A Research on the Subject of Low Energy, Resource Efficient and Environmental Housing Development in Turkey Context2014
TOPICS: 3-Environmental Concern, 4-Energy Efficiency, 5-Legal Framework and Strategies towards Sustainable Developments, 6-The Promising Developments-Sustainable Buildings in Turkey, 7-Discussion and Conclusion
Abstract:
Over the last decade, the construction sector in Turkey has delivered an unprecedented number of housing units throughout the Turkey. However, the energy security, efficiency and environmental issues in relation to the housing development become emerging concerns. The contemporary methods in supplement of housing units have to be changed before the problems related to the high CO2 emission, energy shortage and expensive heat and electricity bills arises as a matter of emergency. This paper examines the existing housing unit failure in Turkey in terms of energy efficiency and resource consumption. Afterwards, the importance of energy saving in Turkey and the action plan strategies through signed agreements with the national and international arena are investigated. In this respect, low energy, resource efficient housing development will become a growing concern towards existing housing standards across the Turkey by coming years. The paper proposes that low energy, resource efficient and environmental housing development standards and methods should take great attention and broad acceptance across the local and private sector as well as at the community level in the Turkey context near future.
Key Words: low energy & resource efficient housing development, environment, sustainability, Turkey
3-Environmental Concern
Revealing the environmental impacts of climate change has great importance in order to diminish the effect at damages on earth at minimum level. In particular, majorly
emissions. And it is estimated these emissions will reach two times higher level by 2020 on a “business as usual scenario.” However, there is a large potential to change this assumption as between 30% and 50% CO2 reduction is possible at current levels. (16)
1-Introduction
The fastest growing economy, Turkey across the Europe has moved forward an enormous progress in terms of undertaking project value in the construction sector since 2002 compared to the previous country records. (1) (2) (3) And it is expected that the construction sector will continue its growth at 5% in 2014-2022 period. (4) Correspondingly, the housing development will likely to be a significant contributor to this growth in coming years respects to the major factors below:
- An estimation of increase in population(5) (Figure1)
- The shifting population from rural area to urban area(5) (Figure2)
- Facing a critical lack of supplement of 2.5 million housing units within five years (7)
- 6.5 million buildings will be demolished and reconstructed within a 20 year period to be conducted primarily in 35 cities, according to the Urban Regeneration Plan accredited by The Ministry of Environment and Urban Planning (8)
Whilst supplement of required housing units is likely to be in the growing progress in the next years, evaluation of principles of goals towards to the housing development is critical. Not only the number of completed building projects in a short time and affordability of housing units but also the sustainable, low energy and resource efficient house standards should be placed at the heart of this progress. Correspondingly, there is a clear indication of the Organisation for Economic Co-operation and Development (OECD) that reveals the large number of the OECD households, 87%, is satisfied with their housing. Especially, households in Germany, Ireland, Spain and Belgium more than 93% stated their satisfaction compared to this level which is lower 75% in Turkey. (9)
2-Aim of the Paper and Research Method
The aim of this paper is to emphasize the necessity of the change in standards, regulations or implementations through a sustainable approach against housing development in Turkey context.
For this purpose of this paper, the secondary research method is applied. Using the arguments from various references, such as, articles and organisation reports, and analysis put forward in order to gain a better perspective and understanding of the issue.
The water resources in Turkey are facing under the threat of becoming “drier with more frequent and intense droughts.”(10) For instance, rivers and lakes. (11) (Figure 3) While the climate change effect closely influences over the country, the emerging strategies in various areas have to be set out and taken action before those effects cause larger serious and detrimental issues. According to the estimation by “ Water and DSI (General Directorate of State Hydraulic Works) 18 billion m3 water is required for drinking and human consumption in 2023. (12) However, the development in design, construction and management of the housing units and their maintenance in efficient ways offer significant saving. Beddington Zero Energy Development (BedZED) has demonstrated that the water consumption can be reduced 58% lower than typical residents through its completed project. (13) This means that in the context of Turkey if such method is applied to human water consumption in houses by 2023, over 10 billion m3 of water roughly can be saved in Turkey. For such obvious reasons, these leading methods of BedZED can be a benchmark in the housing standards for Turkey.
