of the University of Moratuwa and will feature solar power like the Narita Airport Japan. The Cabinet had approved the project and the Minister of Urban Development and Sacred Area Development Dinesh Gunawardene assisted in finding a location at Epitamulla Kotte, he said.

The building that will house the ministry and the Department of Wildlife is estimated to cost 530 million rupees. At present the ministry is housed in part at the Central Environmental Authority building and part at the State Timber Corporation Building causing inconvenience to the administration he said.