Background

Cambodia’s Third Nationally Determined Contribution (NDC 3.0) highlights the significance of sustainable construction and green building certification in reducing energy consumption in the building and construction sector. The Draft Roadmap on Low-Carbon and Climate Resilient Buildings and Construction Vision 2050 further emphasizes the need to introduce sustainable construction materials to reduce chemicals in the supply chains and reduce GHG emissions.

The construction industry contributes 22% of the GDP of Cambodia. Residential, commercial office spaces and business centres dominate the construction sector in the country.1 It is estimated that a typical range of office floor areas (three-storeyed) in Phnom Penh is 300 to 1800 square metres, with an average floor area of 1000 square metres.metres. 2 Less than 1% buildings in Cambodia have been certified as green buildings as per the Cambodia Guidelines and Certification for Green Building (CamGCGB). The local construction sector sources raw materials like brick kiln, cement and grit from upstream suppliers within the country. There is no national data available on construction and demolition waste generation or disposal in Cambodia.

The brick and cement production sector contributes to significant GHG emissions. The annual fuel consumption in brick kilns is  250 TJ or 1.4% of fabric waste; 10,557TJ or 58% of wood; 7,061TJ or 39% of Rice Husk; 135TJ or 0.75% of Coal; 74TJ or 0.41% of sawdust. About 26,670 tonnes of coal are believed to be used in industries related to cement production.3 Estimated 17.6 gTEQ/Kg of uPOPs emissions4 from brick production are emitted per year. Use of textile waste containing toxic chemicals as a fuel further increases the health impacts on brick kiln workers.5 0.520 Tonnes of mercury are released by cement production.6 No baseline information is available on the amount of hazardous chemical-containing materials used in the construction and fashion sectors.

The project aims to identify and eliminate hazardous chemicals from construction supply chains by offering opportunities for change in production and the use of alternative sustainable materials. This will be achieved through the project components including: 

i). Adoption of circular economy approaches and responsible sourcing of materials by local construction companies/businesses targeting certification of at least five construction firms/companies, to new standards/policies; 

ii). Adoption of cleaner production practices by at least 10 construction companies/factories to reduce emissions and hazardous chemical pollution and waste; and 

iii). Implementation of post-use 9Rs with piloting of a circular reverse logistics system in at least 10 construction companies/manufacturers. These outcomes will reduce the use of hazardous materials and improve manufacturing processes, through policy, financial and innovation levers being applied through a close partnership with national and international partners with extensive experience in Cambodia.

Key Expected Outputs

Component 1: Circular Economy Approaches and Responsible Sourcing of Materials

Output 1.1: Construction eco-labelling schemes and green building certification and construction materials piloted in local construction buildings and materials.

Output 1.2: Government and private sector financial incentives implemented for circular construction supply chains.

Output 1.3: Decree or Law on Ecolabel, Draft Building Code, and Cambodia Green Certification Building Code (CamGCBC)

Output 1.4: Action plan for marketing existing local sustainable alternatives linked to a global IP platform developed, adopted and implemented by national stakeholders.

Component 2: Cleaner Production

Output 2.1: National capacity building programme for resource efficiency, cleaner production and hazardous chemicals management developed and implemented for companies.

Output 2.2: Regulatory controls developed on the use of hazardous chemicals and energy sources.

Output 2.3: Pilot hazardous chemical and sustainable energy projects for selected​small and medium enterprises (SMEs) in the construction sector.

Component 3: Post-use 9Rs

Output 3.1: Innovative solutions identified and piloted for recycling/upcycling materials including reverse logistics.

Output 3.2: Capacity of national construction supply chain actors strengthened in the application of the circular reverse logistics system.

1 Ministry of Environment, Cambodia

2 https://www. Realestate.com.kh/rent/phnom-penh/offices 

3 Mercury Inventory Report, 2018

4 Report of Mercury Initial Assessment in Cambodia, Department of Hazardous Substance Management, General Department of Environmental Protection, Ministry of Environment, 2018

5 Cambodia: Fast fashion helps fuel blazing kilns where workers faint from heat, BBC February 2024 https://www.bbc.com/news/world-asia-68102771

6 Report of Mercury Initial Assessment in Cambodia, Department of Hazardous Substance Management, General Department of Environmental Protection, Ministry of Environment, 2018