The primary objective of this workshop was to discuss further steps for the continued development of digital applications to support scientific research and teaching at RUPP.

Particular focus was placed on the newly developed RUPP-B4P Thermal Comfort App. Results from recent field testing were presented, and students developed ideas on how to visualize the current survey results. In addition, participants discussed potential future applications of the RUPP-B4P Citizen Science App as both a teaching and research tool.

Our heartfelt thank-you goes to all speakers and participants, and particularly to the hosts at the Cambodia-Korea Cooperation Centre and the Royal University of Phnom Penh for making this collaborative event possible .

#Build4People #UrbanTransformation #SustainableCities #Cambodia #RUPP #ScienceWorkshop #InterdisciplinaryResearch #GreenUrbanDevelopment #CitizenScience #CitizenScienceApp #CitiesforPeople #PublicParticipation #BMFTR_SUREregions

This event presented the comprehensive results of different working groups from a one week living lab and collaborative workshop at Phnom Penh Smart City Hub to jointly develop alternative visions of sustainable urban transformation in the case of the 200 ha Mekong Quay Riverfront City site developed by the Cambodian company TP Moral Group.

The biggest working group, involving experts and students from the Cambodian Institute of Urban Studies, Eble Messerschmidt Partner (EMP), TU Dresden, OMGEVING Ho Chi Minh City (Steven Petit), Royal University of Fine Arts, Norton University, Western University, and Paññāsāstra University of Cambodia focused on the application of the B4P guidelines and evaluation criteria meant to consider the design and implementation of a blue-green infrastructure as an essential part of the new neighbourhood.

Based on an analysis of the existing landscape structure in the surrounding area and inspiration from a landscape urbanism project in Bordeaux-France, initial ideas have been developed.

The landscape strategy for the green infrastructure includes green and biodiversity fingers connecting the project area with the landscape structure, as well as passive and active green zones along the riverfront and a wetland park. The water strategy for the blue infrastructure takes stormwater coming from the surrounding areas of the local communities into consideration. A sponge city concept for the project provides stormwater infiltration within the blocks and swales in the green fingers for a controlled discharge to the Mekong River. The urban climate strategy focusses on climate adaptation and takes the prevailing local wind directions with ventilation corridors and bioclimatic parks into account.

Furthermore, the sustainable mobility concept based on transit-oriented development and an integrated urban design strategy with a mixed land use approach shall contribute a multi-layered and comprehensive master plan approach.

A quick assessment of the B4P Evaluation Criteria with a newly developed internet tool showed the potential for high sustainability performance of an enhanced master plan with regard to integrated urban design, blue-green infrastructure and sustainable urban mobility.

Another working group deliberately selected another visioning approach apart from technical design and presented three short video clips of so-called “Visual Urban Utopias”, inspired by the works of the German artist Jan Kamensky, with the aim to raise awareness of the opportunities of a more inclusive and gender-sensitive urban development of Phnom Penh. This working group was led by Sokunlanita May, co-founder of the association W.A.E. – Women in Architecture and Engineering.

More on a meta level, a working group led by Niklas Kossow from CityLAB Berlin in cooperation with representatives and students from CADT, the Cambodian Academy of Digital Technology, supported by German GIZ, explored Build4People’s Twin Transformation approach and the role of digitalisation and AI in urban development. In the case of Build4People’s Implementation phase, digital transformation and sustainable urban transformation influence each other. First, digital approaches help us to understand the city through data analysis and simulation. Second, they help to involve people, for example through the B4P Citizen Science APP that collects survey data from local residents. Third, they help us to imagine urban futures through digital planning tools and AI-based visualisations. Finally, the project’s people-centred sustainability criteria shape what kind of digitalisation is relevant and useful. So digitalisation is not an end in itself — it is directed toward better urban quality of life.

