Sustainable Construction as a Strategy of Real Estate Marketing: A Case Study in Istanbul

Abstract

Sustainable design can be performed from the design structure scale to urban scale. From the view of the ecological structure, the state of being approximately half of the energy consumption used in structures increases the importance of structure designs. Minimizing the energy used in structures with the design features of the structure and the systems which provide benefits from renewable energy sources to be integrated to the structure, are one of the measures to be taken against environmental pollution. When it is considered that sustainable design and planning include issues such as ending actions and habits harmful for the environment, using sources effectively and correctly, protecting coherence of individual, society and ecosystem, supporting economic progress, usage of renewable energy sources such as energy efficiency, air-conditioning, natural ventilation, insolation, natural enlightenment systems, user’s health and comfort, smart front and roof systems, active and passive thermal comfort systems, photovoltaic panels and issues such as building and energy control systems, efficiency in terms of functionality are important consequences of ecological structure applications. It is seen that the reflecting of these consequences on the public opinion by written and visual media creates awakening and awareness about ecology and sustainability in society. In this direction, it is seen that approaches sensitive to the environment and energy in the field of structural design and architecture are increasing as a result of awakening public opinion and awareness of society and parallel to this concept such as sustainable construction and architecture are begun to be used as a strategy in the sales of real estate projects by structure producers. Such structure options gain currency as a result of the user’s awareness and need. As many real estate manufacturer sees the decrease of awareness in society and rise of green buildings' values in the market, are emerging with the projects shown as if they are sensitive to the environment, though they are not really. Since the general tendency in such projects is to provide maximum income with minimum cost in a short time, integrated and concrete ecological structure projects in which ecological parameters are entirely used cannot be performed. Instead of this, one or two of the ecological criteria are being used but the project is entirely presented as a “sustainable construction” exhibited as a sustainable architecture design product. Although the sustainability concept is used as a commercial sale strategy in such projects, it can be considered that the issue contributes to the social awareness by being revived via written and visual media. In this study, if we exclude the expressions that real estate market presents as an additional advantage to sales competition under its own advertisement rules, with the approaches putting important edges for mankind such as energy crisis in the whole world, high consumption of natural sources, getting harm of the ecosystem and whether buildings and complexes put forward to include nature and environment friendly or sustainability concepts really fulfill this function, deserve this quality, briefly, to what extent the constructions which are trying to be compatible with nature or at least define themselves in this way can perform the mentioned aim will be studied. In this context, by analyzing the “Solarkent Housing Estate Area” adopting “sustainable construction” approach improved in the frame of housing marketing strategy parallel to the housing demand increased recently in İstanbul, an analytical evaluation model related to the issue will tired to be created.