Ritta, TGE introduce fresh green building designs

The three-storey building at 300 Romklao Road in Bangkok is anything but ordinary. The headquarters of Thailand's leading design and build company Ritta, it is the country's first green building certified gold under the Leadership in Energy and Environmental Design (LEED) rating system for new construction. Double glass walls allow natural air cooling, while an automatic irrigation system based on soil moisture data cuts landscape water use by half. Designed by wholly owned subsidiary Thai Global Energy (TGE), the project marks Ritta's success in the green building field.

"Innovation is naturally ingrained in our corporate culture," says chief business development officer Bhargab Das. "The company regards innovation as a process that enhances our entire quality scenario."

From humble beginnings in 1987, Ritta has grown to become the leading partner of choice in the design and construction of all building types, from factories to skyscrapers. The company's own precast concrete and structural steel fabricating facilities and labour force of more than 40,000 deliver value engineering with unmatched cost efficiency, timeliness, safety and quality.

Carrying the pedigree of construction excellence that Ritta has developed for more than 20 years, TGE has the lion's share as consultant for LEED-certified buildings in Thailand.

"TGE allowed us to expand horizontally," Das says. "We are developing other avenues relevant to our engineering business." TGE has completed a 10-megawatt solar power plant and is in the process of acquiring more than 100 megawatts in the near future. In addition, Ritta-TGE is eyeing numerous rooftop solar projects.

Welcoming potential partners who offer synergy in capabilities, Ritta and TGE are interested in taking part in local mega-development projects. The two companies are also looking to expand into neighbouring countries such as Vietnam and Myanmar.