Build4People

Build4People is very happy about this milestone and would like to take the opportunity to sincerely thank all supporters of this meaningful project.

To facilitate science-society transfer and to increase awareness among relevant stakeholders in the field of sustainable building and of sustainable neighbourhood development, Build4People has worked intensively on the public documentation of its transdisciplinary research.

Our communication activities span multiple social media channels and are aimed at diverse target groups, far beyond our own scientific community. This includes LinkedIn, Instagram and YouTube, as well as the most common network in Southeast Asia: Facebook.

This transparent approach of good scientific practice to provide state-of-the art science communication is a central transformative component of Build4People.

In this context, we are very proud that Build4People’s presence at Facebook has reached the milestone of 5,000 followers. This is by far the highest number among all research projects supported by the SURE (Sustainable Development of Urban Regions) funding priority of the German Federal Ministry of Research, Technology and Space (BMFTR).

Unlike in Germany, where Facebook may be looked upon as a bit old-fashioned, Facebook is the key (social) media and communication platform in Cambodia.

The Build4People Facebook page is aimed primarily at the Cambodian public and particularly at young people as whom we regard as potential agents of change and future decision-makers. The Build4People Facebook page is used to provide information about Build4People activities, good practice examples for green buildings and sustainable neighbourhood development, as well as innovative policy and governance approaches. There are currently around 150 postings per year on our Facebook platform. 

Thanks to the analytical functions of Facebook, the outreach and engagement levels can be quantitatively measured. This has provided significant insights into the interests and awareness levels of the audience. For example, the most successful post on the Build4People Facebook page in May 2024 reached more than 250,000 people and was shared more than 600 times. This proven figure illustrates how a smart social media strategy can complement research activities and formal academic publications by disseminating knowledge and insights to a broader public via informal channels. This ensures wider awareness of activities and results across large swathes of society, including residents of the urban structures we investigated.

The following overview shows Build4People’s various social media platforms and their respective outreach, as of 15 August 2025.

#Build4People #Sciencecommunication #BMFTR_SUREregions #sciencesocietytransfer #goodscientificpractice #scientifictransparency #scientificoutreach

Build4People is thrilled to announce the publication of the video clip documentation of the Build4People Science Workshop “B4P Transformation Toolbox” which took place at the Cambodia-Korea Cooperation Centre (CKCC) at the Royal University of Phnom Penh (RUPP) on 27 May 2025.

This vibrant gathering of Cambodian and international experts was jointly organised and hosted by the Build4People Work Packages “Behaviour Change”, “Sustainable Neighbourhoods” and “Sustainable Urban Transformation”.

The workshop aimed to introduce and discuss the B4P Transformation Toolbox (TTB) with local stakeholders. This tangible product is the result of the collaborative efforts of the Build4People team and compromises which several interconnected components, including guidelines, manuals, applications, and capacity-building materials designed to foster sustainable neighbourhood development in urban Cambodia.

Special focus was placed on the TTB guideline “Governance and Participation”. In this context, the participants were introduced to the method of post-occupancy-evaluation (POE), a process which allows to assess the performance and effectiveness of a built environment, such as a building.

To gain a deeper understanding of the method, participants had the opportunity to experience an exemplary POE exercise with a spatial focus on the RUPP campus during the workshop.

#Build4People #BMFTR_SUREregions #UrbanTransformation #SustainableCities #Cambodia #RUPP #ScienceWorkshop #InterdisciplinaryResearch #GreenUrbanDevelopment #publicparticipation #transformationtoolbox #governance #sustainableurbantransformation

Build4People is thrilled to announce the release of the 10th and concluding video of its online exhibition Cambodia’s Green Pioneers. The current video clip is a compilation of the previously introduced nine pioneers, summarising key statements and providing condensed visual impressions from the various clips.

Through the Build4People Online Exhibition „Cambodia’s Green Pioneers“, the Build4People project employed the power of video storytelling for the first time as part of a social marketing campaign. 

The key aim of this campaign was to showcase positive role models of environmentally friendly behaviour and sustainable entrepreneurship in Cambodia, a country which has achieved considerable economic progress in recent time. However, this also went along with increasing environmental degradation impacting the quality of life for many residents.

During the selection process, we placed great importance on presenting a diverse mix of gender, age and various approaches to sustainability.

The Build4People project would like to take the opportunity to express its deep gratitude to the team at Impact Hub Phnom Penh who provided outstanding support in identifying green pioneers, filming the videos, and producing the clips.

#Build4People #BMFTR_SUREregions #sustainablelifestyle #behaviourchange #greenpioneers #changeagents #sustainableurbantransfromation

Build4People is pleased to announce the publication of the Planning and Design Guideline Governance & Participation, a key element of the B4P Transformation Toolbox, the central outcome of Build4People’s ongoing Research and Development Phase (2021–2025).

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.

Download link:

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 Integrative Geography, University of Hamburg
• 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.)

Finally, our acknowledgement goes to the staff of Eble Messerschmidt Partner who developed the overall concept and graphic design of this guideline with logistic support from Build4People’s consortium lead at the Center for Earth System Research and Sustainability (CEN) of University of Hamburg.