Introduction
Indonesia Elevator Market is making global headlines with its ambitious plan to build Nusantara, a new futuristic capital city located in East Kalimantan. While much of the focus has been on sustainable urban planning and smart infrastructure, one crucial aspect often overlooked is vertical mobility—particularly the evolution of elevator technology.
As Nusantara rises from the ground, it is not just reshaping Indonesia’s geography but also redefining the standards for building technology, including elevators. With smart city integration, green building goals, and digital-first infrastructure, Nusantara is setting the stage for the next generation of smart elevators in Southeast Asia.
This article explores how Nusantara is influencing the Indonesian elevator market in 2025 and beyond.
Nusantara: Indonesia’s Smart and Sustainable City Vision
The Indonesian government’s plan to relocate its capital from Jakarta to Nusantara represents more than just a geographic shift. It’s a strategic move to address urban congestion, rising sea levels, and economic decentralization. Key characteristics of Nusantara include:
- Smart city technology integrated across all urban systems
- Green and sustainable infrastructure with net-zero emission targets
- A projected population of over 1.9 million by 2045
- Vertical expansion through high-rise residential, commercial, and mixed-use buildings
This city is envisioned as a "living laboratory" for innovation—and elevator systems are no exception.
Why Elevators Matter in Nusantara’s Urban Plan
As Nusantara aims to build upwards rather than outwards to preserve green space, the importance of vertical transportation becomes central. Smart elevators are essential in:
- Connecting residents efficiently across vertical neighborhoods
- Supporting real-time data exchange with building and city systems
- Ensuring accessibility, energy efficiency, and safety in tall structures
According to Indonesia’s Ministry of Public Works and Housing, the city’s initial development phase (2022–2025) includes dozens of mid- to high-rise structures, making elevators one of the core technologies in infrastructure deployment.
Key Elevator Innovations Emerging in Nusantara
1. Smart Elevator Systems Integrated with City IoT Platforms
Nusantara is designed as an IoT-enabled city, where everything from traffic lights to waste systems is connected. Elevators, too, are becoming part of this smart ecosystem, offering:
- Real-time data sharing with central monitoring systems
- Integration with smart building management software (BMS)
- Passenger analytics for optimized traffic flow
For example, AI algorithms can learn passenger patterns and assign elevators accordingly, reducing wait times and improving energy efficiency.
Use Case: In the upcoming Nusantara Government Core Area (GCA), elevators will be integrated with IoT-based access control, ensuring secure yet seamless mobility for civil servants and visitors.
2. Energy-Efficient Elevators for Green Building Standards
Nusantara aims to be carbon-neutral by 2045, meaning all infrastructure, including elevators, must be energy-efficient. As a result, developers are adopting:
- Regenerative drives that convert braking energy into usable electricity
- LED lighting and sleep modes to reduce power usage during inactivity
- Low-friction, lightweight components for reduced energy load
These features help buildings qualify for Greenship Certification (GBCI Indonesia) or even international green building benchmarks like LEED.
Green Trend Insight: Elevators now account for 5–10% of total building energy use in high-rises. Installing energy-smart elevators is a compliance and branding advantage for developers in Nusantara.
3. Touchless and Voice-Controlled Elevator Interfaces
In the wake of the pandemic, Nusantara’s urban design emphasizes contactless technologies. Elevators in new developments are being equipped with:
- Voice-activated floor selection
- Mobile app control and Bluetooth calling
- Facial recognition for floor authentication
These features improve hygiene, security, and accessibility, especially for the elderly and persons with disabilities.
Tech Partnership Trend: Elevator companies like Mitsubishi Electric, KONE, and Hyundai Elevator, along with local startups, are exploring integrations with smartphone-based digital ID systems planned for Nusantara.
4. Predictive Maintenance Powered by AI and IoT
Downtime in elevator systems not only disrupts movement but also impacts safety and trust in smart buildings. To address this, Nusantara is leading the way in adopting:
- IoT sensors to monitor vibration, door cycles, and motor heat
- Cloud-based dashboards for building managers
- AI-based predictive analytics to detect early signs of malfunction
This approach shifts elevator maintenance from reactive to proactive, reducing emergency calls and increasing elevator life span.
Smart Maintenance Providers: Global brands like Schindler and Otis are rolling out predictive systems, while local Indonesian tech startups are entering the market with retrofit sensor solutions for older lifts.
5. Elevators as Part of Multi-Modal Mobility Hubs
Nusantara’s urban design emphasizes seamless movement through a variety of transportation modes. In this context, elevators are no longer isolated systems—they’re integral parts of mobility hubs that connect:
- Underground parking to pedestrian zones
- Transit stations to skyscrapers
- Commercial centers to rooftop gardens or green skywalks
In such designs, elevators are equipped with location-based services, real-time availability displays, and even adaptive routing based on time of day or occupancy level.
Nusantara Mobility Vision: Elevators will work hand-in-hand with automated shuttle systems, bike-sharing docks, and autonomous vehicles—all coordinated through a central digital twin of the city.
Nusantara’s Impact on Indonesia’s Elevator Supply Chain
The smart elevator revolution in Nusantara is not only transforming technology but also creating ripple effects across the elevator manufacturing, installation, and service sectors in Indonesia.
Opportunities:
- Local assembly and fabrication plants to serve rising demand
- Upskilling programs for smart elevator technicians
- Growth in IoT and AI integration services
- Incentives for green building compliance using smart vertical transport
Challenges:
- Higher upfront costs for smart systems
- Cybersecurity risks in connected platforms
- Need for unified standards and compliance frameworks
Still, these are surmountable through PPP (Public-Private Partnerships), government subsidies, and international tech collaborations.
Global Implications: Nusantara as a Regional Elevator Innovation Hub
Nusantara is not just a local testbed—it could evolve into a regional innovation center for elevator technologies, attracting:
- R&D investments from global OEMs (Original Equipment Manufacturers)
- Regional headquarters for Southeast Asian elevator markets
- Pilot programs for 5G, AI, and carbon-neutral elevator systems
By showcasing smart elevator implementation at scale, Nusantara positions Indonesia as a leader in future-forward vertical mobility.
Conclusion
Indonesia’s new capital, Nusantara, is not just a symbol of national progress—it is a catalyst for innovation in urban technology, including elevators. By integrating smart, energy-efficient, touchless, and connected elevator systems, Nusantara is setting new benchmarks for how vertical mobility can power sustainable and livable cities.
As construction accelerates and the first wave of buildings goes live in 2025, expect Nusantara to become a showcase for global elevator manufacturers, a proving ground for local tech startups, and a launchpad for the future of vertical transportation across Southeast Asia.
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