While all Performance Standards are applicable to this investment, IFCs environmental and social due diligence indicates that the investment will have impacts which must be managed in a manner consistent with the following Performance Standards. If IFCs investment proceeds, IFC will periodically review the the project’s ongoing compliance with the Performance Standards

PS 1 – Assessment and Management of Environmental and Social Risks and Impacts
PS 2 - Labor and working conditions
PS 3 - Resource Efficiency and Pollution Prevention
PS 4 – Community Health, Safety and Security
PS 5 – Land Acquisition and Involuntary Resettlement
If IFC’s investment proceeds, IFC will periodically review the the project’s ongoing compliance with the Performance Standards
Buildings of Ozyegin University are located within or close to urban zones, therefore, there is no significant issue in relation to PS6 Biodiversity Conservation and Sustainable Management of Living Natural Resources and PS 7 Indigenous People. No adverse impact has been identified on cultural heritage with regard to PS8.

The key environmental and social issues related to this project include; structural design and safety; occupational health and safety for construction operations; life and fire safety; hygiene and sanitation management; energy efficiency; and land acquisition. The appraisal concluded that any impacts will be limited, site-specific and can be addressed by adhering to generally recognized performance standards, guidelines or design criteria. Therefore, this is a Category B project according to IFC’s Environmental and Social Review Procedure.

IFC's appraisal considered the environmental and social management planning process and documentation for the project and gaps, if any, between these and IFCs requirements. Where necessary, corrective measures, intended to close these gaps within a reasonable period of time, are summarized in the paragraphs that follow and (if applicable) in an agreed Environmental and Social Action Plan (ESAP). Through the implementation of these measures, the project is expected to be designed and operated in accordance with Performance Standards objectives.

No official environmental and social impact assessment is required by the country regulations for this type of projects. Ozyegin University reported that all new campus buildings located in Cekmekoy are designed and controlled by independent experts in compliance with both local regulations and internationally agreed standards in terms of building structural safety taking into account seismic risks, and life and fire safety risks. The university is in the process of completing formal procedures to obtain regulatory permits and certificates that will be submitted to IFC. Cekmekoy Campus of Ozyegin University is designed in line with the LEED (Leadership in Energy and Environmental Design) certification requirements, targeting to achieve LEED Gold level certificate and to be the first university in the country operating under green building standards. Ozyegin University plans also achieve to certification to the ISO 9001, ISO 14001 and OHSAS 18001 standards of its quality, environmental, occupational health and safety management systems respectively. Accordingly, formal procedures will be established to regularly review and manage environmental, health and safety (EHS) risks and impacts via implementation of a continuous improvement policy at all campuses. The University will integrate IFC Performance Standards on social and environmental sustainability and World Bank Group EHS guideline compliance into their management systems.

IFC has observed that experienced staff are recruited at Ozyegin University and retained for the construction and engineering and management of environmental and social issues. The contractors are contractually required to work in line with the environmental, health and safety regulations. Ozyegin University will further develop its control mechanism to supervise the contractors’ compliance with the social, environmental and occupational health and safety (OHS) management rules. This will apply to the contractors and sub-contractors involved in both construction and operation of the Project facilities. Trainings for contractors are actually organized and provided by the contractor company’s EHS Engineer under the control of Ozyegin University’s EHS Manager supervising the contractor’s activities. The training program will be enhanced to cover specific topics about construction risks including working at height, lifting and rigging, scaffolding, electrical safety. Ozyegin University will ensure that the totality of the workers receives systematically EHS tranings. Training programs on environment, health and safety will be organized and provided for operational staff and contractors as well under the coordination of the Administrative Services Manager.

Environment, health and safety monitoring programs in existing facilities are set in line with local regulations and internationally agreed standards. These programs will be further developed as identified necessary in line with the regular environmental and health and safety risk and impact assessments and audits which will be conducted quarterly in a year for the operational phase.

Ozyegin University will regularly submit to IFC an Annual Monitoring Report on Environmental and Social Performance prepared in accordance with the IFC’s Performance Standards and World Bank Group Environmental Health and Safety (EHS) guidelines.

Labor Relations: Ozyegin University has a human resources policy promoting employee satisfaction and loyalty through protective human resources applications and professional development, reflecting the University’s multidimensional vision as an egalitarian approach free from any discrimination based on language, religion, race or gender. Employees work through individual contracts although freedom of association is not prohibited or discouraged. The University management reported that there is an open door policy and the staff are free to raise issues also through the employee satisfaction surveys. Ozyegin University will review its internal Human Resources procedures to include formally a structured internal grievance redress mechanisms for its staff as well as its contractors and will ensure that all IFC Performance Standard 2 (PS2) requirements are formalized within the policy and procedures.

