DOI: https://doi.org/10.14710/mdl.25.2.2025.%25p

Navigating Transitions in Green Architecture: A Multi-Level Perspective on Photobioreactor-Integrated Façades in Indonesia

*Chely Novia Bramiana orcid scopus  -  Vocational School, Universitas Diponegoro, Jalan Gubernur Mochtar, Tembalang, Semarang, Indonesia 50275, Indonesia
Budi Setyawan  -  School of Postgraduate Studies, Universitas Diponegoro, Indonesia
Muhammad Azzam Ismail  -  Healthy and Sustainable Built Environment Research Center (HSBERC), College of Architecture, Art and Design, Ajman University, United Arab Emirates, United Arab Emirates
Alexis Gerardus Entrop  -  Saxion University of Applied Sciences, Enschede, The Netherlands, Netherlands
Sukawi Sukawi  -  Department of Architecture, Faculty of Engineering, Universitas Diponegoro, 50275, Indonesia

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Abstract

In tropical countries like Indonesia, architectural design faces the pressing challenge of mitigating excessive heat, humidity, and solar exposure, yet many buildings continue to adopt imported, non-contextual design models. This study explores the implementation and transitional trajectory of a novel microalgae-based photobioreactor (PBR) window façade—an innovation that integrates biological systems into building envelopes for thermal shading, light modulation, and ecological performance. Using the Multi-Level Perspective (MLP) framework, this research examines the interplay between niche experimentation, regime-level constraints, and landscape drivers shaping the adoption of green building technologies in Indonesia. The PBR façade, developed through a university–industry collaboration and installed in Semarang, demonstrates how architectural innovation can evolve through iterative learning, cross-sector collaboration, and real-environment testing. However, its broader uptake is constrained by entrenched design norms, lack of regulatory standards, and limited institutional mechanisms for certification. Landscape pressures such as ESG imperatives and climate adaptation goals offer promising opportunities, but systemic change requires alignment across policy, professional practice, and cultural narratives. The study contributes a process-oriented roadmap for embedding biologically integrated façades into the sustainability transition of tropical urban architecture.

 

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Keywords: photobioreactor façade; green architecture; sustainable design; multi-level perspective; innovation; transition
Funding: Dirjen Pendidikan Vokasi under contract 281/PKS/D.D4/PPK.01.APTV/VII/2024

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