On April 16, 2025, Surabaya has officially been designated as a pilot city for energy transition and energy efficiency in the built environment sector. This initiative is part of the Sustainable Energy Transition in Indonesia (SETI) project, a bilateral cooperation between the Government of Indonesia and the Government of Germany.

Andriah Feby Misna, Director of Various New and Renewable Energy at the Directorate General of New, Renewable Energy and Energy Conservation, stated that the collaboration with the SETI represents tangible support from development partners to help city governments accelerate urban energy transition, especially in the building sector. 

The City of Surabaya will receive support in the form of technical studies, modelling, training and capacity development for local stakeholders, and implementation of pilot projects to serve as models for sustainable building energy transition. 

Ikhsan, Surabaya’s City Secretary, expressed pride in the city’s role as a pioneer in decarbonization, noting that several initiatives are already underway. According to data from 2024, the city is home to over 649,000 buildings, offering opportunities for SETI to implement RE and EE measures and help the city to achieve its climate targets.