Defne Dedeoğlu, a graduate of the Department of Archaeology and currently an MA student in the same department, has become a LEED Green Associate. LEED is the acronym for Leadership in Energy and Environmental Design, a green building rating system developed by USGBC (the US Green Building Council).
With the heightened awareness of the threat of climate change and global warming, the potential role of environmentally friendly buildings in reducing this threat has received greater attention. LEED’s mission is to assess buildings in terms of site selection, water consumption, energy use, material and resource use and indoor air quality and grade them according to their environmental impact. The system rates projects according to points gained by meeting specific criteria, and awards certificates at the Platinum, Gold, Silver and Certified levels. LEED certification is a globally recognized mark of sustainability achievement.
In order to receive the title of LEED Green Associate, Defne participated in a LEED seminar and passed an exam. She hopes to move on to the next step and become a LEED AP (accredited professional).
Defne is at present working on a thesis on the topic of green museums and their possible implementation in Ankara, combining the green building concept with museology. Currently, the Tropical Butterfly Garden in Konya is the only green museum in Turkey; the hope is that this thesis will initiate a movement toward implementation of the concept here.