The International Symposium and Workshop on Sustainable Buildings, Cities, and Communities (SBCC) 2025 served as a collaborative platform for sharing knowledge, research, and innovative practices to address the challenges of climate change at both global and local levels. By bringing researchers and practitioners into the same room, the event helped bridge the gap between academic study and real-world application — turning ideas about sustainable design into approaches that can actually be built and lived in.

The event was part of the ongoing commitment of Universitas Pendidikan Indonesia, through its University Center of Excellence for Low Carbon Building Materials and Energy (PUU MEB), to strengthen collaboration and encourage the creation of low-carbon, resilient, and livable built environments. As cities across the tropics grow and temperatures rise, the question of how to keep buildings comfortable without driving up energy use and emissions has become one of the defining challenges of sustainable development.

Organized by PUU MEB in collaboration with BeCool Indonesia and Tatalogam Group, SBCC 2025 brought together academics, professionals, government representatives, industry players, and leading architects — including pioneers of cool roof and cool house technology. This mix of perspectives ensured that the conversation reflected not only the latest research, but also the practical realities of policy, manufacturing, and design.

A gathering of experts

Led by Conference Chair Dr. Eng. Ar. Beta Paramita, IAI, GP. (BeCool Indonesia), the symposium featured a plenary session with distinguished speakers from government, industry, and academia:

• Fahri Hamzah – Deputy Minister of Housing and Residential Areas
• Nicolas Kesuma – Chairman of the Indonesian Modular House Association
• Dr. Fauzan Adziman, S.T., M.Eng. – Director General of Research and Development, Ministry of Higher Education, Science and Technology
• Prof. Andreas Matzarakis – University of Freiburg, Germany

Designing for hot and humid climates

Carrying the theme "A Sustainable Cooling for Cities: Designing for Hot and Humid Climates," SBCC 2025 contributed to strengthening internationally reputable research and scientific publications, while encouraging collective efforts toward a sustainable and climate-resilient built environment. For Tatalogam Group, supporting an event of this kind reflects a belief that the materials industry has an important role to play in the wider movement toward greener cities — and that progress comes fastest when academia, government, and industry pursue it together.