City goes greener with help from CCI

Tifa Asrianti , The Jakarta Post , Jakarta | Wed, 09/10/2008 11:03 AM | City

Jakarta will soon have a model green building with city administration plans to turn one of its buildings into an ecofriendly site.

The renovation is part of the agreement with Clinton Climate Initiatives (CCI) to tackle the city's environmental issues.

Governor Fauzi Bowo said Tuesday that CCI had agreed to convert the Block G building in the city hall complex into an energy-saving building.

Fauzi said the idea came out during a discussion about ways to improve energy savings in Jakarta's buildings, because the capital still lacked a working model.

"We will conduct a building assessment next year before beginning a gradual renovation. We expect to start the bulk of the construction within the next two or three years. We have a renovation finance opportunity using energy-saving companies which will cooperate with the International Finance Corporation," he told reporters after meeting with Ruby Shang and Alexandra Barnes from CCI.

CCI is serving as the exclusive implementing partner of the C40 Climate Leadership Group, an association of large cities around the world which have pledged to accelerate efforts to reduce greenhouse gas emissions. The Jakarta administration is a member.

Fauzi explained that a green building not only would save energy but would also set a standard for waste management and energy usage. The building renovation would include installation of solar panels to provide energy at several points, he said.

"We will set the air conditioners so temperatures will fit to the room's usage. We will install censors so unoccupied rooms will automatically power down, saving electricity," he said.

Fauzi said all building owners in the city would modify their buildings to be more ecofriendly buildings once the administration had the model Block G building up and running.

Besides this renovation, the city administration would also sign agreements with CCI about the management of solid waste and waste water, controlling emissions and clean ports.

He said, with methane gas from burnt solid waste affecting the climate, the city administration had also discussed with CCI the possibility of gas capture applications.

"We need CCI's assistance with this. The Sanitation Agency will sign a memorandum of understanding with CCI," he said.

The city administration is also in the procurement state in its plans to expand Bantargebang dump. The expansion, which will be equipped with high-technology waste management, is expected to provide electricity and reduce methane gas.

Fauzi said CCI would also assist the administration in making work plans and action plans to reduce emissions and waste water during the next three to four years. The MoU on clean ports should help the city clean up the environment around the port, he said.

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