Another environmental concern is CO2 emission. It is widely accepted that the increasing level of CO2 in the air affects the earth temperature directly. However, Turkey carbon footprint per capita of 5.2 tonnes of CO2 equivalent, which is lower than EU average of 10.2 tonnes and OECD average 15 tonnes regarding to the OECD 2012 Turkey report. On the other hand, the OECD report underlines the sharp increase in CO2 level in the last decade. (Figure 4) (14) At this point, building sector on this issue has a great importance. The report by the Intergovernmental Panel on Climate Change (IPCC) acknowledged that buildings in global scale influences 1/3rd of the energy and correspondingly 3/5th of halocarbon emissions in 2004. (15) Similar findings from Turkey in another report reveal that the building sector in Turkey is responsible for 36% of energy consumption and 32% of the total energy associated with CO2
Accordingly, the Turkish Ministery of Environment and Urbanisation has launched National Climate Change Action Plan (NCCAP) in 2011 to decrease the carbon emissions from buildings. However, without improvement of building standard regulations, the progress in this relation will be considerably low. Because, the recent regulations are distant to meet the “cost-effective carbon reduction measures”,
building orientation, Passivhaus methods, renewable energy from solar power and energy efficiency implications.(16)
8-References
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7- Republic of Turkey Prime Ministry, Housing Development Administration of Turkey (TOKI), (2014) A New Approach to Confront the Housing Challenge: Housing Development Administration (TOKI) [Online] Available at: http://www.toki.gov.tr/english/hda.asp [Accessed: 11/03/2014]
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12- Turkish Ministry of Environment and Urbanization. (2012). Turkey’s National Climate Change Adaptation Strategy and Action Plan. Available: http://iklim.cob.gov.tr/iklim/Files/Belgeler/National%20Adaptation%20Strategy.pdf. P57 Last [Accessed: 19/03/2014]
13- BedZED. (2014). BedZED, UK - Overview. Available: http://www.bioregional.co.uk/flagship-projects/one-planet-communities/bedzed-uk/ [Accessed: 19/03/2014]
14- OECD (2012). OECD Economic Surveys TURKEY [Online], P27-29. Available at: http://www.oecd.org/eco/surveys/OVERVIEW%20ENGLISH%20FINAL.pdf [Accessed 11/03/2014]
15- Diana Ürge-Vorsatz. (2007). Climate change mitigation in the buildings sector: the findings of the 4 th Assessment Report of the IPCC. Available: http://www.ipcc.ch/pdf/presentations/poznan-COP-14/diane-urge-vorsatz.pdf. P4 [Accessed: 19/03/2014]
16- Arzu Kocabas, The transition to low carbon urbanization in Turkey: Emerging policies and initial action, Habitat International, Volume 37, January 2013, Pages 80-87, ISSN 0197-3975, http://dx.doi.org/10.1016/j.habitatint.2011.12.016.
(http://www.sciencedirect.com/science/article/pii/S0197397511001135 )
17- Turkish Statistical Institute (TSI). (2013). Population And Housing Census, 2011. Available: http://www.turkstat.gov.tr/PreHaberBultenleri.do?id=15843. [Accessed: 24/03/2014]
18- Republic of Turkey Ministry of Energy and Natural Resources. (2012). Energy Efficiency Strategy Paper 2012 - 2023. Available: http://www.eie.gov.tr/verimlilik/document/Energy_Efficiency_Strategy_Paper.pdf. P2 [Accessed: 24/03/2014]
19- Turkish Ministry of Environment and Urbanization. (2011). Republic of Turkey National Climate Change Action Plan 2011-2023. Available:
http://www.preventionweb.net/files/29675_turkeynationalclimatechangeactionpl.pdf. P30-40, 85 [Accessed: 19/03/2014]
20- Salman, T., Pelsmakers, S., Taylor, M.. (2011). Is the UK's zero carbon standard for housing a solution for CO2 reduction in Turkey? - Passivhaus standard as a means to achieving Zero Carbon in Istanbul. PLEA 2011-27th Conference in Passive and Low Energy Architecture, Louvain-la-Neuve, Belgium. 2 (14), p89-94. Available at: http://books.google.co.uk/books?id=ygdAO6_mOCgC&pg=PA91&dq=passive+housing+development+in+Turkey&hl=en&sa=X&ei=UrsfU8H7NMaohAeFtYCYAQ&ved=0CEoQ6AEwAA#v=onepage&q&f=true [Accessed 25/03/2014].
