PERMENPUPR 21/2021: Green Building Performance Assessment Framework

Peraturan Menteri Pekerjaan Umum dan Perumahan Rakyat Nomor 21 Tahun 2021 tentang Penilaian Kinerja Bangunan Gedung Hijau ("PERMENPUPR 21/2021") establishes Indonesia's official framework for green building certification and performance assessment. Enacted on March 31, 2021, and effective April 1, 2021, this regulation creates a standardized rating system for evaluating buildings' environmental performance across energy, water, materials, indoor environmental quality, and site sustainability.

Green Building Definition and Assessment Principles

PERMENPUPR 21/2021 defines "Bangunan Gedung Hijau" (Green Buildings) as structures designed, constructed, and operated to:

1. Minimize environmental impact throughout their lifecycle
2. Optimize resource efficiency (energy, water, materials)
3. Protect occupant health and productivity
4. Integrate with surrounding ecosystems
5. Support climate change mitigation and adaptation

The regulation establishes six core assessment criteria:

Tepat Guna Lahan (Appropriate Land Use): Site selection, ecological preservation, stormwater management, heat island reduction, transportation access

Efisiensi dan Konservasi Energi (Energy Efficiency and Conservation): Building envelope performance, HVAC systems, lighting, renewable energy integration, energy monitoring

Konservasi Air (Water Conservation): Water-efficient fixtures, rainwater harvesting, greywater recycling, landscape irrigation, leak detection

Sumber dan Siklus Material (Materials and Resources): Recycled/local materials, construction waste management, product certifications, lifecycle assessment

Kesehatan dan Kenyamanan Dalam Ruangan (Indoor Environmental Quality): Ventilation, daylighting, thermal comfort, acoustic performance, low-emission materials

Manajemen Lingkungan Bangunan (Building Environmental Management): Green facility management plans, occupant education, operations optimization, documentation

Rating System and Certification Levels

Buildings are assessed on a 100-point scale across the six criteria, with certification awarded at four levels:

• Pratama (Bronze): 51-60 points - Basic green building compliance
• Silver: 61-70 points - Good environmental performance
• Gold: 71-85 points - High environmental performance
• Platinum: 86-100 points - Exceptional sustainability leadership

Certification is valid for three years, after which buildings must undergo reassessment to maintain their rating. This ensures ongoing performance rather than one-time design compliance.

Mandatory vs. Voluntary Application

PERMENPUPR 21/2021 mandates green building certification for:

1. All new government buildings (offices, hospitals, schools)
2. Government-funded infrastructure projects above specified thresholds
3. Buildings seeking government incentives (tax breaks, expedited permits, development bonuses)

For private sector buildings, certification is voluntary but incentivized through:
- Property tax reductions (up to 25% for Platinum certification)
- Floor area ratio (FAR) bonuses (additional 10-20% buildable area)
- Expedited building permit processing
- Preferential access to green financing

This mixed approach balances public sector leadership with market-driven private adoption.

Assessment Process and Certification

The green building assessment process involves:

1. Registration: Building owners register projects with designated Green Building Certification Agencies
2. Design Review: Preliminary assessment of design documentation demonstrating compliance with target certification level
3. Construction Monitoring: Site visits during construction to verify implementation of green features
4. Commissioning: Functional testing of building systems to confirm performance targets
5. Final Assessment: Comprehensive evaluation of completed building against all criteria
6. Certificate Issuance: Award of certification level based on final score
7. Post-Occupancy Verification: Monitoring of actual building performance for one year to validate energy and water consumption predictions

Certification agencies must be accredited by the Ministry of PUPR and employ assessors certified in green building evaluation methodologies.

Energy Performance as Core Criterion

Given Indonesia's rapidly growing electricity demand and climate commitments, energy efficiency receives the highest weighting in the assessment framework:

Passive Design Strategies: Orientation, shading, natural ventilation, daylighting
Building Envelope: High-performance glazing, insulation, air sealing
HVAC Systems: High-efficiency chillers, heat recovery, demand-based controls
Lighting: LED technology, daylight integration, occupancy sensors
Renewable Energy: Rooftop solar, building-integrated photovoltaics, biomass
Monitoring and Controls: Building management systems, sub-metering, real-time optimization

Buildings achieving 30% energy savings versus baseline standards qualify for Silver, 40% for Gold, and 50%+ for Platinum certification.

