TurkishRecent studies reveal that approximately 40% of the world’s energy consumption and approximately 30% of water consumption originate from buildings at a time when current environmental problems such as global warming and clean water supply have reached increasingly serious dimensions. Furthermore, approximately 90 percent of human life is spent indoors. All these reasons highlight the need for more efficient, more livable, environmentally friendly buildings that consume less resources. Furthermore, the aim of designing environmentally friendly buildings is to plan for factors that directly affect human health such as indoor air quality, natural lighting, temperature and humidity control, waste management and use construction methods that leave a cleaner environment for the end user. According to studies, people who work or live in environmentally friendly buildings are less likely to get sick and have a higher work performance than other building users.
Buildings built with conventional methods consume 70% of energy and materials, 17% of water, 25% of forests and increase CO2 emissions by 33%. The rate of recycled materials utilized by conventionally built buildings built is only 5%.
Green Buildings enable the reduction of waste as well as savings, especially in energy and water, increase indoor air quality, increase the comfort and efficiency of the building user and reduce the health costs of employees as well as operating and maintenance costs. Green Buildings consume around 30% less energy on average than conventional buildings. The water consumption of Green Buildings is also very low; nearly 50% in water savings can be achieved by using waterless or low-water urinals, efficient reservoirs, sinks and shower mixers. Savings up to 50% in water can be easily achieved with green projects by implementing various strategies in landscape areas.
The LEED certification system, which has been implemented since 1998, is an environmentally friendly building certification system developed by the American Green Building Council (USGBC). www.new.usgbc.org/leed
The efficiency measures of our Mint Offices Çağlayan project include:
- Water consumption based on indoor water faucets is 45.22% more efficient compared to the water efficiency EPAct (Energy Policy Act,1992) standard.
- Energy consumption based on indoor lighting is 15% more efficient compared to the ASHRAE 90.1-2010 standard.
- All the systems of the building such as lighting, mechanical equipment and building envelope have been simulated and compared with Ashrae base values. The energy consumption cost was calculated in the simulation and revealed that the total energy consumption of the building was 20.2% more efficient than that of the base building.
- The supply of permanently used raw materials in the building was examined in terms of sustainability. Based on their budgetary weights, it was determined that 30% of permanent materials were sustainable in terms of raw material production and supply.
- 29 different types of EPD (Environmental Product Declaration) materials have been used permanently in the building.
The negative effects of the construction on the environment will be prevented by complying with the LEED criteria in the design and construction of the MINT METRO project, the building operating costs will be reduced thanks to the implemented strategies and systems. Furthermore, savings in energy and water will reduce costs while the comfort of building users is increased.
Some of the sustainable strategies and solutions implemented in the MINT METRO project within the scope of the LEED System are as follows:
AN INTERGRATED PROCESS
- Preliminary efficiency analyzes were carried out in the early stages of the project together with the project officers regarding the use of Water and Energy resources and the project design was guided by these data.
LOCATION AND TRANSPORT
- MINT OFFICE ÇAĞLAYAN users can benefit from public transportation facilities which are within walking distance and access social facilities to counter their daily needs.
- Electric vehicle charging stations have been placed in parking lots to support environmentally friendly vehicle use.
- MINT OFFICE ÇAĞLAYAN users can benefit from public transportation facilities which are within walking distance and access social facilities to counter their daily needs.
- Electric vehicle charging stations have been placed in parking lots to support environmentally friendly vehicle use.
SUSTAINABLE LAND
- Parking areas have been designed in the basement floors. This prevents heating caused by open-top parking areas and the formation of a heat island effect in the area.
- Many precautions have been taken to prevent the negative impact of the construction activities of the adjacent building near the road level to the environment.
WATER EFFICIENCY
- More than 40% in savings are achieved in water consumption compared to the international EPA (Environmental Protection Agency) standards by using low flow armatures and reservoirs.
ENERGY EFFICIENCY
- Proje kapsamında kullanılan tüm servis sistemlerinde enerji verimliliğine önem verilmiştir. Aydınlatma armatürleri, ısıtma, soğutma, havalandırma ve aydınlatma – mekanik otomasyon tasarım ve seçimlerinde Amerikan enerji verimliliği standardı (ASHRAE 90.1.2010) gereklilikleri ön planda tutulmuştur. Uluslararası standartlara uygun olarak tasarlanmış bina sistemlerinin enerji sarfiyatları, seçimi yapılan cihazların verimlilikleri üzerinden değerlendirilerek olası verimsizlikler daha tasarım aşamasında belirlenerek düzeltilmiş ve enerji verimliliğinde optimum çözümler sağlanmıştır. Bu sayede bina kullanıcılarının konforundan ödün vermeden giderler en aza indirilecektir.
SUSTAINABLE LAND
- Parking areas have been designed in the basement floors. This prevents heating caused by open-top parking areas and the formation of a heat island effect in the area.
- Many precautions have been taken to prevent the negative impact of the construction activities of the adjacent building near the road level to the environment.
WATER EFFICIENCY
- More than 40% in savings are achieved in water consumption compared to the international EPA (Environmental Protection Agency) standards by using low flow armatures and reservoirs.
ENERGY EFFICIENCY
- Energy efficiency has been prioritized in all service systems used within the scope of the project. The requirements of the American energy efficiency standard (ASHRAE 90.1.2010) have been prioritized in the design and selection of lighting fixtures, heating, cooling, ventilation and lighting – mechanical automation. The energy consumption of the building systems designed in accordance with international standards has been assessed with the efficiency of the selected devices to determine and remedy any possible inefficiencies at the design stage and provide optimum solutions in energy efficiency. Thus, expenses will be minimized without compromising the comfort of building users.
- All energy-consuming systems in the building have been inspected in accordance with the international commissioning and testing procedures specified by LEED. The systems are inspected to ensure operation in accordance with the targeted performance criteria during both assembly and usage and thus deliver the desired performance and comfort level and minimize unnecessary energy consumption and therefore operational costs.
MATERIALS and RESOURCES
- Prioritizing the use of sustainable and environmentally friendly construction materials in the building has been a conscious choice.
- Priority has been given to selecting materials with recycled content and produced or the raw materials of which are close to the project area.
- More than 20 EPD (Environmental Product Declaration) certified materials have been used within the scope of the project. Thus, using products that are environmentally and economically preferable with measurable environmental impacts during the production process is promoted.
INDOOR QUALITY OF LIFE AND USER COMFORT
- The comfort and health of the building users and the residents are among the main elements evaluated by the LEED system. In this context, the compliance of the VOC (volatile organic compound) ratios in the content of indoor construction chemicals (paint, primer, adhesive, putty, etc.) to be used in the construction of the building has been checked with international limits.
- Necessary design criteria for indoor ventilation have been integrated into the project according to the ASHRAE 62.1.2010 standard. The rate of fresh air supplied to the buildings is maintained above the ASHRAE 62.1.2010 standard to ensure a healthy and comfortable environment for the building users.
- The interior layout of the building design has been planned to ensure that the residents benefit from daylight and the landscape at optimum level in frequently used areas.
