Research for Better Quality of Urban Life: the Build4People Project
The Build4People project aims to research and promote the use of sustainable buildings and sustainable urbanization through re-configuring the urban transformation pathway of Phnom Penh. Thereby, it focuses on people’s aspirations and their behaviour. The project is funded by the German Federal Ministry of Education and Research (BMBF).
Our project promotes sustainable buildings and sustainable urban development from a people-centred perspective. We aim at lowered greenhouse gas, pollutant emissions, a better indoor environment, an increase of urban green, a healthier urban climate. Read more.
The trans-disciplinary Build4People project connects scientific-conceptional and analytical aspects. The superior normative bracket is always the urban quality of life. We align people’s needs and aspirations with tools to benefit their living. Read more.
Cambodia’s traditional architecture took climate conditions into account. Today dynamic economic growth affects the way buildings are built and operated which is not energy-efficient nor tropical climate adapted. Reasons enough for B4P. Read more.
10 partners across continents join forces to implement 7 work packages: from Behaviour Change, Sustainable Buildings and Neighbourhoods, to Urban Green, Urban Climate to Sustainable Urban Transformation and Coordination. Read more.
Project Approach
The Build4People project considers sustainable, people-centred urban development as a crosscutting task. A genuinely people-centred planning system can neither be expected to “evolve by itself” nor is it feasible through legal regulations only. Our diverse team includes Cambodian and German partners which cooperate on a trans-disciplinary basis. Together they will develop innovative concepts aimed at urban sustainability that are based on scientific and regional expertise. The integrating link of our scientific-conceptional, analytical and normative dimension is the urban quality of life, which we consider to be the general foundation for our people-driven approach. The research consortium will carry out field research together with the most renowned local universities. Based on these insights, context-specific interventions will be implemented together with a number of core actors most important of all the Phnom Penh Capital Hall and the developer company Peng Huoth Group. Locally established multipliers such as the European Chamber of Commerce or the Center for Khmer Studies will support the dissemination of our approaches.
A strong partnership to deliver research results
Academic Quality We gathered a team with a proven record of academic excellence, extensive regional expertise and solid project experience.
Transdisciplinary Approach We draw from expertise and methods from Human Geography, Architecture, Urban Planning, Enviromental Psychology, Civil Engineering, Remote Sensing, Geoinformatics and Climate Research.
Cross-border cooperation German Universities and private sector actors collaborate with Cambodia partners from the academic arena, the municial setting and responsible ministrial offices.
The work package teams cooperate together, share their findings and develop joint deliverables as part of action research processes. Tools and products systematically build upon each other. Learning curves and feedback loops are incorporated into the project design.
On 22 October 2024, Dr. Michael Waibel, Build4People representative, Dr. Anke Blöbaum, leader of Build4People Work Package “Behaviour Change”, and Nuria Roig, Research Associate of the Build4People Work Package “Sustainable Neighbourhoods”, met with leading representatives of UN-Habitat Cambodia to discuss a potential strategic collaboration during the Build4People Implementation phase from 2025-2027.
At the beginning of the meeting there was an introduction round followed by a general introduction of the Build4People project by Michael Waibel.
This was followed by a detailed description of the key tangible product of the Build4People project, the Phnom Penh Capital Hall (PPCH) Transformation Toolbox by Nuria Roig. Among others, she explained about the different design guidelines and tools meant to support implementation of minimum criteria of sustainable neighbourhood development in urban Cambodia.
Then Sovan Sieng from UN-Habitat Cambodia introduced about the ASEAN Sustainable Urbanisation Strategy (ASUS) centred around 6 key areas (built infrastructure, industry & innovation, security, health & well-being, civic & social, quality environment) and 18 sub-areas. Part of ASUS is a multi-stakeholder capacity building program with many overlaps to the approaches of the Build4People project.
This first and fruitful exchange was about the identification of such overlaps to create synergies in regard of the dissemination of Build4People approaches to secondary cities of Cambodia.
It was agreed that further meetings are required to prepare for a formal collaboration from 01 July 2025 and that we will take the opportunity for a face-to-face exchange during the upcoming Build4People team stay in early December 2024.
On 29 September 2024, Prof Dr Tep Makathy, Dean of Faculty of Architecture and Urban Planning at Paññāsāstra University of Cambodia (FAUP-PUC) and General Director of the Cambodian Institute of Urban Studies (CIUS), gave at lecture about the process to achieve sustainable urban neighbourhood planning and design at AmCam Exchange, Phnom Penh, Cambodia.
The lecture was based on lessons learned during the recent Build4People Ecocity Transition Lab which took place in cooperation with Phnom Penh Capital Hall and the leading Cambodian developer company OCIC Group, the SMMR-project funded by the German Federal Ministry for Economic Cooperation and Development, as well as with support from students from altogether six local institutions of tertiary education in Phnom Penh in March 2024, among them Paññāsāstra University of Cambodia, Royal University of Fine Arts, Norton University, and Royal University of Phnom Penh.
