BAKU, Azerbaijan, September 7. As a result of measures taken in Türkiye in recent years, energy consumption in all newly constructed buildings has been estimated to have decreased by approximately 30–35%, Hüseyin Namık Sandıkçı, head of the Energy Efficiency Department at the Ministry of Environment, Urbanization, and Climate Change of the Republic of Türkiye, said, Trend's correspondent reports from the event.
He made the statement at the roundtable discussion “Building Energy Performance Certification and Digital Building Passports,” held as part of Baku Climate Action Week.
Namık Sandıkçı noted that Türkiye has been working intensively for many years to transform the construction sector and improve legislation in this area.
“Since 2010, we have been implementing an energy performance certificate system as one of the key elements of our national policy. Over the past 2–3 years, we have worked to improve requirements for nearly zero-energy buildings, update legislation on thermal insulation, raise minimum energy efficiency requirements for buildings, and analyze the country’s climate data. As a result of the work we have done over the past two years, we have calculated that energy consumption in all newly constructed buildings will be reduced by approximately 30–35%, he noted.
Hüseyin Namık Sandıkçı emphasized that buildings are not only one of the major sources of energy consumption and emissions in terms of global climate goals, but also a key part of the solution.
According to the ministry representative, Türkiye has also implemented the “Greening” certification system. As part of COP31, which will take place in Antalya, there are plans to organize an international “Greening” competition called “YesInt.” The goal of the competition is to identify innovative ideas and recognize cutting-edge and environmentally friendly construction methods around the world.
He noted that one of the current priorities is integrating life-cycle analysis into relevant policy decisions and carrying out energy-efficient renovations of the existing building stock.
Sandıkçı added that to achieve the energy transition in the construction sector, it is necessary to make the most of opportunities for international cooperation. This requires accessible and long-term climate finance, strong partnerships between countries, information sharing, and the shared commitment of all parties.
He also stated that the ongoing cooperation with Azerbaijan in the field of building energy efficiency will be expanded to include countries such as Oman, Kyrgyzstan, and Somalia.
