Türkiye to accelerate construction sector's green and digital transformation

Türkiye will significantly advance its construction sector's simultaneous green and digital transformation in 2026 through a comprehensive initiative designed to strengthen the global competitiveness of Turkish contracting and engineering firms. According to the recently released Presidential Annual Program, the "twin transformation" strategy will prioritize renewable resource integration, supply chain reinforcement, and cost-competitive low-carbon building material production while elevating the industry's technological capabilities.

Post-Earthquake Reconstruction and Industry Challenges

The ongoing urban transformation and reconstruction efforts in southeastern Türkiye, severely affected by the February 2023 earthquakes, will continue driving construction sector activity throughout the coming year. Despite sustained growth, the industry confronts multiple challenges including cost pressures, financial access limitations, skilled labor shortages, raw material supply disruptions, geopolitical tensions, and protectionist policies that have created market volatility and sub-sector fluctuations.

Technological Integration and Certification Systems

The transformation program emphasizes emerging technologies including carbon-neutral concrete, artificial intelligence applications, 3D-printed structures, recycled smart materials enhancing energy efficiency, and unmanned aerial vehicle monitoring systems. These innovations are expected to reduce construction costs and risks while requiring adaptation to evolving international standards. To support this transition, authorities will establish a national green certification system to verify environmentally sustainable buildings and settlements while expanding the inventory of certified structures nationwide.

Educational Reform and Global Projections

University curricula for architecture and engineering programs will undergo substantial updates to equip professionals with expertise in building information modeling, circular economy principles, energy efficiency, and management disciplines including legal compliance, contract administration, and project risk management. The educational enhancements align with Türkiye's impressive global contracting record of 12,627 projects valued at $543.6 billion across 137 countries, with railway projects constituting 26.1% and road, tunnel, and bridge projects accounting for 14.1% of this international portfolio. Projections for 2026 anticipate global technical consulting services reaching $210 million and contracting services achieving $28 billion in business volume.