In the framework of “The Law of Transformation of Areas under the Disaster Risks” a Protocol had been signed between the Ministry and Istanbul Technical University. This Protocol is aimed to determine the standard of "Ecological Settlement Unit". In this context, there is an ongoing pilot project carried out by Istanbul Technical University in building transfer areas at Kocakır District in Eskisehir province.
The Project aims; to carry out transformation of areas at disaster risk in the framework of the law according to the principles of sustainability and to provide international and domestic credit extensions for urban transformation. In order to perform national commitments on climate change of our country, urban transformation methods are used as a tool for obtaining a pilot project about the standard of ecological settlement unit. This project is intended to lead the transformation process according to Ecological Settlement Unit standards.
Considering with the standard settlements planning approaches, environment friendly settlement planning standards will be used in order to reduce the 'carbon footprints' in ecological settlement units. As a result of this environment friendly planning approach of Ecological Settlement Unit greenhouse gas emissions will be reduced and new urban lifestyles will be created in terms of the use of energy, water and natural resources.
In the scope of the project;
• A draft standard will be produced to be used for creating a pilot settlement by the Ministry,
• By taking account into life cycle assessment, energy-efficient design criteria will be used to obtain typical energy efficient buildings,
• The estimated amount of carbon emission reduction will be calculated according to the settlement life cycle analysis,
• A simulation program that will process on a website will be produced in order to calculate the amount of savings,
• The output of the website will be tested in five pilot settlements that determined by the Ministry according to urban location, size and population of the areas. According to the test results, properties of the ideal ecological settlement unit are determined and carbon footprints of these pilot areas will be calculated separately.
In this context, implementations that consist of optimum level energy efficient buildings, uses the waste heat produced by the buildings that cooled by appropriate mixed-use, produce their own energy from renewable sources, stores and uses, collects the domestic waste water and rain water in separate systems, purifies domestic waste water, recycles and reuses waste water (gray water) and rainwater, provides green spaces and urban agricultural areas, provides accessible pedestrian ways and bicycle paths to public areas, office and commercial buildings, limits the use of individual fossil fuel vehicles, reuses the debris and construction waste will be encouraged.
Within the framework of these purposes Ecological Settlement Unit standards will be obtained as shown in the figure below. The system consists of six main criteria and performances called Land Use and Urban Design; Energy; Water; Transportation; Materials and Resources; Social and Economical Sustainability that are named as Sustainable Performanced Urban
Transformation (SUPERCITY)
SUPERCITY System will reduce operating costs and government expenditure 44%, will provide energy efficiency and water saving 65% and operational efficiency 55%. The efficiency ratios are accepted as minimum levels and the project will be profitable in fourteen years. When savings are considered together with renewable energy sources, the saving ratios are expected to be higher.
In order to reduce the carbon footprint in the SUPERCITY System, a life cycle assessment will be developed to analyze the performance of carbon emissions. According to this analysis a carbon emission estimating software will be developed and four performance levels for settlements and buildings is identified as Base + (> 0% CO2 reduction), A + (> 40% CO2 reduction), Optimum (> 90% reduction of CO2 emissions), Net + (> 100% CO2 reduction).
Besides, existing buildings, new buildings, dwellings lower than seven floors and office buildings will generate interest subsidy according to the obtained performance level.
In this regard, loan rates for residential and commercial buildings will be set for Base + buildings (> 0% CO2 reduction) 450 base points, for A + buildings (> 40% CO2 reduction) 500 base points, for optimum building (> 90% CO2 reduction) 550 base points and Net + buildings (> 100% CO2 reduction) 600 base points.
Instead of the rate of 4% interest subsidy, buildings that will provide the criteria according to SUPERCITY Building Standards will generate 8% interest subsidy.
SUPERCITY system will provide healthy and safe living conditions and will reduce import energy and economic dependency. It is considered that SUPERCITY system will increase real estate values and will provide users an upper-class resident and life style with monthly rentals. Besides users will have extra incomes in certain circumstances.
In order to lead guidance for the buildings that will take place in the SUPERCITY system, five pilot construction projects for residents, education, office and commercial buildings and malls will be implemented in the area that the location and boundaries are shown below.
Within the ongoing pilot project carried out in building transfer areas at Kocakır District (770 ha) in Eskisehir province, it is aimed to obtain at least four neighborhood units in 100 ha area and the project is planned to incorporate with Eskisehir tramway system.
The project that is planned to use as building transfer area for the high-risk areas in Eskisehir province, will be a good real estate investment when considered together by the proposed university area located near the project area.
