Cambodia: Buildings for People?

Although Cambodia has a long tradition of vernacular architecture where initial building practices took climate conditions into account, currently there is only limited knowledge and awareness about the subject of sustainable buildings among stakeholders of the real estate sector. The Cambodian city of Phnom Penh is witnessing a construction boom and the lack of attention given to sustainability issues threatens dire consequences in the not so distant future. This research note discusses various approaches and measures to promote sustainable buildings in Cambodia. It will be concluded that successful policies towards increasing sustainability need to be less technocratic, less top-down, more inclusive thereby taking into account the behavioural dimension and aspirations of the urban citizens. To achieve a viable implementation with a sustained impact a trans-disciplinary and holistic approach incorporating innovative methods and expertise from various fields should be pursued. Thereby, the vision of “buildings for people” may serve as impetus to enhance the quality of life of Cambodia’s urban citizens