Sustainability in Interior Design

"Increasing energy efficiency elements starts with design..."

Legal regulations and certification practices in sustainability and efficiency

Legal regulations in the fields of sustainability and efficiency concern calculation methods, standards, procedures and minimum performance criteria for the preparation and implementation of building projects and energy performance certificates in existing and new buildings, relating to matters affecting building energy use such as architectural design, mechanical systems, lighting and electrical installation. Furthermore, they encompass activities relating to the issuance of energy performance certificates, building inspections and supervisory activities, authorizations, meeting energy needs through cogeneration systems and renewable energy sources, creation and maintenance of a national building inventory, education and awareness-raising activities for developing energy culture and efficiency awareness in society, measures and applications for increasing energy efficiency in buildings registered as protected cultural heritage, and performing energy efficiency improvement measures in a manner that does not affect the building's characteristics or external appearance.

Future sustainable green buildings...

We can define sustainable green buildings as structures designed with a sense of social and environmental responsibility, consuming only as much as needed in accordance with climate data and location-specific conditions, oriented towards renewable energy sources, utilizing natural materials, shaped within the lifecycle of the land they occupy and becoming ecosystem-sensitive. Within this scope, smart buildings are systems that automatically control building energy expenditures through facilities located within the building to increase energy efficiency. The most important task of a smart building is to ensure that the building's energy expenditures are at their lowest level without compromising user comfort. Like everywhere in the world, in our country as well, a significant portion of total energy is automatically controlled through heating, cooling and lighting systems in buildings in order to maintain user comfort at the highest level. When smart buildings are still in the construction phase, materials used should be carefully selected, materials that would cause flames to spread in case of a dangerous disaster such as fire should be avoided, and automatic extinguishing and warning mechanisms should be activated.

The importance of social and demographic changes in building the future...

When building the future, it is extremely important to consider not only technological changes but also social and demographic changes. The changes we will experience in social structure, cultural life and priorities over the next 10 years provide us with important clues about what kind of buildings we will need. While the number of individuals per household is decreasing, there is a rapid increase in the number of individuals who prefer to live alone. On the other hand, urbanization and consequently housing needs in large cities are also increasing rapidly. We need buildings and structures that pollute the environment less, harm nature less, and can use natural resources more effectively.

Building materials of the future...

When considering the fundamental societal needs of the coming 10 years and the housing characteristics that will be required in the future, it is clear that the most important areas of innovation in the construction sector lie in building materials. Providing new and superior properties to existing materials or developing entirely new and superior quality materials can be considered the strategically most important innovation area. We will need building materials that are lighter, more flexible, more durable, longer-lasting, less harmful to the environment during both use and production, and can benefit more effectively from natural energy sources. Nanotechnology, which is one of today's most important technology fields, can make very significant contributions to the development of these building materials. Our work in areas such as energy efficiency, renewable energy technologies and reducing CO2 emissions... Increasing energy efficiency elements starts with design. Correct material selection in the building, airtightness, insulation of the building envelope including facade, roof and foundation for heat and water, selection of appropriate glass, frames and proper heating and cooling systems, use of efficient equipment are factors affecting energy efficiency. At the same time, these elements are of great importance in reducing CO2 emissions. One of our main objectives in our projects is to maintain maximum daylight use and ensure that energy consumption is at its lowest level. Solar energy is widely used in electricity and heating. Now panels used on building facades or roofs enable buildings to produce their own energy. Eda Tahmaz / Interior Architect / EDDA Mimarlık