3rd Technical Advisory Committee Meeting in Cambodia

Phnom Penh, Cambodia, 26 March 2026 – The Global Green Growth Institute (GGGI) Cambodia, the ASEAN Centre for Energy (ACE), and the Ministry of Land Management, Urban Planning and Construction (MLMUPC) jointly organized the Third Technical Advisory Committee Meeting of the Asia Low Carbon Buildings Transition (ALCBT) project in Cambodia.  

Dr. Yan Vandeluxe, Deputy Director General of General Department of Construction and ALCBT focal point from MLMUPC, on behalf of H.E. Ros Salin, Secretary of State of MLMUPC, presided over and chaired the meeting. The event was attended by over 30 participants, including representatives from government agencies, professional associations, development partners, and the private sector. 

In his opening remarks, Dr. Vandeluxe underscored the importance of strengthening partnerships not only within Cambodia but also across ASEAN to advance policies and mobilize green investments for low-carbon buildings. He emphasized that the ALCBT project provides a valuable platform for aligning efforts toward achieving Cambodia’s NDC 3.0 targets and its commitment to carbon neutrality by 2050. He encouraged participants to engage openly in discussions, particularly on linking building energy assessments with procurement guidelines and exploring practical implementation through the Energy Service Company (ESCO) model. 

The meeting reviewed the findings of the project’s building energy assessments conducted in Phnom Penh and Kandal, discussed proposed Green Public Procurement (GPP) criteria for energy‑efficient air conditioners, and examined opportunities to operationalize the ESCO model in Cambodia.  

GGGI presented key findings from 250 building energy assessments conducted in residential and commercial buildings. These included Energy Performance Index profiles, priority Energy Conservation Measures, potential energy savings and GHG emission reductions, and the investment needed for greening the building sector in the country.  

ACE introduced the ASEAN BUILT (Building Investment for Low-Carbon Transition in ASEAN), a web-based one–stop–shop regional building energy efficiency database and investment platform that aims to connect stakeholders in the buildings sector and accelerate the mobilization of investment and financing for low–carbon building projects across ASEAN. The findings of the ESCO market assessment in Cambodia were also presented, mechanisms that could facilitate investments in energy efficiency in the building sector. 

The session also covered the GPP framework, which promotes the purchase of energy-efficient and environmentally sustainable technologies in the public sector, and discussed the proposed criteria for energy-efficient conditioners. The GPP highlighted significant potential to expand sustainable procurement practices in Cambodia.  

The meeting concluded with agreement on next steps, including the publication of the Building Energy Assessment Report and the ESCO Market Assessment Report. The project will continue to collaborate closely with the Ministry of Economy and Finance (MEF) and other stakeholders to advance GPP for energy‑efficient air conditioners. The Chair also announced plans to develop a roadmap to support MLMUPC in taking a leading role in advancing low‑carbon building development in Cambodia and to organize public dissemination on the result of the building energy assessments. 

Related news: 2nd Technical Advisory Committee Meeting, 1st Technical Advisory Committee Meeting