Interview with Ertuğrul Şen, Deputy Chairman of the Board of İZODER

İZODER Vice Chairman of the Board of Directors Ertuğrul Şen and we conducted a pleasant interview. Mr. Şen answered our questions about insulation in great detail.

Could you briefly tell our readers about yourself, your educational background and professional experience?

Before 2002, I worked as a professional manager in the construction industry in industry and trade sectors. Since 2002, I have been working as a professional manager at İZODER, a leading institution in the insulation sector. Within my 30 years of construction industry experience, I have 15 years of valuable experience in civil society organizations and sectoral institutions. I was born in Nazilli in 1956. I received my Dipl. Ing. (FH) education in Civil Engineering in Germany. I specialized in Accounting Engineering and Building Physics. I am married with a family consisting of my teacher wife and daughter who is a student. I speak German and English.

Insulation is of great importance as one of the most important tools providing energy savings. What kind of activities are you conducting as İZODER to raise public awareness and promote insulation?

İZODER - the Association of Heat, Water, Sound and Fire Insulation Manufacturers - is a civil society organization that aims to raise public and industry awareness on the subject of 'insulation' and, to achieve this, brings together manufacturers, retailers and installers of heat, water, sound and fire insulation materials under one roof. As İZODER, which has been active for 23 years to promote awareness of insulation, we today represent a sector directly related to 'energy', 'environment' and 'employment' concepts that have become the world's most important agenda items. While acting with the responsibility of being an organization that brings the insulation sector, which has reached considerable size in our country, under a single roof, we are taking very important steps to increase insulation applications and ensure sector growth. One of the important initiatives we have implemented as İZODER is quality certification work. We have launched a new practice to document that our members supply products to the market in accordance with the standards contained in existing laws and regulations and to prevent unfair competition. We call this document the İZODER Quality Approval Certificate (İKOS). For this certificate, we randomly collect our members' products from the market and subject them to testing at TEBAR A.Ş., established within İZODER. We provide İKOS by comparing the company's declared values with test results. Furthermore, in terms of application, we issue the Professional Competency Certificate, which has become mandatory with new legal regulations. We have accelerated examination organization and certificate issuance work at TEBAR A.Ş. within İZODER. At TEBAR A.Ş., one of three institutions issuing certificates in four separate categories - heat, water, sound and fire insulation - our masters who pass the exam and obtain the Professional Competency Certificate acquire a certificate valid in Europe. Besides this, as İZODER, we continue to remind consumers with insulation awareness that they must be very careful when receiving services. One of the most important problems in heat insulation applications is consumer deception. Our citizens must be very careful. Applications made with qualified building materials that are not heat insulation materials do not yield results. Moreover, in applications carried out with correct insulation materials, the savings that can be achieved by using insufficient material cannot be realized. For this reason, our citizens should demand products that have a CE certificate and the İZODER Quality Approval Certificate (İKOS), which member organizations of İZODER can obtain by being subject to inspection, in the applications they commission. Companies carrying out insulation work should also ask their workers whether they hold the Professional Competency Institution Craftsman Certificate. When these two important points are observed, the probability of experiencing application problems will be minimized. Consumers can easily obtain information on topics they wish to know by calling the İZODER free hotline or by writing to the İZODER website. Consumers' preference for İZODER members when having insulation work done will be the safest path to obtaining correct and effective insulation services.

Have you conducted research on energy consumption in Turkish residences and how much this consumption can be reduced through insulation? Would it be possible for you to share the results?

