Strength in Unity: Indonesian Cities Coordinate with Ministries on Green Building Implementation

Indonesia’s green building movement is gaining momentum as cities and ministries work together to drive sustainability efforts at the local level.

At GBPN’s most recent event in Jakarta, key stakeholders from the Ministry of Public Works, Ministry of Energy and Mineral Resources, Ministry of Home Affairs, and City Government Officials gathered to discuss practical steps in implementing green building policies at the local level. The event was held as the next step to advance implementation of the National Roadmap for Green Building Implementation launched late last year. The event introduced the legal framework from the three ministries to the city government to ensure they can adopt green building implementation and provide feedback to the national government.  

In her keynote speech, Dr. Dewi Chomistriana, S.T., M.Sc., Director General of Human Settlements (DG Cipta Karya), Ministry of Public Works, emphasized the need to lead by example to successfully implement green building policies at local level.

“Green buildings are not just about regulations or documents but also about implementing its action plans and providing real benefits that improve people’s lives” Dr Chomistriana said. 

“We must communicate these benefits in everyday language so that everyone understands the value of sustainability. The powerful narrative of green building on actual electricity savings from energy efficient features is an effective example to communicate with everyone.”

“We encourage all stakeholders to lead by example, taking the role of front runners for green buildings adoption for their offices or their homes. This will strengthen the message on the importance of changing our behaviour in building operations practices to the local government. While also making sure that our effort in energy efficiency is measurable.”

The event captured strong interest from city leaders, as expressed by General Functional Expert at the Bandung City Spatial Planning Service, Fitri Nurramdani.

“In Bandung City, Green Building Requirements are integrated into the Mayoral Decree as path of the building permit process,” Ms. Nurramdani said. 

“The city updates its building standard every two years to stay aligned with sustainability goals. Now with the National Roadmap launched and prepared to be implemented, we look forward to updating it.”

Fajar Hutahaean, Head of the Green Building Secretariat, Ministry of Public Works, highlighted the significance of legal coordination in supporting city governments.

GBPN’s role in bridging the gap between policy and implementation was underscored, ensuring that best practices and technical expertise are shared widely.

Farida Lasida Adji, GBPN Indonesia Managing Director, emphasized the importance of these partnerships in accelerating change.

“Strong collaboration between cities and ministries ensures that policies are not just designed but successfully implemented on the ground,” Mrs Lasida Adji said.

The event highlighted the importance of strong collaboration between ministries and local governments and having a strong legal framework to support this collaboration. This collaborative approach is key to successfully implementing green and healthy buildings, and accelerate the transition to more resilient built environments. 

GBPN will continue to work with the city governments as the next step to implement green building regulations and implementation alongside the Green Building Secretariat. 

The event was followed with a focus group discussion between city government officials, Ministry of Public Works staff, and GBPN Experts to identify the key factors that enable local governments to adopt the National Green Building Implementation Roadmap.