An example of a specific digital application of people’s involvement was presented by a working group led by Bunleng Se from Royal University of Phnom Penh. He showed that by the combination of objective data and of subjective data, the latter measured by means of the RUPP-B4P Thermal Comfort App, a detailed analysis of the local micro climate can be done. He further showed the results gained by the App can be generalized in the case of the climate-proof development of a new neighbourhood development, such as Mekong Quay Riverfront City.

After the presentation of the four working groups, a Letter of Intent was exchanged between the Build4People representative and the CEO of TP Moral Group.

This was followed by an exchange of the B4P Neighbourhood Evaluation Criteria publication as well as of the B4P Planning and Design guidelines, all in Khmer language, to leading representatives of TP Moral Group and of Phnom Penh Capital Hall.

Furthermore, the participating students received official Certificates of Appreciation to honour their dedicated and engaged work.

Closing words were held by H.E. Vannak Seng, Vice-Governor of Phnom Penh, and by Christof Weigelmeier, Vice-Head of Mission of the German Embassy.

The whole Build4People team would like to express its deep gratitude to all participants of this exciting and inspiring collective endeavour.

The outputs shown during the B4P TM Presentation Conference will get further refined in the course of the next months until the 2nd B4P Transition Manufactury, due to November / December 2026.

The primary objective of this workshop was to discuss further steps for the continued development of digital applications to support scientific research and teaching at RUPP.

Particular focus was placed on the newly developed RUPP-B4P Thermal Comfort App. Results from recent field testing were presented, and students developed ideas on how to visualize the current survey results. In addition, participants discussed potential future applications of the RUPP-B4P Citizen Science App as both a teaching and research tool.

The RUPP-B4P Thermal Comfort App facilitates the collection of subjective thermal comfort data linked to participants locations and the parallel measurement of objective data like air temperature and humidity. This allows for the analysis of relationships between different datasets.

In general, the implementation of citizen science approaches enables citizens of Phnom Penh to actively participate in urban planning and transformation processes, while also providing researchers with a robust analytical tool with which to explore subjective perceptions.

Following opening remarks from Dr Michael Waibel (Build4People Consortium Representative), the workshop began with a presentation by Dr Anke Blöbaum on the potential of the RUPP-B4P Citizen Science App as a tool for science and participation.

Afterwards, Var Sovanndara (RUPP-IT) presented the current status of the app development and demonstrated the already operational data dashboard. Dr Michael Waibel then introduced the concept of the B4P Transition Manufactories as a collaborative format for integrated urban planning during the Implementation Phase of the B4P project. During the subsequent discussion session, participants reflected on the potential role of the RUPP team in supporting the upcoming Transition Manufactories and explored opportunities for further collaboration. The discussion was facilitated by Assistant Prof Dr Bunleng Se.

After a short break, Bunleng Se shared results from recent field testing in the Borey Peng Huoth residential area located in Chbar Ambov district. The empirical study combines objective measurements of local climate conditions with subjective assessments of thermal comfort and highlights the potential of nature-based solutions to improve the local microclimate and urban livability.

Following this presentation, students worked on developing ideas for possible output products to visualize survey results on urban climate in preparation for the B4P Transition Manufactory 2026. After presenting their ideas, a discussion took place on further applications of the RUPP-B4P Citizen Science App for both teaching and research, facilitated by Dr Anke Blöbaum.

Dr Michael Waibel’s forward-looking closing remarks brought the workshop to a close. The event concluded with a joint vegetarian lunch at CKCC, providing a great opportunity for participants to continue their discussions and to exchange perspectives.

Our heartfelt thank-you goes to all speakers and participants, and particularly to the hosts at the Cambodia-Korea Cooperation Centre and the Royal University of Phnom Penh for making this collaborative event possible .

#Build4People #SustainableUrbanTransformation #SustainableCities #Cambodia #RUPP #ScienceWorkshop #InterdisciplinaryResearch #GreenUrbanDevelopment #CitizenScience #CitizenScienceApp #CitiesforPeople #PublicParticipation #BMFTR_SUREregions

The main purpose of this was to provide the Build4People project with the opportunity to meet H.E. Say Samal, Deputy Prime Minister and Minister of the Cambodian Ministry of Land Management, Urban Planning and Construction (MLMUPC) and his delegation, among them several state secretaries.