According to our recent studies and official figures, Turkey has approximately 22.5 million housing units. Of this amount, 16.3 million were built before 2000 and 6.2 million were built between 2000 and 2015. In our country, heat insulation in new construction has been mandatory since 2000. According to the situation revealed in our study, heat insulation was applied in only 2.9 million new housing units. One of the main reasons for this is that due to lack of oversight, either no insulation was applied at all, or insulation was applied using systems that were thought to be insulation but were in fact not insulation materials on their own. On the other hand, thanks to our association's efforts and the sector's endeavors, 3.1 million housing units from the existing housing stock have received heat insulation, and in total, approximately 6 million housing units have received heat insulation since 2000. In summary, of our 22.5 million housing units, approximately 6 million are insulated and 16.5 million are not. That is, 26% are insulated and 74% are not, and 3 out of every 4 housing units waste energy profusely. To give an example of heat insulation research: In Turkey, only from the 65 million square meters of exterior coating applied in 2014, 800,000 households benefited and household energy expenditure decreased by TRY 650 million, while 1.2 million tons of carbon dioxide equivalent greenhouse gas was reduced (equivalent to 90% of Bolu Forests' carbon dioxide absorption in one year). Additionally, through all these exterior coating work, while the sector reached TRY 900 million in turnover, 500 million cubic meters (approximately TRY 500 million) less energy import was realized. 80% of the energy consumed in buildings is spent on heating and cooling. With buildings becoming heat insulated, it is possible to reduce Turkey's total energy bill by approximately 15%. The most critical issue in energy efficiency is that 37% of primary energy consumption, reported as USD 56 billion in 2014, occurs in buildings. Approximately 80% of the energy consumed in buildings is spent on heating and cooling. In the context of overall consumption, with the highest share in buildings, the savings obtained through heat insulation cannot be achieved through any other method with the same investment cost and amortization, currently including industry and transportation sectors. When this issue is viewed from a consumer perspective, similarly, a great efficiency opportunity emerges. In addition to increasing security and comfort, it is possible to achieve energy consumption and natural gas bill savings of up to 50% through heat insulation, ensuring that the investment made for this purpose pays for itself within 3-4 years through the savings it provides and subsequently becomes a profitable investment.

Many regions in our country are being restructured through urban regeneration applications. Do you think the insulation criteria applied in new housing units are sufficient? Is there any state incentive for insulation? Could you provide information on this?

Let us recall the process that led to 'Urban Regeneration'... After the Van earthquake, our Prime Minister at that time, our current President, said 'We will inspect all buildings in the country and demolish those that are not earthquake-resistant, and build resistant buildings in their place.' Our Ministry of Environment and Urbanization, with this mission, enacted Law No. 6306 on 'the Transformation of Areas Under Disaster Risk' and for this purpose established the 'Infrastructure and Urban Regeneration General Directorate'. However, from the first day this law was enacted, we have stated that 'water insulation', one of the most important factors providing structural safety against earthquakes in buildings, should be seriously evaluated within this framework. First, the draft 'Water Insulation Regulation' should be put into force urgently and made mandatory within the scope of 'Urban Regeneration' legislation. In fact, 'water insulation' should be included in the scope of the Building Inspection Law and inspected by building inspection organizations. Similarly, the draft 'Sound Insulation Regulation' prepared and awaiting at the General Directorate of Professional Services should be put into effect by addressing its deficiencies.

When insulation is mentioned, our society generally perceives only heat insulation. However, fire, water and sound insulation are also among the insulation categories. Particularly considering the protection of historic buildings from fire and, given that we are located in an earthquake zone, the vital importance of water insulation, could we have your views on these other elements of insulation?

Insulation is of great importance for Turkey's economy and the end user. Because through insulation, an average of 50% savings is achieved in the energy spent for heating in winter and cooling in summer. This halves natural gas and electricity bills. Furthermore, as we always mention, with the savings provided, heat insulation costs are covered within 3-4 years and savings are obtained throughout the building's life. Due to the impact of all these economic benefits, heat insulation becomes more prominent. As İZODER, we particularly emphasize the importance of water insulation at every platform. Considering that water insulation applications in our country are carried out in a superficial and cheapest manner, we are working to ensure the quality and continuity of water insulation, which is very important for buildings to be earthquake-resistant, through legal regulations and inspections. Today we are not at the point we desire regarding safe, healthy and quality building construction. The Urban Regeneration process launched across Turkey is a great opportunity for water insulation applications, and it is very important that water insulation in all newly constructed buildings is carried out according to standards. Although water insulation is the protective shield of buildings, water insulation has still not been applied in approximately 22.5 million housing units across the country and 6 million housing units are in risky building status in terms of earthquakes. With İZODER's contributions, the 'Water Insulation Regulation' prepared by the Ministry of Environment and Urbanization and in draft form should be completed as soon as possible... The regulation should be implemented as mandatory in new buildings and urban regeneration projects as quickly as possible. Because our country is located in a high-risk geography and our building technology requires this. Our reinforced concrete buildings, after 5-10 years of use, are weakened due to damage caused by water corrosion in load-bearing elements. These buildings, which collapse more easily in the smallest earthquake, cause loss of life and property. At this point, we insist on putting the draft legislation prepared with the support of the insulation sector into force without delay. Water insulation should be made mandatory and included in the scope of building inspection. Furthermore, the cost of water insulation is not as high as thought. Today, the average square meter cost of a newly constructed building is approximately TRY 2,000. The cost of water insulation is only 2-3% of this, that is, only TRY 60. With these costs, we will continue to explain to all stakeholders as İZODER the vital importance of water insulation that will protect the building throughout its life. With sound insulation, we obtain comfortable, stress-free and healthy living spaces in our housing units where noise is blocked. With sound insulation in workplaces, we provide work efficiency and healthy working environments. Fire insulation, on the other hand, consists of structural measures providing safety of life and property by limiting the harmful effects of heat and smoke created in fires. To limit the harmful effects of fire and create safe escape areas, fire insulation is applied to the walls, ceilings and floors of the created compartments, preventing fire and smoke from reaching these areas. It is very important that fire insulation is applied to load-bearing sections so that our structures remain standing from the moment a fire starts until the extinguishing process is completed, and to roofs and facades to prevent fire from spreading from outside. Fire insulation applications should be carried out on the walls of special rooms such as boiler rooms, air ducts to prevent the spread of smoke and heat, and areas where piping passes through.

