BTN Ready to Finance 150,000 Low-carbon Emission Houses

TEMPO.CO, Jakarta - PT Bank Tabungan Negara (Persero) Tbk (BTN) is boosting the development of Low-Carbon Emission Houses as part of its efforts to support the government's commitment to providing more houses that are proper, healthy, and environmentally friendly. Through the initiative, the bank is eyeing to finance at least 150,000 low-carbon emission houses by 2029.

Hashim S. Djojohadikusumo, Head of the Housing Task Force under President-elect Prabowo Subianto, says that his side fully supports the BTN initiative to push for low-carbon emission housing development. Hashim says the initiative is in line with the new government's plan to build 1 million houses in urban areas and 2 million houses in rural areas across Indonesia in the next five years.

"By building Low-Carbon Emission Houses, we can increase the supply of livable and quality homes, while providing a better environment for future generations. This initiative will also encourage the green economy to become more affordable, as demand for environmentally friendly components will increase," Hashim says during the launch of the Low-Carbon Emission Housing Pilot Project at Mutiara Gading City housing complex, Bekasi, Thursday, 29th August 2024.

On the same occasion, President Director of BTN, Nixon LP Napitupulu says that household buildings and activities are one of the largest contributors to carbon emissions, including from energy use, and construction, to maintenance and care. To create a better environment for future generations, Nixon says, BTN took the initiative to spur the availability of Low-Carbon Emission Houses.

According to Nixon, the move is also a form of BTN's commitment to responding to the challenges of climate change and encouraging a sustainable national housing ecosystem. "This year, we will have 1,000 Low-Carbon Emission Houses using at least 10 percent environmentally friendly materials. Gradually, there will be 150,000 houses made of 30 percent eco-friendly materials by 2029," explained Nixon.

In the pilot project, BTN uses environmentally friendly materials in the form of floor decking containing 3.6 kilograms (kg) of plastic waste. The project will also use paving blocks containing 2 kg of plastic waste per 1 square meter.

Nixon says that with the gradual target until 2029, it will contribute to the reduction of more than 1.7 million kilograms of plastic waste. In addition, carbon emissions will also be reduced by 2.42 tons of CO2. This impact is equivalent to planting 110,000 trees and 323 hectares of emission absorption.

In addition to using environmentally friendly building materials, BTN also pushes developers who build Low-Carbon Emission Houses to ensure they follow several standards. Among them are efficiency in the use of energy, water, waste management, and pollution reduction.

For energy efficiency, the eco-friendly house is required to have plenty of ventilation, high ceilings, and a window-to-wall ratio of 15 percent to 30 percent. These standards are set so that there is good air circulation. Water efficiency is carried out through the use of small debit taps, good sanitation processing, infiltration wells, and clean water from the Regional Drinking Water Company (PDAM).

For waste management, low-emission houses are required to have sorting bins. Meanwhile, to reduce pollution, developers are urged to plant one carbon-absorbing plant per house. In addition, pollution reduction will be done by using a minimum of 10 percent environmentally friendly materials on walls and floors and building green open spaces of 10 percent of the total area of the housing complex. "We believe that decent, healthy, and environmentally friendly housing will improve the quality of life of the people living there," Nixon says.

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