The “Cooperation Protocol in the Field of Creating a Sustainable and Climate Friendly Campus”, in which 9 universities were determined as pilot universities together with Selcuk University, was signed at the Higher Education Council (YÖK).

With the protocol, it is aimed to create sustainable energy efficiency, nature-friendly campuses that cause minimal damage to the environment, and to increase energy efficiency and renewable energy applications in university campuses.

The signing ceremony held at the YÖK White Hall was attended by the Minister of Environment, Urbanization and Climate Change Murat Kurum, the Minister of Energy and Natural Resources Fatih Dönmez, the President of the Council of Higher Education Prof. Dr. Erol Özvar, Rector of Selcuk University Prof. Dr. Metin Aksoy and the rectors of Middle East Technical, Istanbul Technical, Yıldız Technical, Aegean, Gazi, Karabük, Bartın, Van Yüzüncü Yıl and Niğde Ömer Halis Demir Universities.

President of YÖK Prof. Dr. Erol Özvar, in his speech, said that they aim to create university campuses that are efficient in terms of sustainable energy, compatible with nature and cause minimal damage to the environment. Expressing that in the process of “sustainable and climate-friendly campus transformation”, studies will be carried out on universities' access to the necessary financial instruments. Dr. Özvar thanked First Lady Emine Erdoğan, the wife of President Recep Tayyip Erdoğan, who supported the implementation of the protocol.

“OUR UNIVERSITIES ARE CONDUCTING REMARKABLE WORK”

Özvar stated that many universities have recently carried out remarkable studies and joint projects with ministries on the creation of sustainable and climate-friendly campuses. Stating that the Council of Higher Education aims to provide coordination between universities and ministries and to play a facilitating role in order to achieve more effective and efficient results in this field, Prof. Dr. Özvar explained that within the scope of the Zero Waste Project, which is carried out to control waste within the framework of sustainable development principles, Zero Waste Units and Zero Waste Management Systems were established within the body of many universities. Özvar in this context, showed its works as examples such as collecting and recycling wastes by sorting, collecting and processing organic wastes and converting them into compost fertilizers, collecting hazardous and medical wastes, collecting electrical and electronic wastes and metal and wood scraps separately, establishing a biological waste water treatment plant and collecting rain water.

Expressing that many applications have been started on the university campuses for the production of energy from natural resources and the efficient use of energy, Prof. Dr. Özvar said that among these applications are renewable solar energy applications, generating electrical energy from organic waste in the cafeteria, smart building applications in minimizing energy consumption and ensuring the safety of buildings, energy saving with censored lighting in buildings, energy saving bulbs, building insulation and ambient temperature control.

THE PROJECT IS AIMED TO EXPAND TO ALL UNIVERSITIES

President of YÖK Özvar talked about the Cooperation Protocol in the Field of Sustainable and Climate Friendly Campus, and the works to be carried out in 10 pilot universities selected under the coordination of the Ministry of Environment, Urbanization and Climate Change, the Ministry of Energy and Natural Resources and the Presidency of the Council of Higher Education, and then in all universities.

Prof. Dr. Erol Özvar said: “With the protocol, sustainable energy efficiency, creation of campuses that are compatible with nature and cause minimal damage to the environment, energy efficiency and renewable energy applications in university campuses will be increased. It is aimed to carry out studies to create sensitivity and awareness in this area. Efficient and effective use of energy resources and energy in universities, preventing waste and ensuring the use of renewable energy, alleviating the burden of energy costs on the budget, disseminating Zero Waste practices, protecting the environment, supporting universities in accessing the necessary financial tools in the 'Sustainable and Climate Friendly Campus' transformation process. work is aimed.”

Özvar stated that the universities where the pilot implementation will start in the first place have been determined as Selçuk University, METU, İTÜ, Yıldız Teknik, Ege, Gazi, Karabük, Bartın, Van Yüzüncü Yıl, Niğde Ömer Halis Demir Universities. Prof. Dr. Özvar thanked the university rectors who attended the ceremony for their contribution to the project.