Türkiye has completed the construction of 455,000 housing units in earthquake-affected regions in less than two years, Deputy Minister of Environment, Urbanization and Climate Change of Türkiye Ömer Bulut said during the panel session titled "Housing for Urban Prosperity and Opportunities for All," held within the framework of WUF13 in Baku.
He recalled that the devastating earthquakes of February 6, 2023, resulted in damage to nearly 500,000 housing units across the country.
"We were able to complete the construction of 455,000 housing units in the disaster zone in just two years and hand them over to their owners," Ömer Bulut said.
The new residential areas were designed as sustainable ecosystems complete with social infrastructure, green spaces, energy-efficient solutions, and environmentally oriented planning.
The new buildings comply with the nearly zero-energy building concept, which allows for a 39% reduction in energy consumption and a 38% decrease in greenhouse gas emissions.
"We attach great importance to the use of solar energy, rainwater harvesting systems, and the development of climate-resilient infrastructure," Ömer Bulut said.
He pointed out that housing policy must be considered comprehensively, alongside issues of transport, healthcare, education, employment, infrastructure, and climate policy.
The minister also called for intensified international cooperation in the areas of financing, green technologies, and strengthening local capacity to create more affordable, resilient, and low-carbon cities.
