UNDIP, Semarang (29/6) – Vocational School of Universitas Diponegoro (SV UNDIP) achieved regional achievements. Students of the Industrial Chemical Engineering Technology D4 Study Program won second place in the Kompetisi Riset Unggulan Kota Surakarta 2026. The team consisting of Luis Ibanez Sitinjak and Fajar Daruwijaya produced an innovative scientific work entitled “Conceptual Design of BioSil-C Permeable Paving Blocks Based on Coconut Shell Biochar and Active Nanosilica as a Nature-Based Solution for Flood Management and Urban Land Remediation in Surakarta.”
This scientific competition, organized by the Surakarta City Government through the Surakarta City Regional Research and Innovation Agency (BRIDA), is themed “Strengthening Knowledge-Based Policies to Improve the Welfare and Competitiveness of Surakarta City.” The competition encourages students to create scientific works and innovations relevant to the city’s development priorities, thereby supporting regional progress.
Under the guidance of Dr. Ir. Fahmi Arifan, S.T., M.Eng., M.M., I.P.M., ASEAN Eng., the SV UNDIP team created the innovative BioSil-C product as an alternative green infrastructure. The BioSil-C product is a permeable paving block concept that utilizes coconut shell biochar and activated nanosilica to simultaneously address two urban problems, namely flooding due to low soil surface absorption capacity and heavy metal pollutant pollution carried by rainwater.
An idea that addresses the problem of waterlogging that frequently plagues the Surakarta region through chemical material engineering, BioSil-C combines high water infiltration rates with environmental remediation capabilities in one product. Furthermore, BioSil-C also supports low-carbon development. A Life Cycle Assessment (LCA) compiled by the team proves that the use of biochar-based materials can reduce the carbon footprint by more than 50 percent compared to conventional paving blocks, making it highly relevant for low-carbon development programs.
Dr. Fahmi Arifan emphasized that this achievement is a proud achievement and demonstrates the competitive and adaptable quality of UNDIP Vocational School students, who are responsive to community needs. “This achievement proves that UNDIP vocational students excel in engineering techniques and are capable of creating innovative solutions to real-world problems,” he said.
Meanwhile, Luis Ibanez Sitinjak, team leader, explained that the BioSil-C concept is based on efforts to provide comprehensive spatial planning solutions, not only addressing flooding but also contributing to sustainable environmental recovery. He believes that addressing urban flooding is no longer simply about expanding drainage capacity; instead, it must address the root of the problem by restoring the soil’s natural absorption capacity while simultaneously improving environmental quality.
“Through BioSil-C, we are trying to offer a material concept that utilizes local resources and has the potential to be implemented as part of Surakarta City’s green infrastructure,” he said.
The achievements of Luis Ibanez Sitinjak and Fajar Daruwijaya reflect the UNDIP Vocational School’s ability to produce applied research that has a broad impact on society, supporting the value of ‘Noble and Valuable UNDIP.’ (Public Communication/UNDIP/Dhany)
