Langsa- Universitas Indonesia GreenMetric (UIGM) is a continuous endeavor undertaken by campuses to implement programs and policies based on the principles of environmental friendliness, economic viability, and equality. The University of Indonesia (UI) introduced the World University Ranking in 2010, which is widely recognized as the “UI GreenMetric World University Rankings.” The establishment of these rankings serves the purpose of fostering sustainability in the realm of education and campus greening. Additionally, they promote universities as influential agents of social change in relation to sustainability goals.
Moreover, the rankings serve as a means of informing governmental bodies, local and international environmental agencies, as well as the general public about the sustainable programs and initiatives being undertaken on university campuses. Universities worldwide that demonstrate a strong commitment to environmental sustainability are eligible to participate in the annual ranking conducted by UI GreenMetric. Universitas Samudra (UNSAM) is one of the campuses that exemplifies a significant dedication to environmental sustainability issues.
On Tuesday, May 23, 2023, Universitas Samudra organized a webinar titled “Challenges & Opportunities in Research and Technology Development to Reduce Greenhouse Gas Emissions Towards a Sustainable Campus.” The webinar was held in collaboration with UI GreenMetric (UIGM). The Zoom meeting commenced with an opening speech delivered by Prof. Dr. Ir. Hamdani, M.T., the Chancellor of Universitas Samudra, and Prof. Dr. Ir. Riri Fitri Sari, M.Sc, M.M., the Chair of the UI GreenMetric World University Rankings.
The webinar on energy and climate change organized by Universitas Samudra featured esteemed resource persons who shared their expertise. The resource persons included Prof. Dr. Mahidin, S.T., M.T., a lecturer at Syiah Kuala University, Dr. Teguh Husodo, M.Sc., the Head of the Center for Environmental Safety, Security, and Order at Padjadjaran University, and Heri Haryanto, S.T., M.T., a lecturer at Sultan Ageng Tirtayasa University. Their valuable insights contributed to the enriching discussions during the webinar.
In his remarks, Prof. Hamdani highlighted the importance of maintaining a sustainable environment at UNSAM and shared the outcomes of a thoughtful reflection on the concept of UI GreenMetric (UIGM) in relation to Universitas Samudra’s opportunities for technology development in reducing greenhouse gas emissions and creating a sustainable campus. UNSAM, having achieved the 63rd position in UIGM, remains enthusiastic and dedicated to continuous improvement in developing a green and conducive campus environment, with a strong emphasis on sustainability.
UNSAM remains committed to preserving an environmentally friendly campus and has implemented various initiatives to reduce greenhouse gas emissions. One notable effort includes extensive tree planting throughout the campus. Additionally, UNSAM prioritizes the construction and management of buildings in accordance with green building principles. This entails incorporating large air ventilation systems and optimal lighting to minimize the entry of ultraviolet exposure within the buildings. Moreover, UNSAM utilizes LED lights throughout its facilities and integrates solar panels as an alternative source of electricity. These measures collectively contribute to the university’s sustainable practices and commitment to reducing its environmental footprint.
During the webinar, Prof. Dr. Riri, as the head of the UI GreenMetric World University Rankings, took the opportunity to provide a comprehensive introduction to GreenMetric. This included explaining the purpose behind the establishment of the institute and highlighting the track record of activities organized by UI GreenMetric. Looking ahead to 2023, UI GreenMetric has planned a series of national and international events that will be implemented in several prominent campuses across Indonesia. Prof. Riri emphasized the excellent coordination between campuses in Indonesia, which enables the collective preparation to expand the green culture to a broader scope.
In alignment with Prof. Hamdani’s remarks, Prof. Mahidin emphasized the significance of developing technology for capturing and storing carbon emissions. The incorporation of carbon capture, utilization, and storage (CCUS) technology plays a crucial role in enhancing the beauty and comfort of the campus while transitioning toward new energy sources. Various components of the CCUS system possess different levels of technological maturity, which presents challenges in terms of achieving commercialization in major CO2-emitting industrial sectors such as power generation, chemical production, cement manufacturing, iron and steel production, and others. This is particularly relevant for the capture and storage of CO2 in geological formations or other technologically related applications.
In his presentation, Dr. Teguh Husodo, M.Sc., the Head of the Environmental K3 Center at Padjadjaran University, shared crucial information. He highlighted that the demand for electrical energy is projected to increase by 23% in 2025 and 31% in 2050. However, the renewable energy (NRE) mix currently only accounts for less than 30% of the energy sources. This indicates that Indonesia still faces challenges in achieving a 29% reduction in energy consumption by 2030. Universities play a vital role in the transition towards renewable energy sources on a local scale, as well as in reducing electricity consumption and mitigating climate change.
Dr. Teguh also mentioned the importance of the Pentahelix collaboration, which involves academia, industry, government, community, and media. This collaborative approach facilitates the development and transition towards renewable energy sources through joint research efforts and climate change mitigation initiatives. The performance of higher education institutions in environmental sustainability can be evaluated using the UI GreenMetric Indicator in the future, providing a framework for assessing their contributions in this area.
The final guest speaker at the UIGM webinar was Heri Haryanto, S.T., M.T., a lecturer at Sultan Ageng Tirtayasa University. He shared that Sultan Ageng Tirtayasa University (UNTIRTA) has actively embraced the UIGM concept in the development of its campus buildings. Despite being situated in an area surrounded by oil palm plantations, UNSAM has made significant strides in incorporating and implementing the UIGM principles throughout its building construction process. As a result, UNSAM possesses great potential to achieve a top 10 ranking in the UI GreenMetric nationally in the future. (UNSAM HUMAS)