The “Transformation in Buildings Summit” organized in cooperation with Yıldız Technical University and Odaklı Group brought together the leading names of the sector.
by Ethem Kut
Organized with the cooperation of Yıldız Technical University and Odaklı Group, and with the support of sector associations, the “Transformation in Buildings Summit” was held on October 4-5, 2023, at Yıldız Technical University Davutpaşa Congress and Culture Center.
Organized around the main theme of “Sustainable Transformation,” the summit attracted participation from Erdoğan Bayraktar, 61st Term Minister of Environment and Urbanization; Prof. Dr. Tamer Yılmaz, rector of Yıldız Technical University; Dr. Hayri Baraçlı, secretary general of the Union of Municipalities of Türkiye (UMT); Mehmet Kalyoncu, chairman of the Board of Directors of GYODER; Ramadan Kumova, chairman of the Board of Directors of KONUTDER; Kenan Aracı, vice chairman of the Board of Directors of Türkiye İMSAD; Onur İncehasan, general manager of Vakıf GYO; as well as the representatives of sectoral associations and representatives of public institutions and organizations.
Delivering a speech at the opening of the summit, Kenan Aracı, vice chairman of the Board of Directors of Türkiye İMSAD noted: “Taking into account that the rate of urbanization is constantly increasing, we must create better designed and livable cities that take into account the needs of tomorrow, with visionary zoning planning, environment, health, culture, transportation, social and administrative infrastructures, and we must also ensure that we create a world consisting of these cities.
“We must focus on sustainable buildings in order to increase the number of earthquake-resistant, energy-efficient structures in all our cities. Earthquake preparedness should be our top priority for the time being.”
Ramadan Kumova, chairman of KONUTDER, commented in his speech: “We want to bring a different perspective to the topic of transformation and reveal how this transformation can contribute to the brand value of Istanbul. As KONUTDER, participating in these summits that guide and inspire the sector is regarded as a mission of our values. We believe that this valuable summit will yield proposals and solutions that will carry Istanbul’s brand value higher.”
Dr. Hayri Baraçlı, secretary general of the UMT, said: “We need to prioritize change when we talk about transformation. It is high time we developed a resilient building management model, because we are exposed to certain challenges in every aspect. We experience not only earthquakes but also disasters related to floods or forest fires. In this framework, we need to take these into consideration in our cities.”
Erdoğan Bayraktar, minister of Environment and Urbanization, said in his speech: “Universities and academics not only provide education but also mobilize the society in which they are located. The speakers expressed great remarks in the program organized on this context, so I would like to thank our university and all our speakers, first of all. Urban transformation is one of Türkiye’s top priorities. Urban transformation is an indispensable reality in Türkiye. If we can achieve a radical, scientifically viable urban transformation in Türkiye, then building materials will take the first place in our exports, as well.”
In the two-day summit, all aspects of transformation in buildings were discussed with 34 speakers throughout eight sessions. Held under the moderation of Hakan Güldağ, chairman of the Board of Directors of Ekonomi Newspaper, the session titled “Future Projections in the Real Estate Sector” was discussed by Onur İncehasan, general manager of Vakıf GYO; Didem Güneş, board member of Ege Yapı; and Tolga Afşin, country director of Siemens.
Ali Adıgüzel, chairman of the Board of KAMİAD, and Assoc. Prof. Dr. Serhat Başdoğan, lecturer at Yıldız Technical University Faculty of Architecture, discussed all aspects of urban transformation during the session titled “Pre- and Post-Disaster Planning in Urban Transformation” moderated by Ahmet Yüksel Karahan, secretary general of Yıldız Technical University.
In the last session of the first day, Mehmet Sami Kılıç, chairman of the Board of Directors of ÇEBDİK, and Serkan Emin, Member of the Board of Directors of EYODER, talked about construction on the axis of sustainability in the session “Future-Ready Sustainable Buildings,” moderated by Aygen Erkal, secretary general of Türkiye İMSAD.
Three sessions were held on the second day of the summit. In the session titled “Financial Risks, Constraints and Opportunities in Urban Transformation” moderated by Makbule Yönel Maya, General Manager of TSKB Real Estate Appraisal, the financial aspect of urban transformation was discussed in all its aspects by Prof. Dr. Ali Hepşen, lecturer at Istanbul University; Ömer Barlas Ülkü, vice chairman of KONUTDER; and Dr. Haldun Ersen, vice chairman of KENTSEV.
In the session on “Material and Resource Management” moderated by İsmail Özcan, chairman of the Board of Directors of GAPAS, the subject of correct material use and resource management in urban transformation was discussed by Hüseyin Erdem, vice chairman of the Board of Directors of MTMD; Reşat Sönmez, secretary general of THBB; and Arkın Konak, secretary general of VERİMDER.
In the last session of the summit, under the moderation of Melih Ballıkaya, EYODER supervisory board member, presentations on digitalization in transformation and building technologies were delivered by Semih Çalapkulu, Mechanical Works leader of KUZU GRUP; Ahmet Akçakaya, general manager of Akçakaya Engineering; and Ali Gülker, vice president of UTTMD.
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