How can insulation products be developed in terms of variety, efficiency and technology? What kind of tasks fall to the private sector, public institutions and universities in this regard? Do you think it is possible for Turkey to have a say globally in the insulation field, particularly in terms of R&D and know-how?

Parallel to the rapid construction that has taken place in our country over the last 15 years, developments in the energy field globally, the rising sensitivity regarding the environment due to the negative effects of climate change and increasing awareness about heat insulation have both diversified expectations from the buildings we live in and elevated them to more technological dimensions. Apart from these, due to factors specific to our country - both arising from our building technology - as we generally use "Reinforced Concrete Construction" systems in our building systems - and due to the fact that our country is in an earthquake zone, the necessity of constructing earthquake-resistant buildings and the requirement of legal regulations gradually beginning to force implementation, the importance of water insulation is emerging. Sound insulation and fire protection measures are becoming important as other key titles of insulation. Insulation applications, products and services contributing most to creating energy-efficient, environmentally conscious, comfortable, healthy and safe living spaces are undergoing very rapid development. In our country, it is possible to say that all types of products and systems are available during this process...

How would you evaluate 2016 from the perspective of energy consumption, energy efficiency and insulation in our country? What kind of activities do you think should be carried out in the short and long term in the insulation field? What are your plans as İZODER for 2017 and beyond?

Today, insulation is a sector with relations to concepts valued worldwide such as 'energy', 'environment' and 'employment'. It is possible to add sub-headings to these. In the insulation sector, there are titles such as 'building safety', 'health' and 'comfort' that can be expanded. The future of the insulation sector will be determined by this sector's actors and the public. Of course the consumer will have the final say, but I think that in the short and medium term, the main actors play a decisive role. In the 'Program for the Development of Energy Efficiency' included in the Development Plan announced by the Prime Minister in 2014, important tasks fall to the heat insulation sector and there are assessments that are extremely important for the sector's development. Until today, the awareness-raising and heat insulation promotion efforts made through the efforts of manufacturers, retailers and installers in the sector and civil society organizations were for the first time addressed concretely by the state in this plan. If the support and financial incentives in the plan are implemented, we could say 'nothing in the heat insulation sector will be as it was before'. However, in the approximately 3 years that have passed to date, we have not made much progress within this plan. Not only this, but the financial support to be provided for applications such as heat insulation to be carried out in the field of energy efficiency in buildings, envisaged within the scope of the 'National Energy Efficiency Strategy Document' approved by the Supreme Planning Council, unfortunately could not be implemented. The government is aware of all of these and has made plans, but unfortunately we have not been successful in moving institutions to action in implementation. Today, 'Urban Regeneration', 'Energy Efficiency Law' and 'Energy Identity Certificate' initiatives being implemented to promote insulated buildings are very important steps for the growth of the insulation sector. We believe that the goal of renewing 6-7 million housing units across Turkey under the 'Urban Regeneration' framework will also rapidly increase the number of insulated buildings. In this respect, in 2017 and the coming years, heat insulation applications will gain great momentum.