All structures in Turkey are to obtain "energy performance certification," according to a legal regulation in Energy Efficiency Law that will be applied by 2017.
"Without energy performance certification, trading residential or commercial buildings will be prohibited by 2017," said Emre Metin, Director of the Turkish Chamber of electrical engineers and added "the sale of poor energy performance buildings will become more difficult."
The new energy performance certificates classifies buildings in an alphabetical system, ranking from G being the least efficient to A being the most efficient similar to the classification of energy efficiency for white goods. Correct exterior thermal insulation and lighting fixtures are crucial for the energy efficiency of a building.
"Turkey has potential of saving around US$7 billion by adopting energy efficiency policies annually, and the country has saved about $1.3 billion over the last three years by investing in energy efficiency. This sum is equal to the amount needed to build a large hydro-electric power plant," Energy Minister Taner Yildiz said recently.
Turkey’s Finance Minister Mehmet Simsek also announced earlier that his department was prepared to support energy efficiency with specific policies. He announced plans for lowering a special consumption tax for house appliances with high energy efficiency and payment installments for building insulation.
Turkey heavily relies on foreign energy resources, such as natural gas and oil, which generate almost half of all electricity production in Turkey and costs up to US$60 billion a year. Energy expenditure is the biggest contributor to Turkey’s current deficit.
By Ata Ufuk Seker
Anadolu Agency