At the time of the IFC’s visit, the total number administrative and academic staff was 265. Operational services including maintenance, catering, cleaning, communication, transportation, security, copy and printing are supplied by contractors with a total number of employees amounting to 160. The contractor activities at operational buildings are supervised by the Manager of Administrative Services. No retrenchment is anticipated by the project since Ozyegin University is at expansion phase. The number of staff is expected to increase by 20% in coming three years, in line with the student intakes and the opening of new academic programs.

At the time of the IFC’s visit, on-going Phase II construction at Cekmekoy Campus was undertaken by two main contractor companies with the size of the workforce amounting to 500 workers. 40% of the contractors’ workforce was coming from their own accommodation. The rest were housed at the temporary accommodation units in nearby land, provided by the contractors for their workers. The Sponsor will provide IFC with documentary evidence that necessary measures are taken to maintain labor accommodation facilities into compliance with the appropriate standards.

Occupational Health and Safety: Ozyegin University has in place several programs to ensure occupational health and safety for the employees in its operational campus buildings.

Ozyegin University is targeting OHSAS 18001 certification of its operations. In this context, formal health and safety risk assessments will be conducted and reviewed regularly. Electromagnetic exposure survey will be part of the risk assessment program and will be conducted by agreed experts, as the location of the new campus buildings is close to the transfer lines, the expansion project includes operation of a power center and medium-voltage distribution system within the campus area.

The University has already in place good hygiene monitoring programs which will be equally implemented in the new buildings. In addition to the existing potable water and food safety programs, pool water safety programs will be developed prior to the operation of the Phase II buildings.

Cekmekoy Campus buildings of the Ozyegin University have been designed targeting the provision of high level indoor air quality. In this context, natural ventilation or more than 30% increase of fresh air rates compared to ASHRAE (American Society of Heating, Refrigerating and Air-Conditioning Engineers) 62.1 standard will be provided. Measures to maintain high level indoor quality and comfort include; dedicated air handling units (AHUs) with high efficiency F7 (MERV13) filtration media at mechanically ventilated areas, thermal comfort levels compliant with ASHRAE 55, acoustical measures throughout the facility, no smoking inside the buildings, low VOC emitting materials throughout the building, implementation of a legionella control program.

Robust preventive maintenance programs are already in place in the operational buildings of the University. The programs will be equally implemented in the new buildings. The university management will ensure that at all campuses, safety critical equipment such as pressurized vessels including boilers are operated by certified operators as required by the regulations.

Ozyegin University employs full time doctors in its HR department for staff and students for whom medical emergency services are available day and night.

Ozyegin University will ensure that strong occupational health and safety practices are extended to the contractor work, particularly at construction sites. Labor camps and occupational health unit will be operated in line with the regulations. First aid and other emergency response teams will be established both for construction and operational phase after provision of certified trainings to the staff.

Ozyegin University will include in all contractor agreements the rules on occupational health and safety and other working conditions, in accordance with the IFC’s Performance Standard 2 requirements and will establish regular inspection mechanisms to ensure full compliance to the contract requirements for construction and operational phase contractors.

Resource Conservation and Energy Efficiency: Ozyegin University Campus in Cekmekoy, the subject of the Project has a state of the art design under green building principles to become the first university campus in Turkey with Gold Level LEED certification. Leadership in Energy and Environmental Design (LEED) certification provides independent, third party verification that a building is designed and built using strategies aimed at achieving high performance in key areas of human and environmental health: sustainable site development, water conservation, energy efficiency, materials selection and indoor environmental quality.

Good practices for site usage within LEED standards applied by Ozyegin University include but are not limited to the maximization of landscaped areas with local and/or adapted plantings, heat island effect reduction via green roofs and high albedo materials, access to public transportation via shuttles, rainwater management via permeable areas and rainwater harvesting, availability of electric/hybrid vehicle parking areas.

Water conservation measures include rainwater and gray water reuse, utilization of high efficiency water fixtures and water closets with dual flush, local and/or adapted plant selection for landscaping with drip irrigation.

A broad range of energy efficiency measures will be implemented at Ozyegin University Cekmekoy Campus. As a result, general energy efficiency is expected to be 20% better than the ASHRAE 90.1 Energy Standard for Buildings. For this purpose, high efficiency chillers and cooling towers will be utilized. Refrigerant selections will be made to be environmentally friendly, without ozone depleting effect. High efficiency and low NOx emitting boilers will be installed. Heat recovery ventilation systems with a sophisticated Building Management System will be provided. In addition, high efficiency lighting systems using T5 fluorescent (high efficiency with low-mercury content) and LED bulbs will be used. Lighting power density calculations are compared to ASHRAE 90.1 and computed to be more efficient. Lighting systems are designed in line with the European Norm 12464 about ‘The Lighting of the Workplaces’ for increased comfort. Daylight and occupancy sensors will be installed wherever feasible. Lighting automation and SCADA systems will be implemented. Commissioning and training of buildings’ technical staff will be enhanced to maintain successful operation in line with the LEED standards. Renewable energy (wind) procurement is planned for power supply to the Cekmekoy Campus. 34,5 kV medium-voltage distribution system and a low-voltage utilization system was under development during the visit by IFC.