During the Build4People Ecocity Transition Lab this innovative multi-stakeholder alliance jointly developed alternative sustainability visions of a prime waterfront development of Phnom Penh, Norea City, and further tested sustainability criteria of sustainable neighbourhood development in the context of the so called Phnom Penh Capital Hall Transformation Toolbox.
The whole Build4People team would like to sincerely express its gratitude to Prof Makathy for disseminating the transdisciplinary and transformative Build4People approach to a local audience.
On 19 September 2024, the Build4People Work Package “Sustainable Building” led by the Technical School of Applied Sciences Lübeck conducted a Science Workshop at the Institute of Technology of Cambodia.
This Science Workshop was jointly prepared by the Build4People Work Package “Sustainable Building” members Prof. Dr. Dirk Schwede and Christina Karagianni, both from Technical School of Applied Sciences Lübeck and by Prof. Dr. Virak Han, Dean of Faculty of Civil Engineering at the Institute of Technology of Cambodia.
Key Themes:
Sustainability in Urban Design: The workshop highlighted the importance of integrating sustainable building practices, focusing on reducing energy demand, improving air quality, and using renewable energy in urban residential typologies.
Student Participation: Students from ITC were heavily involved in practical projects, showcasing innovative designs for villas, high-rise buildings, and shophouses with sustainability at the core.
Cutural Adaptation: The shophouse, a prominent building type in Cambodia, was reimagined with modern sustainable features, blending traditional design with contemporary ecological needs.
The workshop started with a brief welcome and outline of the day’s schedule, emphasizing the importance of sustainable buildings in the Cambodian context by Prof. Dirk Schwede (WP#2 Leader), followed by an overview of WP#2 activities and insights on building design and environmental challenges in Cambodia’s building sector by Christina Karagianni (WP#2 research associate).
Prof. Dr. Tep Makathy, Dean of Faculty of Architecture and Urban Planning at Paññāsāstra University of Cambodia (FAUP-PUC) and General Director of the Cambodian Institute of Urban Studies (CIUS) gave an overview of the EcoCity Transition Lab activities in 2023 and 2024, with a focus on sustainable neighborhood development in Phnom Penh. He described the ECTL as a collaborative platform aimed at fostering sustainable urban transformation. Through transdisciplinary workshops and stakeholder engagement, the lab has been instrumental in developing strategies for sustainable neighborhoods.
Next, WP#2 team took the stage to discuss the general approaches of WP#2’s strategies in the ECTL for 2023 and 2024. They outlined how sustainable building concepts were integrated into the lab’s activities. Their presentation touched on key approaches, such as improving energy efficiency in buildings, reducing the environmental footprint of construction materials, and adapting design strategies to Cambodia’s climate and cultural context. They emphasized the importance of using local knowledge and practices while leveraging modern sustainable technologies.
The focus then shifted to student work, beginning with a presentation on the villa typology in the Borey Peng Huoth development from ECTL 2023. This work, presented by ITC students, examined how villas—a popular residential option—could be adapted to sustainable practices. The students proposed innovative designs that incorporated renewable energy solutions and optimized natural lighting and ventilation, aiming to reduce energy consumption and enhance the overall sustainability of such developments.
The results were presented to the plenary, where each team outlined their approach to sustainable building, focusing on balancing environmental, social, and economic sustainability.
The workshop ended with closing remarks from Prof. Dirk Schwede, who reiterated the importance of ongoing research, collaboration, and education in driving sustainable urban development in Cambodia. His remarks underscored the workshop’s role in fostering innovative thinking and practical solutions for the country’s future.
This event successfully brought together academic, research, and student communities to explore sustainable solutions for Cambodia’s urban future, with a focus on the critical role of building design in achieving these goals.
The Build4People “Sustainable Building” team would like would like to sincerely thank all the participants for their dedicated support and valuable contributions to the vibrant discussions and to the fruitful group work. We would also like to thank our colleagues at ITC, Prof Dr Virak Han and Venh Lay Ou for their organisational support. And finally, we are thankful for Mr Tony Socheat, founder of Kambujaya property development, for his active participation and support to the students.
On 19 September 2024, the Build4People team member Andreas Deuß presented at a research symposium as part of the 53th Congress of the German Psychological Society (DGPs) in Vienna.
He presented the results of a study investigating individuals’ intentions to adopt rooftop solar in Phnom Penh. The results were based on data collected through an online survey among Phnom Penh citizens.
Currently, there is a journal article about the study under review. Co-authors contributing to the empirical study were Anna Theis, Sok Serey (Royal University of Phnom Penh), Vanna Op (Royal University of Phnom Penh), Anke Blöbaum, and Ellen Matthies, all from the Build4People “Behaviour Change” Work Package.