21- From Wikipedia, the free encyclopedia (2014) Heat recovery ventilation [Online] Available at: http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Heat_recovery_ventilation [Accessed: 25/03/2014]
22- Kormaz, S., Erten, D., Syal, M., Potbhare, V. (2009). A Review of Green Building Movement Timelines in Developed and Developing Countries to Build an International Adoption Framework. Available at: http://www.cedbik.org/images/kaynak/CITC-V-FinalPaper1.pdf. P1-9 [Accessed: 18/03/2014]
23- Turkish Green Building Council. (2011). Who we are... . Available at: http://www.cedbik.org/sayfalar_eng.asp?KatID=2&ID=19. [Accessed: 25/03/2014]
24- Ilter, D.. (2011). Green buildings: a critical analysis of the Turkish legislation. In: Adshead, J. Green Buildings and The Law. Oxon and New York: Spon Press. p94-113.Available at: http://books.google.co.uk/books?id=ZEeOAgAAQBAJ&pg=PA3&lpg=PA3&dq=Legal+framework+towards+sustainable+buildings+in+Turkey&source=bl&ots=19xJb6hrd_&sig=i3gpUfbrpB2OsR2wADXI_aO3MF8&hl=en&sa=X&ei=UgUyU8veEIbx0gXhxYDABQ&ved=0CDUQ6AEwAQ#v=onepage&q&f=false [Accessed: 25/03/2014]
25- Green Building Information Gateway(GBIG). (2014). Turkey - Overview. Available: http://www.gbig.org/places/899. [Accessed: 26/03/2014]
26- GreenBookLive. (2014). BREEAM Certified Projects . Available at: http://www.greenbooklive.com/search/buildingsearch.jsp?partid=10023&companyName=&developer=&productName=&buildingRating=&certNo=&certBody=a
ssessorAuditor=&countryId=7&addressPostcode=&standard=¬es=&id=202 [Accessed: 26/03/2014]
27- Zero Energy and Passive House Association. (2013). Türkiye’nin İlk Pasif Binası Gaziantep’te İnşa
Ediliyor. Available: http://sepev.org/turkiyenin-ilk-pasif-ev-binasi/. [Accessed: 26/03/2014]
28- Sur, H. (2012). Residential Sector in Turkey Worldbank Conference May 30th. Available: http://siteresources.worldbank.org/FINANCIALSECTOR/Resources/GHFC_2021_Haluk_Sur.pdf. P18 [Accessed: 24/03/2014]
29- Zero Energy and Passive House Association. (2013). Gaziantep Pasif Bina[Online] Available at: http://sepev.org/ [Accessed: 27/03/2014]
4-Energy Efficiency
The number of households has been counted as over 19 million in Turkey up to 2011.(17) The %3.49 average energy consumption increase per year in the building sector has been observed over the past 10 years between 1998 and 2008.(18) And there is no doubt that the number of buildings expected to be increased by the increase in population and development. Hence, the potential impact of housing units to the environment in terms of energy consumption across Turkey will be higher in the next years. But, Electrical Power Resources Survey and Development Administration (EIE) has argued that the energy efficiency and a reduction in the energy generation can be delivered in both supply and demand phase. According to the published report in November 2009 has been clarified in detail as follows:
We have the potential to save energy at least 15% in our industry, 35% in our buildings and 15% in our transport. The amount of energy saved will be higher than the energy we can generate using renewable energy resources. If we succeed in taking decisive and successful steps in energy efficiency, we can reduce our supply estimates for the year 2020 by at least 20% (i.e. 45 MTOE). This amount is 2.5 times larger than the amount of electricity we can generate from domestic and clean resources and can meet the energy requirement of 30 million households on the average. (19)
Addressing to the issue of the energy conservation in housing units in Turkey, the primary areas which form of energy utilized and for which purpose energy consumed in the houses in order to tackle the problems due to the over consumption of energy and related environmental pollution will indicate important factors. In this respect, the NCCAP reveals an important statistic that more than %30 of energy has been consumed for heating and cooling systems. Accordingly, if the building standards remain in the same way, as the temperature increases in the summer as recent years, the demand of cooling of the interior of houses will increase and the impact will affect on the demand of the electricity through air conditioner over working.(19) Likewise, similar case is mostly relevant in winter time for the heating system.
