The kick-off meeting of the “Strengthening the Energy Performance of Public Building Stock Through Sustainable Strategies” Project, implemented under the IPA III Period, was held on 12 January 2026 in Ankara. The meeting was hosted by the Ministry of Environment, Urbanization and Climate Change, with the participation of the Delegation of the European Union to Türkiye, the Presidency for EU Affairs, and project stakeholders.
The meeting was attended by Ms. Asuman ÖZALTAY,, Sector Manager at the Delegation of the European Union to Türkiye; Mr. Özgür Ökmen, Assoc. Prof. Dr. İsmail Raci Bayer, Head of the Project Implementation Department at the General Directorate of European Union and Foreign Relations; Ms. Esra TURAN TOMBAK, Head of the Department of Foreign-Funded Investments, General Directorate of Construction Affairs ,Mr. Önder YURDAKUL, Head of the Department of Seismic Strengthening Financed by International Financial Sources, General Directorate of Construction Affairs Ms. Ayşegül UMUTLU, Contracting Expert; as well as representatives of the General Directorate of European Union and Foreign Relations, the General Directorate of Construction Affairs, and the contractor supervision consortium.
Within the scope of the project—whose contract was signed on 19 December 2025 and whose implementation started on 25 December 2025—the meeting addressed the project’s overall objectives, activity schedule, implementation methodology, and the roles and responsibilities of stakeholders.
The project aims to develop sustainable strategies to enhance the energy performance of the public building stock and is expected to contribute significantly to energy efficiency, efficient use of resources, and efforts to combat climate change. Over the course of the project, a transparent and accountable energy performance contracting model to be applied in energy efficiency renovations of public buildings will be developed. The outputs produced are expected to guide policies and practices aimed at improving energy performance in public buildings.
Brief Description of the Project and Main Objectives
This project aims to address the high energy consumption of existing public buildings by developing energy efficiency renovation plans based on collected energy use data. The project will explore innovative renovation solutions to improve efficiency and reduce renovation time. Contact seminars will connect Energy Service Companies (ESCOs), financial institutions, and public building representatives to facilitate investment in energy renovation projects. These seminars will help shift risk perceptions related to energy efficiency projects, paving the way for the creation of financial mechanisms to support building renovations.
A key outcome of the project is the introduction of Building Passports, which will provide tailored renovation strategies based on factors such as building type, age, and climate. By viewing each building as part of a larger energy-saving effort, the project contributes to reduced public expenditures post-COVID-19 and aligns with the European climate strategy. Additionally, it will help close legislative and institutional gaps in Türkiye’s energy efficiency framework, supporting policy alignment with European energy directives and encouraging replication of successful projects across other public buildings.