During the exchange we explained about our B4P Transformation Toolbox evaluation criteria for sustainable neighbourhood development and its related comprehensive planning & design guidelines. Our B4P Evaluation Criteria are for developing sustainability qualities on the neighbourhood level with a focus on new urban areas, addressing Phnom Penh, but also other cities in Cambodia, integrating developer companies, ministries and local city administrations for achieving future proof projects.

Thereby the key procedure would be the evaluation by means of sustainability indicators with minimum requirements that every project should meet to target values defining a pathway to the future, as well as step by step advancements in-between. Our idea is that a basic digital tool for this will be provided by Build4People, but a more comprehensive administration tool for digital submission, commenting and approval of results must be developed with additional funding support, e.g. from the German Federal Ministry of Economic Cooperation and Development (BMZ).

The ultimate goal would be the development of a mandatory reviewing process for defining, negotiating and fixing sustainability qualities for neighbourhood developments in urban Cambodia.

Our innovative ideas meet considerable interest and consequently we got invited to a technical meeting to explain more about our approaches at the seat of the MLMUPC in Phnom Penh.

Finally, we would like to express our deep gratitude to H.E. Stefan Messerer and his whole team for making this meaningful pitching event possible.

The B4P TM is the follow-up format of B4P Ecocity Transition Lab series undertaken in 2020, 2022, 2023 and 2024 with the city government of Phnom Penh together with major local property developer companies like OCIC, various universities and CIUS Cambodian Institute for Urban Studies as local facilitator.

It also follows a living lab approach, involving multiple stakeholders to initiate a visioning process to create a clear, inspiring, and shared image of an alternative sustainable urban future.

By means of the first B4P TM 2026 we are furthermore bringing in the Twin Transformation strategy by combing digital and sustainability approaches. We do trainings in the use of digital urban planning tools and want to develop step by step a dynamic urban digital model following the principles of our B4P Transformation Toolbox sustainability neighbourhood evaluation criteria.

Adding to technical digital design solutions we use the opportunity of the B4P TM 2026 to develop visual utopias of inclusive urban transformation in partnership with WAE (women in architecture and engineering), and to explore potentials of AI to visualize urban dynamics in partnership with the Cambodian Academy of Digital Technology (CADT), CityLAB Berlin and the GIZ founded Digital Transformation Center (DTC).

Actually, there was a huge interest of local students to join the B4P TM which we were not able to fully satisfy. However, we would like to take the opportunity to express our deep gratitude to all six participating universities, Royal University of Phnom Penh, Royal University of Agriculture, Paññāsāstra University of Cambodia, Norton University, Royal University of Fine Arts, and Western University.

The urban site we work on during the B4P TM 2026 is Mekong Key Riverfront City, a 200-ha-development along Mekong River opposite Koh Norea developed by TP Moral Group. It is at an early planning stage which will hopefully allow for sustainability interventions from side of Build4People.

Build4People is particularly glad, that the renowned landscaper designer Steven Petit, Creative Director of the OMGEVING office in Ho Chi Minh City joined the B4P TM during the first days to bring in his great expertise in the field of sponge city development and the application of nature-based solutions.

The first results from the B4P Transition Manufactory 2026 will get presented in front of leading representatives from Phnom Penh Capital Hall and TP Moral Group at Phnom Penh City Hall on 13 March 2026.

End of November 2026, we envisage for a second B4P Transition Manufactory and the time in-between will be used to further optimize our digital urban model and to validate our sustainability criteria in cooperation with Phnom Phnom Penh Capital Hall and the Cambodian Ministry of Land Management, Urban Planning and Construction.

