TÜSİAD collaborated with IMSAD to organize "4th International Quality in Construction" Summit

Organized by IMSAD International Quality in Construction Summit,  is a highly prestigious sectorial reunion since 2009. This year with the strategic partnership of TÜSİAD, the 4th Summit took place on November 13, 2012, at the Four Seasons Bosphorus Hotel, Istanbul. “Sustainability and Global Competition” was the main theme of the summit. Designed as a zero carbon footprint activity, the event’s main sponsor was BASF and the special sponsor was Demirdöküm. Ms. Ümit Boyner, President of the Board of Directors of TÜSİAD and Mr. Hüseyin Bilmaç, President of the Board of Directors of İMSAD (Association of Turkish Building Material Producers) made the opening speeches of the Summit. A number of distinguished businesspeople from Turkey and abroad participated as special speakers and panelists.

In her opening speech, President of the Board of Directors of TÜSİAD Ms. Ümit Boyner addressed the “Vision 2050 Turkey” project of TÜSİAD that aims to put forth the requirements to achieve a sustainable future with a business point of view. Indicating that the strategic partnership with İMSAD is linked to the Urbanization Chapter of this project, Ms. Boyner stressed the critical importance of the construction sector for sustainable development. Ms. Boyner said: “Besides its contribution to the economy by growing %11.2 in 2011, when its share in the total output, foreign trade and employment is considered, the construction sector is critically important to improve our competitiveness and to sustain our development”. Ms. Boyner drew attention to the need of transforming business processes of the sector in line with the sustainable development approach, by underlining the direct effects of the sector on the environment and human life.

Ms. Boyner continued: “40% of the energy produced today, 17% of the water and 25% of the forests of the world are being consumed by buildings. In order to reduce the impact of the buildings on the environment and human health, environmentally friendly and energy efficient green building criterias have been developed. The green buildings, consuming 30% less energy and 50% less water, provide healthier and more efficient living space”. Ms. Boyner remarked that implementing the green building criterias cause an additional cost of merely 2%, while with the savings a tenfold gain can be obtained during the lifetime of the building.

Ms. Boyner concluded her speech with an assessment of the“Urban Transformation Law” that regulates the reinforcement, demolition and renewal of the buildings, which are under risk in case of a  disaster. Ms. Boyner emphasized that the urban transformation projects should be designed and implemented in line with the historical, socio-economic and cultural structure of the cities, without damaging the original urban fabric.

In his speech, President of the Board of Directors of İMSAD Mr. Hüseyin Bilmaç said: “If today we are talking about urban transformation, green buildings, green development strategies and buildings of the future, it is because the construction sector adapted itself very swiftly to this era of changes, transformations, and continuities. The building sector has a strategic importance in terms of sustainable development. As İMSAD, the umbrella organization of the sector, reaching nearly to 20 thousand stakeholders in the sector, we emphasize the concept of sustainability in all our meetings and publications”. Mr. Bilmaç remarked that since 2007, İMSAD is the project leader of the EUbuild and EUbuild Energy Efficiency projects, which are both supported by the funds of European Union. Mr. Bilmaç added: “We are proud to cooperate with the EU member countries and we consider our responsibilities in these projects as an assignment to the Turkish Construction Material Industry. We are demanding the establishment of a centralized, strong, independent and new Energy Efficiency Agency”. He continued by stating: “As İMSAD, we promise a level of savings between 12 – 15 billion dollars through efficiency in the buildings. We can reach the target of 20% less energy by 2020, only by taking rational measures and the urban transformation process provides us the perfect opportunity to do that. In the context of urban transformation, there is a great chance of transforming the new buildings to environmenttally friendly buildings with sustainable projects. Furthermore, the building industry is ready for the projects of every scale; we can supply materials for any type of construction. With domestically produced high quality building materials, we can put this crucially important vision into practice.
Mr. Bilmaç mentioned two specific necessities of the building material industry to become the leading sector in exports: The preparation of a strategy report specifically for the production and export of the building materials and the consolidation with the separate exporters’ associations of exporting industries. Mr. Hüseyin Bilmaç, President of İMSAD, concluded with the remark that if certain investments, which have been postponed because of the urban transformation, are implemented the role of the private sector in the urban transformation is well-defined and the unfair competition is prevented, then it is possible that the Turkish building material industry can attain its target of 12% average annual growth until 2015.

The reports titled “Sustainability in the Building Industry: Green Buildings and Nanotechnology Strategies” and “EUbuild Energy Efficiency” were presented during the Summit.

Two important reports were launched during the summit with the main theme of “Sustainability and the Global Competition”. The report “Sustainability in the Building Industry: Green Buildings and Nanotechnology Strategies” which was jointly prepared by TÜSİAD and İMSAD, and as a result of two years of work, the “Guide Book” discussing the “Future of the Energy Efficiency in Buildings” prepared by İMSAD were presented by distinguished experts of the industry.