7.2.2. Upgrade Buildings to Higher Energy Efficiency
Within the scope of its 2024–2028 Strategic Plan, IGU has established concrete targets to improve the energy efficiency of its existing buildings in order to achieve energy savings and reduce carbon emissions that harm the environment.
These targets include the development of research and application centers, workshops, and laboratories within the University and the support of sustainable practices, in line with SH.2.3, “Participating in the entrepreneurial and innovative university ecosystem,” under SA.2, “Increasing the culture and competence of scientific and technological research within the framework of national and international standards.”
These efforts are supported by the strategic sub-objectives shaped under SA.3, “Making multidimensional social benefit more effective by placing sustainability at the center,” and SA.2. In particular, systematic investments and practices aimed at improving building energy performance across all campuses of the University are being implemented in line with SH.3.2, “Increasing the effectiveness of the sustainable environmental management system”. Accordingly, new buildings and renovation works are carried out through energy-saving practices such as insulation, natural lighting, automation systems, and LED conversion. The LED usage rate increased from 78.49% in 2023 to 90.08% in 2024 and reached 92.35% in 2025.
Table 2. Changes in the Total Number of Lighting Fixtures and LED Lighting Fixtures by Years
- Building insulation and energy efficiency: External thermal insulation works have been carried out to improve the thermal performance of university buildings. These measures have contributed to reducing heat loss, particularly during the winter months, and lowering natural gas consumption.
- Smart lighting systems: Lighting systems equipped with daylight sensors have been implemented at the Tower Campus. These systems optimize the need for artificial lighting according to natural daylight conditions and help prevent unnecessary energy consumption outside working hours.
- Heating, cooling, and energy management: At the Tower Campus, regular maintenance, monitoring, and improvement works are carried out on mechanical automation systems used for indoor climate control and energy management. Hardware components are upgraded when necessary to improve system efficiency, thereby supporting the reduction of energy consumption associated with heating and cooling processes. In this context, the existing chiller system was replaced in 2025 with a more technologically advanced and energy-efficient unit. This upgrade was undertaken to improve the energy efficiency of the campus cooling infrastructure and support its transition towards a more sustainable system.
- Generator systems and fuel efficiency: Regular maintenance and inspection protocols are implemented for generator systems to support their efficient operation. These practices contribute to reducing fuel consumption and the associated carbon emissions.
- Rainwater Harvesting Project: IGU develops practices for rainwater recovery in order to protect natural resources and reduce indirect energy consumption resulting from water usage. In this context, the reuse of rainwater contributes to reducing mains water consumption, while also supporting the reduction of the energy required for water treatment, transport, and pumping. The practice is currently ongoing at the Tower Campus and Block E.
- Energy-Efficient Air Conditioning Equipment: There are a total of 370 air conditioning units within the body of IGU. 355 of these devices consist of new generation, environmentally friendly models with high energy efficiency, while 15 consist of older models with higher energy consumption. In 2025, the university replaced 3 of the 15 existing old-type air conditioners with inverter devices. With the completion of this transition, it is aimed to further enhance energy efficiency in the university's air conditioning infrastructure and reduce the environmental impacts originating from energy consumption.
IGU adopts the integration of renewable energy sources into its procurement framework as a core institutional priority, aiming to embed clean, sustainable energy into both campus life and academic-administrative operations. To formalize this goal, the university holds both YEK-G (Renewable Energy Guarantee of Origin) and I-REC (The International REC Standard) certifications. These credentials officially certify that the electrical power consumed across IGU campuses is sourced entirely from renewable origins. While the university's electricity demand was met via hydroelectric power plants beginning in 2021, 100% of its consumption has been supplied by solar energy since 2024. This transition not only significantly mitigates the institution’s carbon footprint, but also demonstrates the structural integration of energy efficiency principles into its corporate infrastructure policy.
