The Seoul-based Global Green Growth Institute (GGGI) has entered into a partnership with the Cambodia Green Building Council (CamGBC), a private-sector initiative, to advance the green-building movement in the Kingdom.
A memorandum of understanding (MoU) was signed to this effect, detailing plans to launch “Cambodia-specific green building rating and financing schemes” and outlining GGGI’s role in the operationalisation of CamGBC, GGGI said in a July 30 press release.
CamGBC classifies a building as “green” if it is determined to be “environmentally responsible and resource-efficient” throughout its life span, GGGI said, adding that the council seeks to provide “green buildings and communities” to any Cambodians who want them.
“The council aims to engage with policymakers, professionals, and the society at large, to transform the building industry into one that respects the environment.
“The Royal Government of Cambodia has begun to develop multiple long-term initiatives to create a more sustainable building sector in Cambodia, including the building code under development by the Ministry of Urban Planning, Land Management and Construction and the green building guidelines and national cooling action plan under development by the Ministry of Environment.
“Cambodia’s updated Nationally Determined Contribution, submitted in December 2020, also outlines enhanced ambitions for the sector, including actions relating to building energy efficiency and cooling,” GGGI added.
Minister of Environment Say Samal, chairman of the National Council for Sustainable Development, said during the launch of GGGI’s Cambodia Country Planning Framework (CPF) 2021-2025 in June that “green growth” is an economic development model that pursues growth with an imperative for social inclusion and the sustainable use of natural resources.
He asserted that the government applies green-growth principles throughout the strategic planning and development process. “We are committed to climate action and achieving sustainable development across all sectors, by prioritising green-growth approaches.” he said.
According to the UN Development Programme (UNDP), the building sector is the Kingdom’s “most significant final energy consumer”.
“Residential and commercial buildings consume almost 80 per cent of electricity in the country and energy consumption in buildings will more than double until 2040,” the UNDP said in its Energy Efficiency in Buildings: Accelerating Low-carbon Development in Cambodia report last year.
“Unless efforts towards improving energy efficiency are realised, the present growth in annual energy consumption in buildings is expected to continue. That will contribute significantly to the country’s greenhouse gas emissions.
“The major drivers of this demand growth are an increase in new building constructions, inefficient energy utilisation in existing buildings and a continuously increasing stock of electrical household appliances,” it added.
