News
Driving Low-Carbon Transition: GGGI and BOMA Indonesia Advance Net-Zero Commercial Buildings
Jakarta, Indonesia, April 17, 2024 – Over 200 stakeholders, including government officials, industry leaders, building professionals, and private companies, gathered in Jakarta for a national seminar aimed at raising awareness on the importance of integrating green building principles into Indonesia’s commercial building sector.
Titled “Towards Net-Zero Commercial Buildings: Energy Efficiency and Green Building Integration,” the event was organized by the Global Green Growth Institute (GGGI) held at Sheraton Hotel, Gandaria City, through the Asia Low Carbon Buildings Transition (ALCBT) project, in collaboration with the Building Owners and Managers Association Indonesia, the American Society of Heating, Refrigerating and Air-Conditioning Engineers (ASHRAE) Indonesia Chapter, and the Collaborative Labeling and Appliance Standards Program (CLASP).
“The building sector is one of the largest contributors to emissions in Indonesia. This has become a serious concern for the Government in encouraging various stakeholders to support emission reduction, including through capacity building training for stakeholders,” said Dewi Chomistriana, Director General of Human Settlements at the Ministry of Public Works, during her opening remarks.
Representatives from the Ministry of Public Works and the Ministry of Energy and Mineral Resources emphasized the importance of cross-sector collaboration in emission reduction efforts. Highlighting tangible progress, a spokesperson from the Jakarta Human Settlements, Spatial Planning, and Land Affairs Agency highlighted that 165 buildings in Jakarta have already committed to reducing emissions by 10%, demonstrating the capital’s progress. The agency further encouraged commercial building owners to pursue green building certification, aligning with Indonesia’s broader climate targets.
“Measuring embodied carbon, such as carbon from building construction and types of materials used, is an important consideration for policymaking in the building sector,” highlighted Ambolas Manalu, GGGI Senior Associate for Energy Efficiency.
The event is part of a larger regional effort by the ALCBT project to reduce emissions from the building sector. Through this event, the project aims to mobilize building owners, managers, and key stakeholders to begin adopting green principles, even amid challenges like limited budgets, regulatory uncertainties, and pressure to maintain short-term profitability. By promoting education, collaboration, and access to technical resources, ALCBT seeks to demonstrate that low carbon building adoption is not only environmentally responsible but also economically viable.
Transforming the Building Sector in Indonesia
Green buildings are increasingly vital to Indonesia’s climate and development agenda. As one of the largest final energy consumers and largest contributors to greenhouse gas emissions, the building sector presents a high-impact opportunity for sustainable transformation.
Amid rapid urbanization, commercial buildings in Indonesia consume large amounts of energy and generate substantial emissions. Green buildings offer practical solutions by significantly improving energy efficiency, reducing operational costs, enhancing occupant well-being, and supporting national and international climate goals. They also contribute to long-term economic resilience by future-proofing infrastructure against climate risks.
Implementing green and low-carbon commercial buildings that incorporate climate-responsive design strategies (such as natural ventilation, daylighting, and proper building orientation), low-carbon materials, and energy-efficient building systems and operations represent a strategic step to accelerate the transition towards a low-carbon economy. This approach supports Indonesia’s broader climate change mitigation efforts while also promoting more sustainable building practices across the commercial sector.
Through the ALCBT project and its ongoing collaboration with government agencies and industry stakeholders, GGGI remains committed to supporting Indonesia’s transition toward sustainable built environment, ultimately achieving Indonesia’s climate targets and advancing sustainable, livable cities for the future.
————————————
About ALCBT
The Asia Low Carbon Buildings Transition (ALCBT) Project seeks to significantly reduce GHG emissions by catalyzing nationwide transitions towards low-carbon buildings in Cambodia, India, Indonesia, Thailand, and Vietnam.
In Indonesia, the project is supporting the Government of Indonesia’s efforts to achieve its Net-Zero Emission target by 2060 through low-carbon building adoption through building emission assessment tools development, capacity building, regulatory strengthening, and financing facilitation.
For more information, visit: https://alcbt.gggi.org
