Two researchers and lecturers from the Faculty of Engineering at the Universitas Indonesia (UI), Prof. Dr. Ir. Riri Fitri Sari, M.M., M.Sc. and Dr. Cindy Rianti Priadi, S.T., M.Sc., received the 2022 (3rd) Hitachi Global Foundation Asia Innovation Award. The award, which began in 2020, is an innovation competition that raises technology, science, and social issues based on the Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs). Located at the UI Rectorate Building, the award was presented by the Hitachi Foundation represented by Hitachi Foundation Secretary General Taku Yoshida and Hitachi Foundation Coordinator Reiko Kasai.
Prof. Riri won an award in the Encouragement Award category thanks to her innovation called Building Information Modeling (BIM). The innovation, created by the Professor of the FTUI Electrical Engineering Department, aims to support important technological advances in building projects.
“Through Blockchain technology, which is currently trending for data handling, I designed a system called Blockchain-based Sustainable Building Information Modeling. This system not only supports the implementation of SDGs point 11, Sustainable Cities and Communities, but also seeks to support sustainable urbanization. Aimed at helping sustainable building projects, the design of this system is closely related to the targets that UI GreenMetric wants to achieve,” said Prof. Riri, who is also the Chair of UI GreenMetric.
Meanwhile, Dr. Cindy won the Outstanding Innovation Award for her Toren Biogas (Torbi). Torbi can process organic waste and produce biogas as an environmentally friendly energy source. Torbi is designed to solve the problem of organic waste and also supports SDGs point 12, which is responsible for sustainable consumption and production.
“Starting from the many complaints from the community because of the waste problem and of course, it becomes a hotbed of disease, we were moved to make a sustainable and environmentally friendly solution. This tool can process up to 90 kilograms of organic waste per day and produce biogas for cooking for 30 to 60 minutes per day,” said Dr. Cindy who is also a Lecturer at the Department of Civil and Environmental Engineering FTUI.
On behalf of the Hitachi Foundation, Taku Yoshida said that since its inception in 2020, the Asia Innovation Award aims to promote science, technology and innovation that help solve social problems and realize a sustainable society in the ASEAN region. The award recognizes individuals and groups whose outstanding achievements in science and technology research and development have provided positive benefits to the public interest.
The Dean of FTUI, Prof. Dr. Heri Hermansyah, S.T., M.Eng., IPU, also expressed his appreciation for the achievements of two FTUI researchers on Wednesday (30/8). He said, “The achievement of Prof. Riri and Dr. Cindy in the Hitachi Global Foundation Asia Innovation Award 2023 is clear evidence of FTUI’s commitment to supporting research and innovation that has a positive impact on society and the environment. It is also an encouragement for all FTUI academic members and students to continue to innovate and contribute to answering global challenges. We are very proud of their achievements and hope this will motivate many more young researchers in Indonesia.”
***
Public Communication Bureau
Faculty of Engineering, Universitas Indonesia