Water Conservation Imperatives

Indonesia faces increasing water stress in urban areas, making water conservation a critical focus:

Indoor Water Efficiency: Low-flow fixtures, waterless urinals, efficient appliances
Outdoor Water Management: Drought-tolerant landscaping, drip irrigation, soil moisture sensors
Alternative Water Sources: Rainwater harvesting for non-potable uses, greywater recycling
Wastewater Treatment: On-site treatment and reuse systems

Platinum-certified buildings often achieve 50%+ reductions in potable water consumption compared to conventional buildings.

Sustainable Materials and Waste Management

The regulation incentivizes circular economy approaches:

Material Selection: Recycled content, rapidly renewable materials, FSC-certified wood, local sourcing (within 800 km)
Construction Waste: Diversion of 75%+ construction waste from landfills through recycling/reuse
Operational Waste: Comprehensive recycling programs, composting, hazardous waste management
Lifecycle Thinking: Material durability, disassembly potential, end-of-life planning

Indoor Environmental Quality and Occupant Health

Recognizing that Indonesians spend 80-90% of time indoors, the regulation emphasizes occupant well-being:

Air Quality: High-efficiency filtration, CO2 monitoring, low-VOC materials, green cleaning protocols
Thermal Comfort: ASHRAE 55 compliance, personal controls, adaptive comfort strategies
Daylighting: Access to views and natural light for 75%+ of occupied spaces
Acoustics: Sound transmission reduction, background noise limits, speech intelligibility

Studies show green-certified buildings improve occupant productivity by 5-15% and reduce sick leave by 10-25%, creating substantial economic value beyond energy savings.

Market Impact and Adoption Trends

Since PERMENPUPR 21/2021's enactment, Indonesia's green building market has accelerated:

• Over 500 buildings certified (as of 2025)
• Approximately 25 million m² of green building space
• Concentrated in Jakarta, Surabaya, Bandung, Medan
• Emerging adoption in secondary cities (Makassar, Balikpapan, Manado)
• Property value premiums of 10-20% for certified buildings
• Rental rate premiums of 5-15%

Leading sectors include:
- Commercial offices (40% of certifications)
- Hospitality (hotels, resorts) (25%)
- Retail (shopping malls) (15%)
- Industrial (factories, warehouses) (10%)
- Residential (condominiums) (10%)

Challenges and Future Development

PERMENPUPR 21/2021 implementation faces several challenges:

Awareness: Limited understanding among small/medium developers
Costs: Perception of high upfront costs (despite lifecycle savings)
Capacity: Shortage of certified assessors outside major cities
Data: Lack of localized performance benchmarks for tropical climates

To address these, the Ministry of PUPR is developing:
- Training programs for green building professionals
- Financial incentive expansion (green bonds, preferential loans)
- Simplified certification pathways for small buildings
- Indonesian Green Building Council (GBCI) partnership strengthening

Conclusion

PERMENPUPR 21/2021 positions Indonesia as a regional leader in green building regulation, alongside Singapore's Green Mark and Malaysia's GreenRE. By mandating certification for government buildings while incentivizing private sector adoption, the regulation balances regulatory leadership with market flexibility. As Indonesia pursues carbon neutrality by 2060 and buildings account for 30% of national emissions, green building standards become essential climate policy instruments. PERMENPUPR 21/2021 provides the framework for transforming Indonesia's building stock from resource-intensive to regenerative, supporting both environmental sustainability and economic prosperity.

Sumber Hukum: PERMENPUPR 21/2021 di BPK

Peraturan Terkait: PERMENPUPR 2/2015 (Bangunan Gedung Hijau), PP 16/2021 (Penyelenggaraan Bangunan Gedung)

Sektor: Green Building, Sustainability, Environmental Standards

Status Regulasi: Aktif

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