A New Era in Insulation Begins with the TS 825 Update
As energy efficiency becomes increasingly important in today's world, a major transformation process that closely affects the insulation sector in Turkey has begun. The new TS 825 standard includes significant changes aimed at minimizing heat losses in buildings, increasing energy efficiency, and supporting sustainability. A large portion of Turkey's total energy consumption is spent on heating and cooling buildings. However, approximately 70% of buildings being without insulation leads to a substantial amount of this energy being wasted. During the winter months, more than 50% of the energy spent on heating is lost due to inadequate insulation, and in the summer, much more energy must be consumed to cool down.
With the new TS 825 standard, insulation is no longer an option but a necessity. The new regulations require the use of thicker insulation materials and achieving lower thermal transmittance levels in walls, roofs, floors, and windows to prevent heat loss. Additionally, the Nearly Zero Energy Buildings (nZEB) concept is becoming mandatory for more and more buildings. This standard, applied to buildings over 5000 m² from 2023, will cover all new buildings over 2000 m² from April 2025.
While the previous TS 825 standard considered only the heating load during winter months to determine insulation needs, the new TS 825 standard now also includes the cooling load in the calculations. This change demonstrates that insulation saves energy not only in winter but also in summer, particularly in hot climate regions. By adding buildings’ cooling needs to the calculations, insulation projects will be planned to ensure energy efficiency throughout the year. Thanks to better-planned insulation projects, unnecessary energy expenditure for both heating and cooling will be prevented, thereby maximizing energy savings while creating comfortable living spaces. Especially in hot climate regions like the Aegean, Mediterranean, and Southeastern Anatolia, the need for cooling in the summer is quite high. Due to improper insulation applications and low-quality materials, the indoor temperatures of buildings increase, leading to excessively high use of air conditioning. However, with the new TS 825 standard, the use of insulation materials of suitable thickness and high performance will become mandatory in these regions. Thanks to new climate zones and comprehensive calculations, the most appropriate insulation applications for each region will be implemented, aiming to provide maximum comfort with minimal energy throughout the four seasons.
Under the new regulations, the number of climate zones has been increased from 4 to 6. Turkey, being a country with diverse geographical features and variable climate conditions, has a wide temperature scale, and it has long been emphasized that insulation needs must be more precisely determined on a regional basis. With this change, the climatic characteristics of each region are analyzed in more detail, making insulation requirements specific to that region. While insulation thickness in European countries reaches up to 15-20 cm, it was typically applied at 3-5 cm in Turkey. The wall insulation thickness in Istanbul has been increased from 5 cm to 8 cm.
The new TS 825 standards provide a significant opportunity for companies operating in the insulation sector. As demand for insulation products increases, high-quality and more efficient materials will come to the forefront. Quality standards in the sector will rise, creating new business opportunities. Insulation companies will have to develop innovative solutions to gain a competitive advantage.
The new TS 825 standard is not just a regulatory change but a significant step towards building more sustainable, energy-efficient, and environmentally friendly buildings in Turkey. Energy consumption in buildings will be reduced, carbon footprint will be minimized, and individual savings will be increased. At Bonus Insulation, we will continue to offer the best solutions in the sector to create healthier, more comfortable, and energy-saving structures for the future.
Tolga Ceylan
Sales and Marketing Director