Energy
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Areas
Energy
It is one of the sectors where energy consumption is most intense. The goals in this area generally include:
Waste Heat Recovery: Reusing the heat released during production processes.
Efficient Motors: Replacing old and inefficient electric motors with high-efficiency (IE3, IE4) ones.
Project-Based Incentives: Achieving technological transformation through Efficiency-Enhancing Projects (VAP).
You win, the country wins, and life wins too!
It is the area where energy efficiency has the highest potential and where household behaviour is directly influential.
Insulation and Cladding: Prevention of heat losses.
Heating and Cooling Systems: Use of efficient boilers, heat pumps and air conditioners.
Lighting: LED conversion and smart lighting systems.
Energy Performance Certificate (EPC): Classifying the energy performance of buildings.
WHAT IS THERMAL INSULATION?
To avoid being cold in winter, we heat our homes using fuels such as coal and natural gas; in summer, we cool our heated homes with air conditioners. Thermal insulation is done to live in more comfortable environments by reducing the energy we spend to warm up in winter and cool down in summer.
The set of processes carried out to reduce heat transfer between living spaces at different temperatures and their surroundings — in order to enable building occupants to heat or cool using less energy and thus help reduce environmental pollution, and to extend the life of the building by protecting it from internal and external factors — is called thermal insulation.
THE BENEFITS OF THERMAL INSULATION
Thermal insulation carried out in accordance with regulations:
WHERE THERMAL INSULATION IS APPLIED
Thermal insulation is applied to walls, roofs and floors facing outside or unheated sections such as garages and warehouses, as well as to installation elements such as heating, cooling and ventilation systems.
In addition, using double- or triple-glazed insulating glass units with at least one specially coated (Low-E / Solar Low-E) surface and insulated frames reduces heat loss through windows in winter, and in summer limits solar heat entering the building without compromising daylight.
HOW IS THERMAL INSULATION DONE?
Thermal insulation is done by properly applying special insulation materials with low thermal conductivity to the roofs, floors, walls and installations of our homes according to the technique. In addition, thermal insulation in windows is provided by using insulating glass units and insulated frames produced with specially coated (Low-E / Solar Low-E) glass.
Thermal insulation to be applied to buildings can be done primarily from the outside, or from the inside if that is not possible.
WHAT ARE THERMAL INSULATION MATERIALS?
Thermal insulation materials are lightweight, special materials that show high resistance to heat transfer and are used to reduce heat losses and gains. In our country, the following are commonly used:
– In walls, floors and roofs; glass wool, rock wool, expanded polystyrene foam (EPS), extruded polystyrene foam (XPS), polyurethane foam and wood wool
– In windows; high-performance insulating glass containing Low-E coated glass, or insulating glass units with high heat and solar control performance containing Solar Low-E coated glass, and insulated frames,
– In installation elements such as air ducts, pipes and valves; thermal insulation materials such as glass wool, rock wool, polyethylene foam, elastomeric rubber foam, polyolefin foam and polyurethane foam are used.
AS THE THICKNESS OF THE INSULATION PANEL INCREASES, ENERGY SAVINGS ALSO INCREASE
In general applications, apart from the cost of the insulation material and independent of the insulation thickness, there are infrastructure costs such as scaffolding installation, electricity and water; auxiliary material costs such as adhesive, plaster, dowels and mesh; complementary material costs such as paint and exterior cladding; and labour costs. As the insulation thickness increases, so does the energy efficiency provided. When the insulation thickness is doubled, the total cost increases by a small amount, but much greater efficiency is achieved in heating and cooling. Within all these costs, the additional cost arising from increasing the thickness of the insulation material is quite low, although it varies from application to application. For this reason, the insulation panel that will provide energy efficiency should be used as thick as possible in accordance with our regulations. According to our regulations, insulation thicknesses vary depending on the insulation material used; for example, on exterior facades they are around 6-8 cm in hot-climate regions such as Antalya and Izmir, 8-10 cm in temperate-climate regions such as Istanbul, 10-12 cm in cold places such as Ankara, and 13-15 cm in very cold places such as Erzurum.
WHAT YOU SHOULD KNOW WHEN BUYING/RENTING A HOME OR INSULATING YOUR EXISTING BUILDING
A Decision on Thermal Insulation Applications in Apartment Buildings May Be Taken by Majority Vote
Pursuant to Article 16 of Energy Efficiency Law No. 5627, published in the Official Gazette dated 2 May 2007 and numbered 26510, with reference to Article 42 of Condominium Law No. 634, it was envisaged to make an arrangement stating: “Upon the request of one of the flat owners, thermal insulation is carried out based on the decision to be taken by the majority of the flat owners in number and land share.”
