LocationsRebuilding with Transparency: The Clean Construction System in Gaziantep
December 30, 2024
On 6 February 2023, Türkiye faced one of the most devastating earthquakes in its history, leaving thousands of buildings and infrastructure in ruins. The scale of the destruction underscored a critical need for effective and transparent rebuilding processes. Now, as the country embarks on a massive reconstruction effort, one thing has become abundantly clear: transparency is key.
Following the devastating earthquakes in the south, UNDP Türkiye Accelerator Lab (AccLab) focused on recovery activities, including debris management with innovative technologies, an ethnographic study considering the needs and mobility motivations in the earthquake zone, mapping of actors working in the region, and participatory mapping of service sectors in the region. Also, AccLab decided to contribute to the recovery efforts by supporting the usage of the Clean Construction System in Türkiye, to ensure transparency, accountability, and efficiency in public construction projects.
In Gaziantep, where districts like Nurdağı and İslahiye were hit hardest by the quake, there’s an urgent demand for accurate and reliable information about rebuilding efforts.
That’s where the Clean Construction System comes in – an innovative digital solution aimed at making the rebuilding process as transparent and efficient as possible.
Photo by Saad Salim on Unsplash
What Is the Clean Construction System?
The Clean Construction System is a platform that was originally developed by the Seoul Metropolitan Government of the Republic of Korea. The platform sought to infuse the country’s advanced IT industry innovations into construction processes. With this system, construction work processes in Seoul are now managed, operated, and opened to public through a series of interlinked systems.
The United Nations Development Programme (UNDP) Türkiye with the seed funding and technical support from UNDP Seoul Policy Centre (USPC) and in collaboration with Gaziantep Metropolitan Municipality is now working to adopt this system to meet the specific needs of Türkiye, particularly in the wake of the recent earthquakes, together with a local tech company called Turkguven Yazılım. The system is expected to boost transparency, accountability, and efficiency in public construction projects in Gaziantep.
Why Does This Matter?
In the aftermath of the earthquakes, it’s clear that rebuilding isn’t just about laying bricks and mortar – it’s about rebuilding trust. People need to know that the reconstruction efforts are being carried out responsibly, with full transparency, and with minimal opportunity for corruption. The Clean Construction System promises to do just that with its construction information disclosure system called Allimi. By using this platform, citizens can track the progress of construction projects in real-time. They can see exactly where materials are coming from, how labor is being allocated, and what the current status of each project is.
Photo: DC Studio, Freepik
How Does It Work?
The Clean Construction System is pretty much like a digital blueprint for managing public construction projects. Thanks to the public portal, citizens can track how their city’s reconstruction is progressing in a transparent manner. Whether it’s a school, hospital, or housing project, anyone can see what’s going on at any given moment. The system also makes it easier to communicate with citizens.
While the Clean Construction System is a technological innovation, its impact goes beyond just making construction more efficient. It’s about rebuilding trust with the public, especially in times of crisis. By making the construction process transparent and accountable, the system ensures that citizens are not only informed but also able to provide feedback and hold relevant authorities accountable.
Adapting the Clean Construction System to Türkiye: A Step Towards Transparency and Community-Driven Urban Development
When it comes to adapting global solutions to local contexts, the devil is in the details. It’s not just about replicating what has worked elsewhere; it's about understanding the unique challenges and opportunities within a specific community, then tailoring a system that aligns with local needs, cultural nuances, and legal frameworks. This is especially true when implementing something as complex as the Clean Construction System, a sustainable initiative already in use in over 10 countries. In Türkiye, the system is planned to be carefully adapted to fit the local landscape, and several key steps are ensuring its success.
Step 1: Understanding Local Needs through a Needs Analysis
Before rolling out any system, it's essential to first ask: What exactly does this community need? This means looking at more than just technical specifications; it’s about understanding the local context - everything from the legal environment to the capabilities of the local infrastructure.
For the Clean Construction System, the journey starts with a deep dive into the specifics of Gaziantep, a key city that will be part of the pilot project. The Gaziantep Metropolitan Municipality is crucial to this process. Through in-depth discussions with them, the project team gains insights into the municipality’s internal structure, its departments, the personnel available to manage the project, and the software tools already in use. This information is vital for assessing how well the existing systems can integrate with the Clean Construction System, and it lays the groundwork for a localization plan that is both realistic and context-sensitive.
Currently, the needs analysis is underway, with a special focus on how the Clean Construction System can complement Gaziantep's existing infrastructure and digital tools. This collaborative approach ensures that any adaptations are made with full awareness of local realities, avoiding unnecessary disruptions or misalignments.
Step 2: Identifying Potential Challenges and Opportunities
Once the needs analysis is complete, the next step is to evaluate how the system will function within the local environment. This involves assessing the capacity and potential of key players like the Gaziantep Building and Construction Department, which will play a pivotal role in the system's implementation.
Understanding the department’s technical capacity, its existing workflows, and the barriers it may face in adopting a new system will help clarify how the Clean Construction System can be smoothly integrated into local operations. This analysis also highlights the types of data that will need to be processed, the technical infrastructure required, and any necessary modifications to ensure the system’s effectiveness.
It’s important to remember that successful implementation isn't just about having the right technology in place—it’s about making sure the people who will use the system have the tools, training, and support they need to get the job done.
Step 3: Building Local Capacity through Training
After assessing the technical capacity and identifying key barriers, the next step is to develop a tailored localization plan. This plan will outline how the Clean Construction System will integrate into the existing systems of the municipality and construction sector, as well as how data will be collected and managed.
One of the core components of the localization plan is training. The Gaziantep Metropolitan Municipality and other relevant stakeholders will need comprehensive training on how to operate and manage the system effectively. Without proper training, even the most advanced system will fail to deliver its intended impact. The localization plan will therefore include a detailed training schedule, ensuring that everyone involved - from technical staff to end users - understands how to work with the new system.
Photo: Freepik
The Bigger Picture: A Transparent, Community-Centered Future
While these technical steps are essential, they’re only part of a much larger story. In the wake of the 2023 earthquakes, Türkiye is facing the monumental task of rebuilding its cities. Initiatives like the Clean Construction System are part of the solution, helping to create a future where citizens can trust the systems that govern urban development. The system will help establish a more transparent relationship between local authorities, construction companies, and the public - a crucial step in ensuring that urban rebuilding efforts are both effective and accountable.
By the time the project is completed in 2025, the goal is to have a fully localized Clean Construction System in place. This transparency-driven approach aims to provide citizens with the tools they need to be active participants in the development of their cities, creating a more inclusive, informed, and empowered society.