BİLAL DENİZ ÖZCAN

From Waste Management to Energy Management: A Transformation Process in Üsküdar

Abstract

Energy management is shaped not only by technical solutions at the local level but also by a holistic approach to urban systems. The initiatives developed in Üsküdar in the field of waste and resource management—including source separation, on-site recycling, and behavior-change-based practices—have laid a strong foundation that indirectly influences energy consumption. This approach, built on field experience, demonstrates that the transition to energy management is possible not by starting from scratch, but by transforming existing systems. Initiating the institutional energy management process and supporting it with youth-focused innovative solutions ensures that local governments position themselves not merely as implementers in this field, but as actors who design the transformation and develop scalable models.

Biography

He was born in 1979 in Helaldı Village, Türkeli District, Sinop Province. He completed his primary education in Bandırma, and his secondary and high school education at Vefa High School. He completed his undergraduate education in Industrial Engineering and entered the workforce. After working for 4 years at an education and consulting firm, he started working at Üsküdar Municipality in 2009 as a Project Manager. He has been continuing his duties as a Manager since 2019. Özcan is married and the father of two princesses. • From Waste Management to Energy Management: A Transformation Process in Üsküdar Energy management, at the local level, is shaped not only by technical solutions but also by a holistic approach to urban systems. The practices developed in Üsküdar in the field of waste and resource management; based on source separation, on-site transformation, and behavioral change, have created a strong foundation that indirectly affects energy consumption. This approach, built upon field experience, shows that the transition to energy management is possible not from scratch, but by transforming existing systems. Initiating the corporate energy management process and supporting it with youth-focused innovative solutions enables local governments to position themselves not only as implementers but also as actors who design the transformation and develop scalable models in this field.