THE ENERGY PERFORMANCE CERTIFICATE OF BUILDINGS SHOULD BE CHECKED
Always check the Energy Performance Certificate when buying or renting a home. The Energy Performance Certificate shows the amount of energy consumed in buildings and the amount of greenhouse gas emissions that cause global warming and climate change. The Energy Performance Certificate must be displayed in visible places in buildings. Thanks to this document, you can see the fuel and electricity bills and the environmental impact of the buildings you will buy or rent, depending on their energy efficiency.
In the Energy Performance Certificate, the building’s energy consumption and greenhouse gas emissions are classified between A and G. The classification is made taking into account the minimum requirements defined by the regulations in force in the year the building was constructed. A building’s energy class is determined by comparing the consumption values calculated for the existing building with the consumption values that would be obtained if the same building were constructed in the same place in accordance with the laws.
In class-G buildings, which represent the lowest performance for buildings, energy consumption and greenhouse gas emissions are very high. Class-A buildings, which have the highest energy performance, consume at least 61% less energy than the minimum requirements stipulated by law.
Building Energy Class | Energy Class Index (EP) | Description |
A | 0-39 | Consumes at most 39% of the |
B | 40-79 | Consumes between 40% and 79% |
C | 80-99 | Consumes between 80% and 99% |
D | 100-119 | Consumes between 100% and 119% |
E | 120-139 | Consumes between 120% and 139% |
F | 140-174 | Consumes between 140% and 174% |
G | >175 | Consumes more than 175% of the minimum requirements. |
FREQUENTLY ASKED QUESTIONS
We live in a hot region. Should we have thermal insulation done?
Thermal insulation saves the energy and fuel we spend to warm up in winter and cool down in summer, and creates a comfortable living environment. Since cooling a building requires more energy than heating it, thermal insulation must definitely be done in hot-climate regions as well. On windows, insulating glass with high heat and solar control performance containing Solar Low-E coated glass — which reduces the heat coming from the sun in summer by 40% compared to standard insulating glass — should be used.
Should thermal insulation on building walls be done from the outside or from the inside?
Although it varies according to the purpose and manner of use, external thermal insulation applications should be preferred in order to protect your structures. In externally applied thermal insulation, since the entire facade is protected with insulation materials, thermal bridges and condensation do not occur, and the formation of mould and fungus on the interior surface is prevented. On the other hand, internal insulation may be preferred in places where heating and cooling are required in a short time, or where external application is not possible.
Our building gets cold especially from the north side. Would it be enough to insulate only the north facade?
Insulation applications must definitely be applied continuously to the entire building. As a result of insulation applied to only a single facade, heat losses, condensation, and mould and fungus formation will continue to increase on the other, uninsulated facades. For this reason, all building components (roof, wall, floor, projections, glass and frames) must be insulated as a whole.
Can I apply the thermal insulation myself or through acquaintance tradesmen?
Your building must definitely be examined by experts, and the thermal insulation applications to solve your problem must be carried out by insulation companies with expertise in the subject. The tradesmen who will do the application must also have a Vocational Qualification Certificate.
Our exterior facade is taking in water; can we achieve a permanent solution by applying plaster or tar to the surface?
First of all, the factors causing water on your exterior-facing wall must be investigated and measures taken against them. If there is no visible deep crack or gap in your wall, and if there are plaster blisters, black stains, mould and similar formations on the interior surface, this indicates that your building has no thermal insulation. In this case, the problem should be solved primarily by external thermal insulation. If water only seeps in from outside on rainy days, the cracks or gaps in your structure should be repaired using waterproof materials. Tar must never be applied to the exterior facade.
The aim is to reduce fossil fuel dependency and control emissions.
Electric Vehicles: Developing charging infrastructure and encouraging the use of electric vehicles.
Public Transport and Logistics: Expanding rail systems and efficiency in logistics.
Micro-mobility: Increasing bicycle and pedestrian paths.
The focus is on reducing production costs and conserving resources.
Agricultural Irrigation: Transition to drip irrigation and efficient pump systems instead of flood irrigation.
Modernization: Use of efficient agricultural machinery and tractors.
Renewable Energy Integration: Use of solar energy in agricultural facilities.
It covers reducing the losses in the process from energy production to reaching the end user.
Transmission and Distribution Losses: Minimizing technical losses in the grids.
Cogeneration and Trigeneration: Simultaneous production of heat and electricity.
