The most important topics encountered in the new world order and that will not be off the agenda in the future will include “sustainability”, “renewable energy” and “safe energy”. Today, the clear evidence that the ways countries produce and use energy are not sustainable is the climate changes caused by greenhouse gases. One of the issues that has been effectively noticed in recent times is that many national and international policies and incentives have been created in order to increase the construction of sustainable buildings.
Although the term sustainable buildings is perceived as a very new expression, it is also obvious that it is a definition that will be on the agenda now with the resonance of many legal regulations that make the use of renewable energy mandatory in newly constructed buildings.
The fact that buildings are not constantly consumers towards the environment has led to steps being taken to reduce this consumption, and the aim has been to have more productive buildings. At this point, both Turkey and the world countries have needed legal basis and many steps have begun to be taken.
The Ministry of Environment, Urbanization and Climate Change in Turkey has also made a reminder that the renewable energy requirement in buildings will start on January 1, 2023, within the scope of the “Regulation on Amendments to the Energy Performance Regulation in Buildings”. With the new regulation, buildings will provide some of the energy they use from renewable energy sources, and it is aimed that energy efficiency in buildings will be higher than in normal buildings.
With the “Regulation on Amendments to the Regulation on Energy Performance in Buildings” prepared by the Ministry and published in the Official Gazette dated February 19, 2022, the transition to the concept of “Almost Zero Energy Buildings”, which has a higher energy efficiency than normal buildings and provides a certain portion of the energy it uses from renewable energy sources, has been gradually made mandatory with the obligation of renewable energy in buildings, and it is expected that all buildings larger than 5 thousand square meters will be constructed with an energy performance class of at least “B” and will meet at least 5 percent of the energy they consume from renewable energy sources.
With the increase in the minimum energy performance limit from “C” to “B” in the said buildings, the thermal insulation material thickness will be increased from an average of 5 centimeters to 7-8 centimeters in Istanbul and from 6 centimeters to 8-9 centimeters in Ankara, and the thermal insulation values of the windows will also be improved. In this way, it is planned to achieve an average of 25 percent savings in energy consumption without compromising thermal comfort conditions.
However, as of January 1, 2023, buildings with a total construction area exceeding 5 thousand square meters and whose projects are not prepared in accordance with this practice will not be able to obtain a permit. As of January 1, 2025, this practice will be extended to all buildings over 2 thousand square meters and it will be mandatory for at least 10 percent of the energy used to come from renewable energy sources. Accordingly, as of January 1, 2025, it is aimed for Turkey’s annual decrease in energy imports to reach 7,5 billion TL.
Again, within the scope of the transition stages to the “Nearly Zero Energy Buildings” concept, it is expected that the use of on-site renewable energy will be gradually increased after 2025 and that all buildings will be zero-energy buildings that meet their own energy needs from on-site renewable energy sources by 2053.
When we look at world examples, as it is known, the 2005 Energy Policy Act is the law that determines the energy policies of the USA. It was passed by the United States Congress on July 29, 2005 and became law on August 8, 2005 when President George W. Bush signed it. The law, which was introduced to cope with increasing energy problems, aimed to change the energy policy of the United States with various tax incentives and financial guarantees. The 1992 regulation was more successful than the Energy Policy Act, and changed important provisions of laws such as PUHCA 1935 and PURPA 1978.
In the United States, the incentive given for the electricity to be obtained from solar energy in solar energy systems installed in buildings is 13,3 US Dollar Cent/kWh, and the additional incentive to be given for the domestic manufacturing of solar energy systems varies between 0,6-3,5 US Dollar Cent/kWh.
When the policies regarding solar energy in the European Union (EU) countries are examined, it is seen that the laws and incentives regarding renewable resources were put into practice in Germany in the early 1990s. The Renewable Energy Sources Act (Erneuerbare Energien Gesetz, EEG), enacted in 1991, made it mandatory to purchase electricity produced from renewable energy sources.
In Germany, incentives such as tax exemptions are applied to regulations made for renewable energy provision, especially for buildings.
Again, when the situation in Renewable Energy Incentives is examined in England as of 2006, the fund mechanism known as the Energy Saving Trust provides an incentive of 2000 pounds per kW for the installation of solar energy systems. The maximum incentive amount is 2500 pounds and does not exceed 50% of the total installation costs.
However, another example of practices that will reduce this consumption rather than creating sustainable buildings and buildings that consume and harm the environment is the establishment of “rainwater collection systems”. The rapid depletion of water resources today has brought the idea of reusing rainwater, which is accepted as an alternative water source, to the agenda for the establishment of necessary systems in newly constructed buildings.
Especially in airports, military zones, stadiums, touristic facilities and buildings with sufficiently large roof areas, collecting rainwater, putting it through simple purification processes and offering it for use is among the measures that can be taken for water conservation in buildings. Many countries in the world also take care to implement different incentives and laws on this issue. Germany, England, Japan, India, Australia and the USA can be given as examples.
For example, in Germany, over 1.5 million rainwater collection systems have been installed in residences and workplaces due to high water prices. A discount of up to 1,200 Euros is provided depending on the region where the system is installed. In England, a 100% tax discount is provided in the first year the system is implemented. In Japan and India, the use of rainwater has been made mandatory by law in new buildings. In Sydney and New South Wales, Australia, according to the BASIX building regulations, water consumption must be reduced by using rainwater tanks outside or inside the residence. And again, in the USA, tax discounts are provided for buildings using rainwater.
As a result, when we look at world examples, it is seen that legislation and practices continue to be carefully considered in order to popularize the use of renewable energy sources. Therefore, it is certain that studies on utilizing “renewable energy” resources will expand and take the top spot in the policies of states so that newly constructed buildings can be more “sustainable” and “less consuming”.
For this purpose, regulations should be made in line with the shortcomings in practice, developments and new targets to be determined. It is very valuable to adopt the “sustainable building approach” in mass housing projects and industrial facilities to be built from now on, and if necessary, to organize awareness studies and academic support on this subject and to organize trainings.
Sources:
2005 Enerji Politikası Yasası – Vikipedi
EnergyPolicyAct of 2005 FactSheet
Anıl ÖZDEMİR, Murat PINARLIK, Emre ERCAN; “Sürdürülebilir Binalar İçin Dünyada Uygulanan Devlet Teşvikleri Ve Uygulamaların İncelenmesi”, Türk Bilim Araştırmaları Vakfı (TÜBAV) 1995, Cilt:10, Sayı:1, 2017, Sayfa: 52-60.
E. Özdemir ve H. E. Bağıran, “Güneş Enerjisinden Elektrik Üretiminde Ülkemizde ve AB Ülkelerinde Verilen Teşvikler”, Türkiye 12. Enerji Kongresi, Türkiye (2012).
Zerrin, YILMAZ; “Akıllı Binalar ve Yenilenebilir Enerji”, Tesisat Mühendisliği Dergisi Sayı: 91, 2006, s. 7-15.
WWF-Türkiye, “Yenilenebilir Enerji Geleceği ve Türkiye”, (2011).
Binalarda Enerji Performansı Yönetmeliğinde Değişiklik Yapılmasına Dair Yönetmelik https://www.resmigazete.gov.tr/eskiler/2022/02/20220219-2.htm
https://www.aa.com.tr/tr/gundem/binalarda-yenilenebilir-enerji-zorunlulugu-1-ocakta-basliyor/2774211
https://www.ekoiq.com/yeni-binalarda-yenilenebilir-enerji-zorunlulugu-yuzde-10-olacak/