The less attention to the quality standards such as, environmental standards, lack of access to the public transportation and poor insulation, brings problems alongside in consideration of the roadmap for creating sustainable building developments.(19) In addition, there can be put forward as below, the factors that affecting major failures of buildings in Turkey context:
- “Only %16 of buildings have roof insulation”
- “The use of insulation materials per person is one tenth of the average use per person in the European Union (EU)”
- Turkish Standard of Thermal Insulation Requirements for Buildings TS 825; requires minimum %50 more energy for heating than EU countries.(16)
- %84 of all buildings have a single-glass type of windows.(19)
- %9 of dwellings have insulation.(19) (14)
From this point of view, the low quality of the construction process of buildings in terms of energy conversation is highly related to the current building standards. A recent research clarifies the high value differences between Turkish building regulation standards and widely recognized Passivhaus standards. (Figure 5) (20)
As the Figure 5 illustrates, there are big gaps between both standards in every principle. Initially, the U value indicates the heat loss in the building, which means that as the U value reaches zero, the heat loss of the examined building will likely to reach minimum heat loss. However, this is a very significant factor towards achieving energy efficiency, Turkish Building Standards show average 4 times higher rate acceptance than Passivhaus Standards. Another important principle is the ventilation system. Mechanical ventilation heat recovery (MVHR) introduces fresh air to a building and improves climate control, while contributing energy efficiency. But the workability of MVHR is highly dependent on good insulation and airtightness in the building. (21) And, as shown in the Figure 5, yet insulation and airtightness are at a lower rate in the Turkish Standards comparison to the Passivhaus Standards, MVHR as a ventilation system to be accepted as optional rather than obligated is quite reasonable. At the third line, airtightness which indicates the air leakage through gaps, cracks and holes in the building. And, high air leakage in the building substantially increases energy consumption and affects to the energy efficiency critically in the building. In this regard, Turkish Standards permit more than 10 times air leakage in the buildings than the Passivhaus Standards as the Figure 5 states. As mentioned in the last line of the Figure 5, external wall thickness is another significant factor to enable good insulation in the building. To provide a sufficient insulation in the building, the insulation thickness of external wall should be more than conventional building type. However, as shown in the Figure 5, while Passivhaus Standards require minimum 520 mm thickness of external wall for insulation, Turkish Standards permit only minimum 80 mm insulation.
As a result, Turkish Standards need to be adjusted more challenging towards low energy, resource efficient housing and environmental development. Hence, major resource consumption and related contamination created by buildings will be minimized. And, low energy, resource efficient housing has great potential to eliminate the impact of environmental problems, promote new business areas as well as occupants’ health improvement. (22)
Nevertheless, Turkey has moved forward a long way towards achieving a governing environment to encourage the energy efficient investments. (16) The timeline in the Figure 6 emphasis the recent developments in relation only to the energy efficiency regulations. Since 2005, the energy efficiency has largely become an issue which Turkey has accepted and started to change regulations, produce new strategies. Accordingly, the energy efficiency certificate classification has introduced in 2011 and all existing buildings throughout Turkey are obligated to have Energy Identity Documents (EID) certificate by 2017. The identification of energy performance of buildings is an essential step for the beginning against sustainable development targets. However, it will require extensive, transparent and continuous study on a building scale.
5-Legal Framework and Strategies towards Sustainable Developments
By the beginning of the 21st century, there are important international or national protocols and regulations approved in terms of environmental concerns and adoption of the principles of the sustainable developments in Turkey.
Initially, Turkey became a member to the “United Nation Framework Convention on Climate Change (UNFCC) in 2004 and to the Kyoto Protocol in 2009.”But, “quantitative emission mitigation targets” have been out of obligation.(14) During this process at international arena, Turkish Green Building Association has been established in 2007. This association aims to share the knowledge of the principles of sustainability, organise lobbying activities to draw larger public awareness and transform the construction industry to the green building. (23) On the other hand, the government also decided to take significant action plans towards sustainable development by accepting the National Climate Change Strategy in 2010 and the following year published the National Climate Action Plan in 2011. (32) The main targets in the building scale, according to this plan are described as follows:
- Reducing annual energy consumption by %10 by 2015 and by 20% to 2023 in the public buildings.
- Minimum %20 of the annual energy demand of new buildings will be provided by renewable energy resources by 2017.
