European University of Lefke (EUL) The Students’ Dean Office and Civil Engineering Club organized a panel on “Green Buildings and Materials” to convey the principles of sustainability. Green Building Consultant Dr. Duygu Erten participated as a speaker during the panel held in Rauf Raif Denktaş Educational Complex Conference Hall.

Erten: Green buildings are less harmful to those living in and around than standard buildings

In the panel, which was attended by students from Engineering and Architecture faculties, Erten gave information about Green Building Certificates and certification methods and environment friendly materials leading to students. Erten defined the green buildings as high-performance, high-quality, water-efficient buildings designed and built above the country’s building standards, which make the residents and surrounding area less harmful than standard buildings. Erten says that many countries around the world have green building programs according to their own standards. By providing detailed information on the UK’s Green Building Certificate BREEAM and the United Green Building Certificate LEED (Leadership Energy Environmental Design) he also talked about other Green Building certifications used in different geographies around the world. Erten also informed about BREEAM; that it is the first environmental assessment method, that it is based on volunteerism, that it is holistic, scientific and reliable beyond local standards.

Erten: Green buildings are beneficial in terms of minimizing damage to the environment during the construction phase.

Erten said the reasons for preferring green buildings are; environmental and economic benefits, and resource consumption and environmental damage, it is more profitable than a standard building when the life cycle cost is calculated, the indoor air quality and comfort are high, Sick Building Syndrome, Illnesses Caused by Buildings and reduced susceptibility to more than one chemistry.

Erten said that the benefits of green buildings are as follows: to minimize the damage done to the environment in the construction phase, to take the assessment of the waste material coming from the excavation, to use the building materials produced from the waste, to make landscaping with plants and trees consuming less water, use of the right materials and solutions for the creation of energy and sound insulation, solutions for the reuse of rainwater, reduction of carbon emissions by using renewable energy sources.

Pointing to the effects of healthy and environmentally friendly construction materials on human health, Erten emphasized the importance of environmental friendly and certified material selection, emphasizing that materials which are in contact with daily life, especially in unsupervised use of paint, wood and the like, cause mental retardation in young children and adversely affect their health. . In the panel discussing social aspects besides the environmental and economic aspects of sustainable construction, Erten gave advice to the students about the future plans by giving examples from the business world

At the end of the panel, Vice Dean of Engineering Faculty Assist. Prof. Dr. Ertuğ Aydin presented a certificate of appreciation to Erten.