The city of Pekanbaru is hosting a series of workshops (called "bimtek") to help government buildings in northern Sumatra manage their energy better. This is the seventh workshop, organized through collaboration between the Directorate of Energy Conservation, the Directorate General of New, Renewable Energy and Energy Conservation (EBTKE), the Ministry of Energy and Mineral Resources, and IREEM in the UK-PACT MENTARI Energy Efficiency program.

The UK-PACT (United Kingdom Partnering for Accelerated Climate Transitions Program) is a British Government-funded initiative that supports countries aiming to speed up efforts to combat climate change. It offers technical and financial aid to partners worldwide.

From April 23rd to 26th, 2024, training sessions on energy management were held. These sessions were attended by Regional Apparatus Organizations (OPD) from several provinces: Aceh, North Sumatra, West Sumatra, Riau, Bengkulu, Jambi, and Riau Islands. There were a total of 58 participants from 45 agencies, with 21% being women. The technical guidance in Pekanbaru featured practitioners and energy conservation experts such as Mrs. Rahmi Andarini, Mr. Totok Sulistyanto, Mr. Gunawan Wibisono, and Mr. Parlindungan Marpaung.

In his remarks, the Head of the Riau Province ESDM, Mr. Herman, represented by Mrs. Sakinah as the Secretary of the Riau Province ESDM, expressed his gratitude for the choice of Riau province to host technical guidance activities in the northern Sumatra region. The Head of the Riau Province ESDM then conveyed the RESGO (Riau Energy Saving Government Office) application, which is a technology-based information application in order to implement energy and water saving management in Riau Province government buildings. "With this innovation, it is hoped that it can improve the quality and quantity of the energy conservation movement in the Riau Province government environment and in the future."

The Executive Director of IREEM, Mr. Arief Yunan, delivered his opening remarks, "The aim of this activity is to increase the understanding of central and regional government agencies regarding energy conservation policies, as well as increasing participants' knowledge about the ISO 50005:2021-based energy management system," he said. Mr. Arief hopes that this technical guidance activity will make a significant contribution in efforts to achieve energy conservation and sustainability goals in accordance with PP No. 33 of 2023 concerning Energy Conservation.

During the initial two days, participants in the technical guidance session delved into various technical aspects of energy conservation. They explored topics like maintaining comfortable temperatures in buildings (OTTV), Air Conditioning Systems, Lighting Systems, Vertical Transportation, and Electrical Systems. Additionally, they gained hands-on experience with measuring instruments such as Lux Meters, Energy Meters, and Hygrometers. Furthermore, they received introductory information about online energy management reporting (POME), aligning with the government's dedication to enhancing energy efficiency, as outlined in Government Regulation No. 33 of 2023 on Energy Conservation.

During the last two days, participants focused on learning about the main components of ISO 50005:2021, a guide that outlines how to manage an energy management system step by step. They practiced creating energy performance indicators and energy baselines, crucial for enhancing efficiency and effective energy management. Additionally, they learned how to calculate Energy Consumption Intensity (IKE), a significant measure for assessing energy use efficiency and pinpointing areas for reducing overall energy consumption.

Thus, the implementation of technical guidance for implementing energy management systems for government buildings in the northern Sumatra region is running smoothly. The hope is that through this Bimtek activity, local government agencies can take the first steps in implementing technical efforts to increase energy efficiency and energy conservation in buildings at their respective agencies, thereby providing a positive impact on the environment and society as a whole.