Water Insulation constitutes the ‘Main Priority’ of the security of Turkey’s building transformation

The February 6 earthquake disaster once again confronted us with the fragility of the building stock. According to the data, there are 6 million residences and 1.5 million workplaces in Turkey that are risky and need to be transformed, and a large-scale urban transformation is expected to gain momentum in the coming period.

Emrullah Eruslu, CEO of Eryap Group, which includes Bonus Yalıtım, the only Turkish brand in the insulation sector with 100 percent domestic capital, reminded that building permits are not given for buildings without insulation and said, “Our main goal in urban transformation is sustainable structural security, economic efficiency, and sustainable development in our business and living spaces.” There must be sustainable living comfort and quality. “Waterproofing, which has become a necessity according to the Ministry regulation that came into force in 2018, is of vital importance in order to build earthquake-resistant and long-lasting buildings in the urban transformation move,” he said.

Water Insulation is the Main Priority of Building Safety

Stating that a significant proportion of residential buildings in our country are built in reinforced concrete frame structure, Eruslu said, “The strength of the buildings comes from load-bearing systems such as columns, beams and shear walls. Contact of water on the ground with concrete may cause cracks and deformation in the concrete. It is inevitable that rust and corrosion will occur over time in iron reinforcement and metal elements exposed to water. It is almost impossible for a structure that has been corroded and whose durability has decreased to survive an earthquake. As a result of the loss of power in the structure, the building may lose 50 percent of its carrying capacity within 5 years and all of it within 24 years, causing irreversible disasters in natural events such as earthquakes. In addition to ensuring the safety of the building, waterproofing is also important in preventing bacteria and mold formations that may negatively affect human health and living comfort. For these reasons, waterproofing constitutes the main priority of building safety,” he said.

Compliance with Regulations and Social Awareness is Very Important

Emrullah Eruslu continued his words as follows: “The February 6 earthquake disaster and the urban transformation movement, which shook us all deeply, brought the issue of renewal of the building stock to an important place on the society’s agenda. Today, negotiations between building owners and construction companies for the transformation of many residences and workplaces have gained momentum. Naturally, many issues are discussed in these meetings, from the economic aspect of the work and the area size of the new spaces to be created, to the kitchen and bathroom equipment to be used, etc. However, at this point, it is of great importance that the issue of building safety, which is a primary concern for human life, remains on the agenda and therefore, social awareness about building safety is increased. On the other hand, in our country, the building safety regulations established by the public administration are very strong. These regulations are a very accurate reflection of the painful social experiences regarding earthquakes on public administration awareness and responsibility. “Full compliance with these regulations is vital for the formation of a safe, long-lasting and durable building stock.”

We Have to Face the Reality of Earthquakes and Build Permanent and Safe Structures

Emrullah Eruslu, CEO of Eryap Group, emphasized that earthquakes in Turkey, located in the Alpine-Himalayan earthquake zone, one of the most important earthquake zones in the world, cause financial losses worth billions of lira, as well as thousands of deaths, and in the earthquake disasters that have occurred since the 1999 Marmara and Düzce earthquakes, We lost over 70 thousand lives, hundreds of thousands of our citizens were injured, and millions of people were displaced from their homes. In addition to these human losses, unfortunately, there were also huge financial losses. According to official data, there were a total of approximately 2.6 million buildings and approximately 5.6 million residences in the 11 provinces heavily affected by the February 6 earthquake. “According to the data of the Presidency’s Strategy and Budget Directorate, unfortunately more than 35 thousand buildings have been demolished and half of them, approximately 17 thousand 500 buildings, need to be demolished urgently,” he said.

Eryap Group CEO Emrullah Eruslu continued his words as follows: “In the February 6 earthquake, approximately 180 thousand buildings were severely damaged, more than 40 thousand buildings were moderately damaged and over 430 thousand buildings were slightly damaged. The buildings that were destroyed or severely damaged include residences, workplaces, schools, public buildings, hospitals, hotels, as well as historical and cultural buildings. Again, according to the official data of the Turkish Grand National Assembly, more than 96 thousand houses were destroyed in the Marmara earthquake that took place on August 17, 1999, while a total of nearly 365 thousand houses and workplaces were damaged. The Düzce earthquake, which took place on November 12, 1999, caused damage to 11 thousand residences and workplaces. In addition to the 17 buildings destroyed in the 2020 Izmir earthquake, heavy damage was detected in 124 buildings, moderate damage in 119 buildings and minor damage in 730 buildings. Similar scenes were experienced in other earthquakes that caused great suffering, especially in Ağrı, Afyonkarahisar, Bingöl, Erzurum and Van. Earthquakes are a sad reality of our geography. We must face this reality and build permanent and safe structures.

We have to build. In this respect, full compliance with the highly adequate regulations on waterproofing and all other issues, which are important for the structural integrity and lifespan of buildings, and the establishment of building safety awareness throughout the society are of great importance in this respect.”