- “Establish heat insulation and energy-efficient systems meeting standards in commercial and public buildings with usable areas larger than 10 thousand square meters and in at least 1 million residential buildings by 2023.” (19)
The critical realization of Turkey potential in both cases energy generation and consumption may lead to achieve the targets easily by the adoption of the energy efficiency strategies in the building scale. In this respect, Camlibel (2009), the chief executive officer (CEO) of a prominent Turkish construction company suggests that energy consumption in the buildings can be reduced by %15 through solely implementation of energy efficiency awareness in the public. (24)
6-The Promising Developments-Sustainable Buildings in Turkey
The environmentally safe living in Turkey has been legislated in Turkey by its Constitution. According to this regulation, Turkey is the one among the few countries which concerns environment by law. It is the responsibility of the government and citizens develop the natural environment and prevent the environmental contamination. On the contrary, no particular legislation or standard exists in Turkey at present on “green buildings”. From this point of view, Turkey presents a slow development against the world leading assessment methods such as Leadership in Energy and Environmental Design(LEED) and Building Research Establishment Environmental Assessment Method (BREEAM). (24) But, there are a large number of buildings in Turkey that already registered for certification and some of them are branded as high by these assessment methods. According to the Figure 7 below
49 buildings are registered for LEED certificate. And, %8 of them received Platinum level, which is the most prestigious and difficult level in LEED. %24 received Silver level and %67 received Gold levels, which are less challenging comparison with the Silver and Platinum. As a result of that, however, any solid standards have yet not developed in Turkey; the interest in the implementation of these assessment methods is obvious.
According to the BREEAM certification in Turkey, as of today, 34 buildings have received the BREEAM certificate.(26) Among the certificated building, one ambitious project Kanyon Building from Istanbul has achieved at part I, very good (%68. 92- third level) and at part 2, excellent brand (%80. 91- second level)
There is also the first Passivehause project has been completed in Gaziantep. This Passivehaus development has been conducted in cooperation with Municipility of Gaziantep and University of Gaziantep. This house will be used as a human resource centre and rather its main purpose; there will be organized training and teaching sessions about zero energy and Passivhaus building. (27)
7-Discussion and Conclusion
The transformation of the conventional building system to the lower energy, resource efficient and environmental housing system and its methodology, procedure and operation is a substantially long and continuous process. The scope of the housing development affects, more or less all over the groups who are sharing the environment. As it is in Turkey context, over 70 million people participation is required to set out characteristic sustainable development and its standards.
Turkey with its national and international regulations, incentives and constraints is in a very critical pathway in order to identify the future Housing Guideline and has potential to create sustainable and affordable housing through detailed strategies. At this point, the major deficient points of the government, private sector and the public and their common needs can be discussed as follows:
Government:
- Needs technical know-how on setting, implementation policies and new set of monitoring skills
- Can take some risks
- Needs to build a self-funding incentive system
- Preserve the local quality of life
- Economic Development
- Demonstrate Energy Efficiency (EE)
Private Sector:
- Has knowledge and skills
- Needs capital and financing and Secondary Markets
- Needs risk sharing
- Needs incentives to invest into low income and green technologies
- Land prices expensive - need land incentive
- Need to support a sustainable and environment friendly housing
Public:
- Healthier/durable home ownership
- Earthquake compliant higher quality EE housing
- Improved community life
- Better life standards
- To have a voice in the outcome
- Reduced maintenance costs
- Lower utility bills
- Increased resale value (28)
However, the needs of the parties indicate different perspectives, the expectation and mentality should be guided towards the sustainable development without deviation from the target. At this point, the function of the government is important. It carries significant responsibility in terms of establishment of mandatory housing standards due to the energy efficiency, environmental monitoring, auditing and reporting systems, incentives to the companies which produce sustainable materials, work in sustainable housing projects, organisation of expos, competitions and education of the community especially students, engineers, architects and technicians. To avoid fragmented development, as the government is able to reach all communities with its services around all the regions should spread the knowledge and encourage people accordingly.
However, in recent years, plans and strategies associated with environmental concern has been set out, the housing standards still require a great attention especially water efficiency should take the primary attention. In relation to this, Turkey may face serious problems such as; drought and water shortage due to the global warming, over irrigation and careless consumption. (24)
The improvement in housing standards may bring along the extensive development to the country’s economy as well as community well-being in consideration of Turkey is an energy importer country and having enormous wind, solar and geothermal energy potential.
After detail examination of the sustainable environmental development in the country scale, identification and explanation of the advantages of sustainability to the local and private authorities in relation to the housing development in Turkey context, broad participation and great attention will be observed likewise.
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