The rationale behind the covering of this topic are rapid urbanization and urban sprawl in dynamic Southeast-Asian countries, such as Cambodia. This is highlighting the need to integrate land-use planning with transportation. This is why the Build4People project has included the topic of sustainable urban mobility into its B4P Transformation Toolbox. The planning and design guideline “Sustainable Urban Mobility” provides such a framework for sustainable mobility with a focus on transit-oriented development (TOD).

The guideline has been authored by representatives of the SMMR project, funded by the German Ministry of Economic Cooperation and implemented by GFA Consulting Group on behalf of GIZ Thailand. In the past years, SMMR project has frequently entered an innovative alliance with the Build4People project, mostly in the context of the Build4People Ecocity Transition Lab series.

The Planning and Design Guideline “Sustainable Urban Mobility“, promotes sustainable mobility strategies following the AVOID-SHIFT-IMPROVE (ASI) approach:

1. Avoid long distance trips with integrated planning and TOD strategies.
2. Shift to the most energy-efficient modes.
3. Improve the existing vehicle fleets with electrification.

This approach provides planners and policymakers with a holistic method to tackle the most pressing challenges of urban mobility.

The guideline is divided into two main sections:

• From vision to action plan
• Improving Accessibility and connectivity

Thereby, strategies focus on building an integrated transport network to improve connectivity and accessibility through a phased approach.

Target groups are intended for urban planners, policymakers, local government officials in ASEAN cities. Successful implementation is expected to result in more sustainable urbanisation that promotes highly accessible and liveable urban neighbourhoods.

Build4People would like to express its deep gratitude to the lead author of the planning and design guideline “Sustainable Urban Mobility”, Sovanarith Sieng (formerly SMMR project), now working at the UN-Habitat Bangkok Programme Office.

Download link of Khmer language version :

https://build4people.org/wp-content/uploads/2026/03/B4P_TTB_02-3_Design_Guideline_Khmer_SUM_2026_03_06.pdf_compressed.pdf

Download link of English language version :

https://build4people.org/wp-content/uploads/2025/09/02-3_Toolbox_DesignGuidelines_SUM-1.pdf

Link to B4P Snapshot Interview featuring Conrad Richardson, a renowned expert in the field of sustainable urban mobility and consultant within the SMMR project “Sustainable Design of Urban mobility in Medium-Sized Metropolitan Regions”, about the approach of the Guideline “Sustainable Urban Mobility”:

The Blue-Green Infrastructure Guideline is richly illustrated and contains various locally adapted solutions to foster interconnected systems that blend vegetation with water features and that reduce urban heat islands, creating multifunctional spaces capable of addressing urban environmental challenges while enhancing community resilience and well-being.

Our particular thanks go to Steven Petit, based in Ho Chi Minh City, Vietnam, creative director of OMGEVING, a renowned Belgian design office for landscape architecture and urbanism and his co-worker Ms Ngoc Le. Together with Nuria Roig from Eble Messerschmidt Partner Architects and Urban Planners (EMP), Tübingen, Germany, they wrote the sup-chapter Neighbourhood Blue-Green Infrastructure. Equal thanks go to the staff of the Institute of Climate and Energy Concepts (INKEK) responsible for the sub-chapter Climate-Sensitive Urban Design.

Authors:

• Song Le, OMGEVING
• Steven Petit, OMGEVING
• Nuria Roig, EMP
• Dr. Janalisa Hahne, INKEK
• Prof. Dr. Lutz Katzschner, INKEK
• Dr. Sebastian Kupski, INKEK

Reviewers

• Michael Waibel, Department of Geography, University of Hildesheim, Germany
• Tep Makathy, General Director of CIUS
• Rolf Messerschmidt, CEO of Eble Messerschmidt Partner, Tübingen, Germany
• Bunleng Se, Assistant Professor at Royal University of Phnom Penh
• Nyda Chhinh, Assistant Professor at Royal University of Phnom Penh

Finally, our acknowledgement goes to the staff of Eble Messerschmidt Partner Architects and Urban Planners PartGmbB who developed the overall concept and graphic design of this guideline with logistic support from Build4People’s consortium lead at Hildesheim University.