In terms of materials selection and conservation of other resources, Ozyegin University maximizes the recycled content of construction materials (targeting at least 10% recycled material). Recyclable waste collection points throughout the campuses are already in place in existing buildings and this routine will be implemented in new buildings as well. Ozyegin University targets use of regional materials to the maximum extent (at least 30% targeted). Certified and responsibly sourced materials are utilized where possible and feasible. Durable materials are selected to minimize life cycle and maintenance costs.

Ozyegin University will provide the final expected GHG footprint of the project after the completion of construction, when the buildings at Cekmekoy Campus will be all operational.

Wastes, Emissions and Effluents Management: As part of the LEED program, Ozyegin University Cekmekoy Campus has been designed in a manner to avoid wherever possible utilization of hazardous materials during construction and operational phases. This leads to the minimization of hazardous wastes at source. Construction waste as well as all obsolete electronic equipment, fluorescent tubes/bulbs, batteries, oils, infirmary wastes from operational buildings are collected separately, transported by licensed contractors, recycled or disposed by agreed organizations at approved facilities by the municipality. Municipal sewer system is available at all campuses for the discharge of domestic wastewater. Boilers will be run by natural gas, hence there will be no issue related to particulate matter and SOx emissions while NOx emissions will be minimized through utilization of low NOx burners. The emissions will be regularly monitored for verification of combustion efficiency and maintenance of low NOx levels.

At the new campus buildings and dormitories in Cekmekoy, life and fire safety installations are designed both in line with the local regulations and NFPA standards, including fire hydrant and hose systems, alarms, smoke and heat detectors, automatic sprinkler systems, smoke exhaust systems and other HVAC control mechanisms, evacuation routes, emergency signs and lightings. Each building at Cekmekoy has its own fire disaster scenario developed by a certified independent expert. Fire safety installations are controlled and tested prior to start-up. Ozyegin University will ensure that emergency management plans are approved by Civil Defense and other regulatory authorities as necessary; tests and evacuation drills will be regularly conducted at all existing and new campus buildings and dormitories located in Cekmekoy, Altunizade and Camlica. Ozyegin University will commission an independent expert to review the adequacy of the evacuation means at Altunizade Campus and to recommend and supervise implementation of corrective actions, as necessary.

The majority of the issues concerning community health and safety are discussed in the sections above mentioned and the measures to mitigate the potential impacts are described. Cekmekoy Campus has state of the art design to ensure staff, students, and surrounding communities’ health and safety. The design includes features for disabled access at all academic and social buildings of the Cekmekoy Campus. Construction works are performed in a way to minimize noise and dust emissions. Access to the construction site is well restricted and there is no interference with the traffic zones.

Ozyegin University employs security personnel through a certified contractor company in accordance with the IFC’s PS4 requirements.

As mentioned in the previous sections, Ozyegin University reported about its close relationship with the communities, in order to minimize negative impacts of the construction activities related to its expansion project at Cekmekoy, Istanbul. A formal communication procedure will be established in line with the management system requirements that the University is committed to implement, in order to address community concerns, if any.

Ozyegin University (OzU) is a financially accessible entrepreneurial research university established by Hüsnü M. Özyeğin Foundation in 2007. Husnu M. Ozyegin Foundation is involved in a wide range of social investments in education, health, protection of cultural heritage and rural development. Husnu M. Ozyegin Foundation and Ozyegin University will continue to perform and extend community engagement activities in a structured manner. FIBA Group is the sole benefactor of this foundation and is actually also the core sponsor of Mother and Child Education Foundation conducting research, developing and implementing programs in early childhood, parent training, female literacy and women’s empowerment, particularly in socio-economically disfavored areas.

Ozyegin University states its mission as to create, share, and apply knowledge in the service of society. With its values of academic freedom, flexibility, diversity and accessibility through the provision of scholarships to a large extent, Ozyegin University aims to become a leading university through its innovative education and creative research efforts, embracing a Center for Energy, Environment and Economy (CEEE) having the main objective to study issues related to energy, the environment and the economy in a coherent way, bringing the academia and industry together to work on solutions of problems that matter most to the society. In addition to the advanced engineering research, the Center studies and assesses the potential impact of climate change on the society and the surroundings, and help in drawing policies for effective and clean energy use and their minimum environmental impact for sustainable urban living. The Center management states that the findings of these efforts are disseminated in various ways for the benefit of industry, the business world, academic circles and the society at large.

Cengiz Eryeler
Secretary General
Ozyegin University
T:+90 216 564 9090
http://www.ozyegin.edu.tr

Broad Community Support is not applicable for this project