Green building certification systems: An assessment of the city of Izmir

Authors

DOI:

https://doi.org/10.47818/DRArch.2026.v7i2215

Keywords:

Izmir, LEED and BREEAM certifications, green building, sustainability

Abstract

This study examines the sustainability performance of LEED and BREEAM-certified green buildings in Izmir, province of Türkiye, in terms of certification levels, assessment categories, building types and the environmental strategies implemented. Guided by a conceptual framework based on sustainability, sustainability in architecture, urban sustainability, the green building approach and international certification systems, the research aims to provide a comparative assessment at a local-scale. A qualitative research approach was adopted in the study; document analysis was used as the data collection technique. Data obtained from ÇEDBİK, USGBC, BREEAM and relevant project sources were classified according to certification type, certification level, total score, credit categories, building function and sustainability strategies; and interpreted using descriptive statistics and comparative content analysis. In this respect, the study distinguishes itself from research focusing on a single building type or a single certification category by developing a multi-typology evaluation framework based on the example of Izmir province. The findings show that there are 32 LEED-certified projects in Izmir and four BREEAM certification records associated with three separate buildings or projects. It was determined that performance in LEED-certified buildings is concentrated in the categories of energy and atmosphere, water efficiency, indoor environmental quality, location and transport, and sustainable sites; however, the materials and resources category is under-represented. BREEAM projects, on the other hand, are characterised by the operational performance of existing buildings, environmental management, energy and water conservation, waste control, user comfort and safety measures. Furthermore, it has been observed that sustainability priorities vary according to building function; different strategies are prominent in office, industrial, commercial, residential and transport buildings. The study reveals that green building practices in Izmir are spreading across different building functions; however, the publicly available records examined are insufficient to directly assess the spatial and socio-economic dimensions of this spread. Based on the findings, it is recommended that the strong practices observed in energy and water efficiency be maintained; while sustainability strategies relating to materials and resource management, the operational performance of existing buildings, and building functionality should be developed through local policies and incentives.

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Author Biographies

  • Duygu Gökce, Suleyman Demirel University, Süleyman Demirel University

    Prof. Dr. Duygu Gökce is a faculty member in the Department of City and Regional Planning, Faculty of Architecture at Süleyman Demirel University. She received her Ph.D. from Dokuz Eylül University. Her primary research areas encompass climate and urban resilience, urban regeneration, disadvantaged groups (women, children, youth, the elderly, Roma communities, refugees, etc.), and urban food systems. Prof. Dr. Duygu Gökce has contributed extensively to both national and international literature in these fields and has directed research projects funded by TÜBİTAK and BAP (Scientific Research Projects). In line with her core research interests, she has supervised various completed graduate theses, with a particular focus on urban resilience.

  • Onur Tos, Tarsus University

    Onur Tos, who graduated first in his class from the Department of Public Relations and Advertising at the Faculty of Communication at Ege University in 2015, earned his master’s degree from the Institute of Social Sciences at Uşak University in 2018 with a thesis titled “The Perceived Image of Political Party Leaders in the Grand National Assembly of Turkey: A Study Focusing on State Universities in Izmir.” Tos completed his doctoral studies in the Communication Research Program within the Department of Public Relations and Advertising at the Institute of Social Sciences, Ege University, between 2019 and 2023. On March 5, 2020, at the 6th Gender Justice Congress organized by KADEM and hosted by Istanbul University, she was awarded the prize for the third-best paper presented at the congress for her paper titled “Generations X and Z’s Perception of Parenting Based on Cultural Change.” On December 22, 2020, she began working as an Instructor in the Department of Marketing and Advertising at the Tarsus University Vocational School. In February 2021, she was appointed Chair of the Department of Marketing and Advertising, a position she continues to hold. Tos continues her work in the field of communication and her interdisciplinary research.

  • Harika Tos, Suleyman Demirel University, Süleyman Demirel University

    Harika Tos graduated in 2018 from the Department of Urban and Regional Planning at the Faculty of Engineering and Architecture, Yozgat Bozok University. She then completed her studies in the Department of Public Administration at the Faculty of Economics, Anadolu University, and in 2021, earned her master’s degree with a 4.00/4.00 GPA from the Department of Urban and Regional Planning at the Institute of Natural Sciences, Süleyman Demirel University, with her thesis titled “From Urban Shelter to Inclusive City: Urban Refugees in Mersin (Tarsus).” During her master’s program, she served as a researcher on a scientific research project conducted on the same topic. She continues her academic work in the fields of urban and regional planning, migration, inclusive cities, sustainable urbanization, city branding, climate change, and communication. In this context, she has published scientific articles in national and international peer-reviewed journals—particularly those indexed in ESCI—as well as presented papers at international scientific conferences and contributed book chapters to academic publications. She also continues to conduct interdisciplinary research that brings together the fields of urban planning and communication.

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Published

2026-08-30

Data Availability Statement

Data will be made available on request.

Issue

Vol. 7 No. 2 (2026)

Section

Research Articles

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Copyright (c) 2026 Duygu Gökce, Onur Tos, Harika Tos

Creative Commons License

This work is licensed under a Creative Commons Attribution 4.0 International License.

How to Cite

Gökce, D., Tos, O., & Tos, H. (2026). Green building certification systems: An assessment of the city of Izmir. Journal of Design for Resilience in Architecture and Planning, 7(2), 284-307. https://doi.org/10.47818/DRArch.2026.v7i2215

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