Download link of Khmer language version:

Download link of English language version:

Link to B4P Snapshot Interview featuring the guideline’s lead author Steven Petit explaining about the approach of the Guideline “Blue-Green Infrastructure”

This newly released guideline is the result of several years of intensive transdisciplinary collaboration within the Build4People project. It synthesizes conceptual and methodological insights from participation research, practical experiences gathered through the implementation of participatory formats in close cooperation with local research partners, and the expertise of future Build4People partners in the field of digital participation tools.

The documented practical experiences reflect important lessons learned from adapting and further developing widely established participatory approaches to the specific socio-cultural context of Phnom Penh. The guideline showcases a range of best-practice examples:

• User-centered approaches aimed at making public spaces more inclusive
• Social marketing strategies that actively engage diverse “green pioneers” in Phnom Penh, provide visibility to them as role models, and thereby foster sustainable lifestyles.
• Low-threshold participation formats such as pop-up kiosks and the Build4People Citizen Science App, which help systematically capture and visualize citizens’ needs and perspectives.
• Larger-scale participatory instruments like Urban Living Labs (e.g., the Build4People Ecocity Transition Lab) and the Build4People Sustainable Building Arena, which enable co-creation processes across stakeholder groups.

The guideline is intended to serve as both a theoretical and practical resource for researchers, urban practitioners, and decision-makers aiming to promote inclusive and participatory urban transformation processes in Phnom Penh and beyond.

Participation is always an open, evolving process. In this sense, the guideline should also be understood as a living document, one that will continue to grow through future experiences and contextual adaptations in Phnom Penh, allowing it to remain relevant and impactful over time.

Our particular thanks go to all of the authors and reviewers who made this publication possible.

Authors:

• Anke Blöbaum, Department of Environmental Psychology, Otto-von-Guericke University Magdeburg
• Michael Waibel, Department of Geography, University of Hildesheim
• Anja Jannack, Laboratory of Knowledge Architecture at TU Dresden
• Sovanarith Sieng, UN-Habitat Bangkok Programme Office, formerly SMMR project
• Andreas Deuß, Department of Environmental Psychology, Otto-von-Guericke University Magdeburg
• Christina Karagianni, Department of Sustainable Building Technology, Technical University of Applied Sciences Lübeck
• Yannick Müller, CityLAB Berlin, Germany

Reviewers

• Rolf Messerschmidt, Eble Messerschmidt Partner, Tübingen, Germany
• Sokunlanita May, Chair of die Association Women in Architecture and Engineering in Cambodia (W.A.E.)

Download link of Khmer language version:

Download link of English language version:

Link to English Build4People News announcement about the publication of a B4P Snapshot Interview featuring the guideline’s lead author Dr. Anke Blöbaum explaining about the approach of the Guideline “Governance & Transformation”

Since the beginning of its very first research phase, Build4People has worked intensively on the public documentation of its manifold research work. This transparent approach of good scientific practice and visualization to provide state-of-the art science communication is a central transformative component of Build4People to facilitate science-society transfer and to increase awareness among relevant stakeholders in the field of sustainable building and sustainable neighbourhood development.
The B4P YouTube channel is a key instrument of the Build4People science communication: It generally provides documentation of our activities, of several webinars as well as our social marketing campaigns such as the B4P Online Exhibition “Cambodia’s Green Pioneers” and other communication formats such as the B4P Snapshot Interview Series.

A comprehensive overview of all videos published can be also found at our Build4People homepage, Press Media section.

We are really thrilled about this stunning success of our social media communication and are very more looking to continuing our efforts of science society transfer.

#Build4People #BMFTR_SUREregion #sciencecommunication #sciencesocietytransfer #goodscientificpractice #scientifictransparency #scientificoutreach

#Build4People