An informational meeting was held within the scope of the KABEV Project at MAKÜ.

A comprehensive transformation process is being initiated at Burdur Mehmet Akif Ersoy University (MAKÜ) within the scope of the Public Buildings Energy Efficiency (KABEV) Project, conducted by the Ministry of Environment, Urbanization and Climate Change with World Bank financing and the support of the Ministry of Energy and Natural Resources. KABEV, implemented in many public buildings across Turkey, aims to reduce energy consumption, increase environmental sustainability, and create an exemplary energy management model in public institutions. MAKÜ stands out as one of the pilot application areas of the project.

In this context, an information meeting was organized by the General Directorate of Construction Affairs of the Ministry of Environment, Urbanization and Climate Change, hosted by the university. The opening speech of the program was made by Esra Turan Tombak, Head of the Department of Foreign-Sourced Investments of the General Directorate of Construction. Emphasizing that energy efficiency is one of the most important development topics of today, Tombak pointed out that a large portion of the building stock in Turkey is uninsulated and has high savings potential.

Tombak stated that with the KABEV Project, initiated in 2019, energy efficiency applications have been implemented in 565 public buildings so far, and said, “We have exceeded our initial target savings rate of 20% and reached 40%. Our project has become an exemplary project not only in our region but also in the World Bank portfolio.” She also conveyed that energy audits for the works in Burdur have been completed, the preparation of tender documents is ongoing, and it is planned to go to construction tender in 2026.

MAKÜ Vice Rector Prof. Dr. Hakan Öner, the host of the meeting, provided information about the scope of the transformation to be carried out at the university. Öner stated that approximately 9 buildings are included in the project and that LED lighting systems, renewed heating-cooling units, and solar energy solutions will be brought to the campus. He said that at the end of the project, the university will achieve up to 57% energy savings and prevent approximately 4,250 tons of carbon emissions annually.

Burdur Governor Tülay Baydar Bilgihan also emphasized the strategic importance of the project for Turkey's energy future in her speech. Governor Bilgihan, stating that Burdur, a city with high renewable energy potential, will greatly benefit from this transformation, said, “This work will both reduce costs, decrease environmental impacts, and contribute to leaving a more livable world for future generations.”

In the continuation of the program, presentations were made by experts on the Environmental and Social Management Framework, occupational health and safety, energy audits in the buildings identified in Burdur, and the efficiency measures to be implemented. The event concluded with a technical tour where the renovation works to be carried out on the MAKÜ campus were examined on-site.