Soofia T. Elias-Ozkan and Françoise Summers

     Since 2002, the Kerkenes Eco-Center hosts research and activities focused on the reduction of energy consumption and improvement of village life. The aim is to secure a sustainable future through the promotion of renewable energy, appropriate building materials and techniques, and water and waste management. The eco-center has been a center of innovation and research working with local villagers and school children, architecture students from the Middle East Tehnical University (METU) and archaeologists studying the remains of the ancient city on the Kerkenes Dag. Most of the research and experimental buildings have been made possible by the close collaboration between the different team members and stakeholders as well as the support of several partners interested in archaeology, ecological architecture, environmental design research or the development of rural areas.

     In 2014, archaeological excavation at Kerkenes continued under the direction of the Yozgat Museum while separate activities at the eco-center were conducted by the METU Kerkenes Eco-Center Project team. Rehabilitation of the old Sahmuratli Village school was supported by local authorities. This provided new facilities to accommodate larger groups of students taking part in Hands-on activities. Ongoing research on environmental design, appropriate building materials and techniques, and energy efficiency, as well as educational activities, were funded by a METU BAP grant and generous donations from corporate sponsors. Researchers have used the facilities all year round to monitor the performance of buildings and energy efficiency during each of the four seasons. New experiments on the use of ecological building materials were conducted while METU architecture students took part in three Hands-on sessions. A grant from the Ankara International Charity Committee funded a new program of local and solar cooked products prepared by women from Sahmuratli and neighbouring villages together with the promotion of these products at events organized in Kerkenes, Sorgun and Ankara.

     The purpose of the Kerkenes Eco-Center is s of energy; To act as a stimulus and a catalyst for environment-friendly building with appropriate materials and to promote sustainability through environmental studies. It pursues the following objectives:

• To advocate the use of renewable source energy efficient designs;
• To act as a dynamic experimental base for testing designs, materials and activities suitable for viable and sustainable village life.
• To encourage village development and income generating activities that might halt and even reverse migration from rural areas to the cities.