Assessment of Earth Structure Standards and Regulations in Turkey and the World in the Scope of Ecological Design

Abstract

While structures are necessary to meet housing needs, on the other hand, the construction industry consumes a great quantity of resources, creating a problem that is global in scale. Supplying the materials, processing them, and transporting them to the construction site create significant environmental problems. Therefore, to reduce waste, preserve resources, and to increase energy efficiency, an ecodesign approach is now being considered. In this study, ecodesign principles and materials were examined, and earth structure techniques used in building since the early ages were analyzed. The standards and regulations used around the world were considered and products produced with earth materials were identified. In different countries there are different materials, construction techniques, and documents used in the production of earth structures. Although such structures are preferred in many countries, the number of countries linking earth structure production to standards and regulations is limited. This study was an examination and analysis of earth structure regulations and standards in Turkey.