ATR/BPN Prepares Draft Technical Guidelines on IHBI for RTH Assessment

The Ministry of Agrarian Affairs and Spatial Planning/National Land Agency (“ATR/BPN”) is preparing draft technical guidelines (Petunjuk Teknis – “Juknis”) for the implementation of the Indonesian Green-Blue Index (Indeks Hijau Biru Indonesia – “IHBI”) as operational guidelines for assessing Green Open Space (Ruang Terbuka Hijau – “RTH”). The draft juknis are intended to shift the RTH assessment approach from one that previously focused primarily on quantity to one that also takes into account quality and ecological functions.

Head of the Center for Functional Position Development at ATR/BPN, Indira Proboratri Warpani, emphasized the importance of improving the quality of open spaces in urban areas. “The challenge of providing RTH in the future is not only how to meet quantitative requirements, but also how to ensure that its quality is appropriate to the needs and characteristics of each area,” she said.

Under the IHBI framework, RTH assessments will no longer be based solely on the physical area of land or grass coverage. The assessment will also take into account the density of multi-layered vegetation, the level of water infiltration through porous pavement or Non-Green Open Space (Ruang Terbuka Non Hijau – “RTNH”), as well as the presence of water elements or Blue Open Space (Ruang Terbuka Biru – “RTB”).

Green elements incorporated into building structures, such as green roofs and green walls, will also be taken into account as part of their ecological contribution. Although the IHBI approach provides greater flexibility in assessing the quality of open spaces, the requirement to provide RTH covering at least 30% of the total urban area remains mandatory.