On 2 December 2025, the Build4People Transformation Workshop “Enhancing Participation and Sustainable Urban Planning by Digital Citizen Science Tools” took place at the Cambodia-Korea Cooperation Centre (CKCC) at the Royal University of Phnom Penh (RUPP). This was the first joint event of the Build4People Implementation phase following the principle of the so called Twin Transformation which brings together digital and sustainability approaches. It was a vibrant gathering of Cambodian and international experts was jointly organised and hosted by the Build4People Team and the Royal University of Phnom Penh.
The primary objective of the workshop was to test, reflect on, and further develop digital applications that support scientific research and teaching at RUPP. A particular focus was placed on the Build4People Citizen Science APP (B4P CS APP), its functionalities, and its potential applications.
Furthermore, broader aspects of Citizen Science (CS), including its relevance, opportunities, and challenges in the local context, were discussed.
The mobile B4P CS APP combines the assessment of environmental features (e.g. thermal comfort) with objective data. This dual approach enables citizens of Phnom Penh to actively participate in processes of urban planning and transformation, while simultaneously providing a robust analytical tool for exploring relationships between subjective perceptions and objective environmental data in research and teaching contexts.
During the workshop, the challenges and opportunities of variations of the Build4People CS APP as a scientific tool and as support for lectures were discussed. In addition, the app was tested and evaluated with regard to further optimization together with research colleagues from the Royal University of Phnom Penh and motivated students.
Following opening remarks from Prof Dr Serey Sok (RUPP) and Dr Michael Waibel (Build4People Consortium Representative), the workshop began with a series of presentations offering insights into the potential of CS apps.
These included:
- Dr Anke Blöbaum outlined the potential of the B4P CS App as a tool for participation.
- Anja Jannack presented digital tools that can be used in CS projects.
- Lisa Schmechel introduced CityLab Berlin as a practical example of CS in action.
- Dr Nyda Chhinh shared experiences from local CS apps.
- Dr Se Bunleng demonstrated the use of B4P CS App Clones using thermal comfort measurement as an example.
This first part of the workshop concluded with an in-depth discussion on the specific benefits, limitations, and barriers related to the implementation of CS approaches in Phnom Penh.
After a short break, the second part of the workshop focused on hands-on testing.
RUPP students tested the B4P CS App on campus, using it to collect data on thermal comfort in two different locations.
This practical session was supported by Dr Se Bunleng and Neele Worthmann.
The testing phase was followed by an interactive reflection session led by Dr Anke Blöbaum. Participants shared their experiences from the field exercise, discussed the benefits of the CS App for RUPP, and reflected on its future potential. In addition, data collected during the testing phase were presented and jointly discussed.
The workshop concluded with forward-looking closing remarks by Dr Michael Waibel.
The event ended with a joint vegetarian lunch at CKCC, which enabled all workshop participants to further exchange perspectives.
A heartfelt thank-you to all speakers and participants, and in particular to our hosts at CKCC and RUPP for making this collaborative event possible.
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