What were your most important achievements during your time in the Turkish Green Building Council?

 

My vision with any institution I would run would be the same: Transparency and creating platforms so that people can raise their voice.  We started with looking inside  ÇEDBİK once I got elected as the President.  I have a very dynamic and active Board.  TGBC was established 6 years ago and we had to revisit many decisions we had 6 years ago.

 

What made you create your own sustainable construction company?

 

 After being an NGO leader and working for all sides and at all sides, you realize that the most important part of the whole effort is the  implementation and see the end result-in creating the high performance building and communities.  I wanted to put my vision into action and share the joy of helping designers and contractors on how to built more sustainably.

 

What are the most common problems that construction companies face and what advice do you give to them?

 

Construction companies in general and design firms and construction contractors in particular are unfamiliar with environmental management practices.  Most significant challenges associated with environmental management include increase in costs, lack of environmental awareness, lack of environmental education and training (both technical and managerial), need for change management, lower supply of green materials and components, poor environmental legislation knowledge, poor communication, and lack of commitment.

 

What  is the strategy behind the recent rapid development of green buildings within the Turkish market? 

 

The construction market is blooming in Turkey and many international investors are trying to enter to market.  Many come with the sustainability idea already embedded into their strategy. Turkish GBC is doing a great job promoting the idea of sustainable/green buildings.  We have been giving LEED and BREEAM trainings since 2007.