Jakarta Garden City is first residential development in Indonesia to achieve the BCA Green Mark Gold Award

Jakarta Garden City, developed by one of Asia's premier property developers, Keppel Land Limited (Keppel Land), is raising the bar for green developments in Indonesia by becoming the first residential development in the country to be conferred the Green Mark Gold Award by the Building and Construction Authority (BCA) of Singapore.

Committed to high green standards across the region, in 2009, Keppel Land was also the first developer in Vietnam to receive the Green Mark Gold Award for its residential development, The Estella, located in Ho Chi Minh City.

Incorporating some of the latest green technology, Jakarta Garden City is expected to achieve overall savings of 43% and 14% in energy and water consumption respectively, resulting in savings of about 1.87 billion IDR (approximately S$287,500) each year.

Mr Lim Seng Bin, President Director of PT Mitra Sindo Sukses, the Keppel Land-led joint venture company behind Jakarta Garden City, said, "With rapid urbanisation and environmental concerns, Indonesians are becoming more eco-conscious and seek homes which can achieve energy and cost savings while benefit the environment at the same time.

"At Jakarta Garden City, we are committed to setting benchmarks for a desirable live-work-play-learn in an integrated township with a vibrant and eco-conscious community."

Mr Tan Tian Chong, Director of Technology Development, BCA, said, "We are glad that the BCA Green Mark scheme is increasingly adopted by building projects beyond Singapore. We are heartened that BCA is playing a crucial role in raising awareness of the importance of sustainable developments in our tropical built environment.

"As the first residential development in Indonesia to receive the BCA Green Mark Gold Award, residents of Jakarta Garden City will experience first-hand, the benefits of staying in an environmentally friendly building. We hope that this will encourage and spur demand for similar sustainable developments in the near future."

The BCA Green Mark scheme was launched in January 2005 to promote sustainability in the built environment. This green building rating system, which was specially designed for the tropics, evaluates a building for its environmental impact and performance in the areas of energy and water efficiency, environmental protection, indoor environmental quality, as well as other green features and innovation.

From project conceptualisation to design to construction, every home at Jakarta Garden City features thoughtfully-designed and environmentally responsible elements such as a filtration system, water-efficient taps and toilet cisterns, as well as recycling of non-potable water for irrigation. Homes are designed for natural ventilation to reduce the need for air-conditioning. Public spaces are built to allow daylight into common areas such as staircases and carparks, minimising the need for artificial lighting.

In line with its eco-commitment, Jakarta Garden City is supporting the local authorities in the green thrust to plant one million trees across East Jakarta. A 5,000 sqm green lung has been set aside within Jakarta Garden to create a lush living mini-forest that will benefit not only the residents, but East Jakarta as a whole.

Drs. H. Murdhani, MH, Mayor of East Jakarta, said at the tree-planting ceremony on 13 May 2011, "As Indonesia grows into the future, it is essential that we provide a cleaner and greener environment for our next generation. The planting of one million trees across East Jakarta signifies the government's commitment towards creating a more vibrant sustainable community.

"Jakarta Garden City's green credentials as the first Indonesian residential development to receive the coveted Green Mark Gold Award by Singapore's BCA make it a fitting location to launch the start of our programme and I am looking forward to working closely with them on future projects."

Jakarta Garden City, spanning 270 ha in East Jakarta, is expected to yield about 7,000 landed homes and apartments complemented by retail malls, shophouses, entertainment centres, offices, international schools, hospitals, market and other facilities. The Green Mark certification for Jakarta Garden City was conferred to its Phase 1 development which comprises 875 landed homes.

The township also bagged the Best Middle Class Residential Development title at the International Real Estate Federation (FIABCI) Indonesia - BNI Prix d'Excellence Award 2009 and was Runner-Up in the Residential (Low Rise) category at the FIABCI Prix d'Excellence Awards 2010. The development has also been named Well-planned, Environmentally-friendly and Technologically Modern Township at the Indonesia Property and Bank Awards 2009, which honours the best in real estate and finance.

Keppel Land's commercial properties in Singapore also achieved significant savings on energy and water consumption, environmental protection and indoor environmental quality. Upon completion of all its Green Mark certified developments, Keppel Land will see an estimated reduction in total energy consumption of about 59 million kWh annually, which is sufficient to power more than 10,000 5-room HDB flats for a year. In terms of greenhouse gases, these projects will prevent 29,000 tonnes of carbon dioxide from being emitted annually.

For example, Bugis Junction Towers, developed by Keppel Land and owned by its fund management arm K-REIT Asia, has implemented a host of water and energy conservation measures. Motion-sensors and efficient light switches in all its staircases and bathrooms contribute to energy savings. Additionally, rain sensors enable temperature adjustments in the building.

Similarly for Prudential Tower, K-REIT Asia has slashed 13% of energy consumption through chiller optimisation. Further savings are expected when motion sensor-controlled lightings are implemented in the staircase this year. Water sub-meters have also been installed to monitor consumption levels and detect water leakage.