Jakarta (ANTARA) \u2013 Central Java\u2019s housing need, which remains at\naround 990,000 units, presents significant opportunities for the\ndevelopment of the housing industry. The challenge, however, is not\nsimply to increase the number of homes, but also to ensure that they are\naffordable, decent, comfortable and suited to people\u2019s needs.<\/p>\n
This issue was the focus of PT Bank Tabungan Negara (Persero) Tbk\n(BTN) at the BTN Housingpreneur Batch 3 roadshow at Diponegoro\nUniversity (Undip) in Semarang on Monday (19 October). Under the theme\n\u201cHousing for Today: Meeting Needs and Delivering Liveable Homes\u201d, the\nevent invited students, academics and industry players to develop\ninnovations that address real challenges in the housing sector.<\/p>\n
Fitri Novianty R. Kusuma, BTN\u2019s Central Java and Yogyakarta regional\nhead, said that, according to Central Java provincial government data,\nthe region still needed around 990,000 homes. This indicated strong\nprospects for the housing business, including the development of its\nsupporting ecosystem.<\/p>\n
\u201cWhen we talk about housing, we may picture houses and buildings. But\nthe housing ecosystem is much broader, encompassing design and urban\nplanning, materials, construction, technology, digital solutions, energy\nefficiency and access to financing. The challenge is not just to build\nmore homes, but to provide housing that is affordable, high-quality and\nsustainable,\u201d Fitri said.<\/p>\n
Fitri said BTN was also continuing to broaden its role through its\nBeyond Mortgage strategy, developing businesses that focus not only on\nmortgages but also on the housing ecosystem and digital services. As\npart of its services, BTN has opened the Digital Store BTN KCP Karangayu\nin Semarang to strengthen its digital transformation.<\/p>\n
Through BTN Housingpreneur, Fitri hopes students and businesspeople\nin Central Java will develop new ideas, including integrated residential\nareas with facilities that support people\u2019s daily lives.<\/p>\n
\u201cAn idea does not have to be perfect from the outset. What matters is\nthat it starts with a real need and delivers benefits,\u201d she said.<\/p>\n
Undip Vice-Rector for Academic and Student Affairs, Prof.\u00a0Dr.rer.nat.\nHeru Susanto, S.T., M.M., M.T., welcomed BTN Housingpreneur as a way for\nstudents to gain insight and develop skills beyond their university\ncourses.<\/p>\n
Heru said competitiveness increasingly depended on mastery of\nknowledge and technology, as well as the ability to generate innovation.\nYoung people therefore needed to develop cross-disciplinary skills to\nmeet increasingly complex challenges, including those in the housing\nsector.<\/p>\n
\u201cCompetition has shifted from being resource-based to being\nknowledge- and technology-based, or innovation-based. Those with\ninnovation and knowledge are the ones who will win the contest or\ncompetition,\u201d Heru said.<\/p>\n
Heru said housing innovation also needed to go beyond physical\nbuildings. In addition to affordability and energy efficiency, home\ndevelopment could be directed towards improving family life, including\nthrough technology and better resource management.<\/p>\n
For its Inspiration Talk session, BTN brought together Undip Faculty\nof Engineering Professor of Urban and Regional Planning Sunarti, S.T.,\nM.T.; MarkPlus Institute Vice-Chancellor Dr Jacky Mussry; Rahmat\nIndrani, founder of SPOA Architecture & Smiljan Space; and Hamdan\nWahyudi, director of PT Andalusia Intra Teknologi (GridSolr) and\nthird-place winner of BTN Housingpreneur 2025.<\/p>\n
Sunarti explained that housing liveability could not be assessed\nsolely by the physical quality of a home. It also required consideration\nof the entire residential area, including residents\u2019 needs, the social\nenvironment, natural conditions, infrastructure networks and\naccessibility.<\/p>\n
\u201cLiveability is not something we assess only at the level of a single\nbuilding; it has to be assessed across an entire area,\u201d Sunarti\nsaid.<\/p>\n
She said housing needs also varied according to the character of each\narea and people\u2019s purchasing power. Research she presented indicated\nthat high-rise, smaller homes tended to be preferred in city centres,\nwhile landed houses remained popular in outlying areas. These\ndifferences should be taken into account when developing housing\ninnovations, including those aimed at young people.<\/p>\n
The BTN Housingpreneur discussion in Semarang also covered efficient\nand functional home design, changing consumer needs, smart-home\ntechnology, and the use of more efficient materials and energy. Through\nthe programme, BTN is encouraging ideas that are not only attractive in\nconcept but can also be developed into practical solutions for the\npublic.<\/p>\n
Registration for BTN Housingpreneur Batch 3 remains\nopen<\/strong><\/p>\n BTN Housingpreneur Batch 3 is open to students, the general public,\ndevelopers and businesses, with two competition groups. Business\nIdeation includes the Rumah Nusantara, Housing Design and Housing\nInnovation categories, while Established Business includes Rumah\nNusantara, Housing Ecosystem, Housing Tech, Housing Design, Affordable\nHousing and Commercial Housing.<\/p>\n Registration runs from 28 September to 30 November 2026, followed by\nInitial Screening, Business & Idea Evaluation and Live Pitching\nstages to select finalists. The programme will continue into early 2027\nand culminate at BTN Expo.<\/p>\n Through BTN Housingpreneur Batch 3, BTN hopes Central Java and\nYogyakarta will become not only growth markets for housing, but also\nplaces where innovations emerge that improve housing quality and create\nnew business opportunities in the sector.<\/p>",
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