Sustainability

The Science and Technology Center is a 15,500 m2 building dedicated to education and research. The design principle of the building entails the use of architecture to create energy efficient spaces without compromising function and aesthetics. The Science and Technology Center includes the following energy conservation measures implemented in the building: building-integrated photovoltaic panels, natural ventilation using solar chimneys, shading structures, high efficiency heating, ventilation, and air conditioning systems, lighting systems technology, and automated building management.

CIU’s photovoltaic solar farm, with a peak power production of 1.1 MW capacity, was installed in 2014 under SERC headed by Advisor to the CIU Board of Trustees, Prof. Dr. Serkan Abbasoğlu. The system's annual energy production is around 1,750,000 kWh.

By covering an area of 14,000 m2 along the Northern border of the campus, not only is this the largest PV project in Northern Cyprus but also with additional installations, it constitutes an example of how solar panels can be applied on different surfaces. Solar panels in Cyprus are traditionally installed over the roof or on land; however, within the context of the present project, panels were installed in 4 different configurations; on a level roof, inclined roof, on land, and on carports. ‘’With a total installation cost of 1.5 million Euros, we knew this was a very substantial investment for the university. An in-depth feasibility study was conducted to ensure all aspects of this investment were covered,’’ said Abbasoğlu. The resulting study was published in ‘’Solar Energy’’, which is one of the most respected journals in the domain of solar power in the field. “Since the commissioning of the plant, we carried out sensitive measurements and compared our findings and pre-simulation results with the help of our new data center that was set up for this purpose.”

Not only has the Solar Farm attracted a lot of interest on the island, which is infamous for its 300 days of sun per year and making it an ideal location for such applications, but the farm has also received many visitors from countries like Pakistan, the USA, Iran, China, and Turkey. 350 thousand kilowatts for the Northern Cyprus Power Transmission Line. A total of 4,131 panels in five different locations were used to generate electricity. By taking an active role as a consultant for other organizations like the Civil Defense Organization, Middle East Technical University, and the Turkish Cypriot Chamber of Industry, Prof. Dr. Abbasoğlu said that he provides consultation to all parties interested.

The on-campus recycling program started by SSC aimed not only at reducing the amount of waste produced but also aimed at turning waste into products the students and staff can use. Students and facilities on campus were encouraged to use less plastic-based materials and with this initiative, plastic bottles started to be collected and reused wherever possible to make furniture and other products. Waste paper is now collected all across campus and in a recently established recycling facility, this waste is recycled into products like gift cards, pencils, and special purpose paper.

We do not let a drop of water go to waste! All of the grey water generated on campus, which is approximately 1300 tons, is recycled and used for irrigation.

The SSC team has been conducting educational seminars on Sustainability and the Environment in both Northern Cyprus and abroad. Education is one of the best tools for creating awareness for sustainability, the environment, and how to preserve it for future generations. We are dedicated to providing this education both locally and internationally. We believe that sustainable education is the very first step needed to help save our environment. On March 3rd-5th, 2019 members of SSC traveled to Azerbaijan and visited high schools to hold seminars titled: “Students for a Sustainable World”. In the cities of Shemkir and Gence, they reached out to over 150 high schools and spoke about sustainability and the environment, sharing their experiences and how they can be applied in Azerbaijan. Students were very interested to learning more, which was reflected in the Q&A session where the CIU team was bombarded with a plethora of questions. Similar seminars were held in Tbilisi, Georgia, and also received a lot of interest from students.