As part of a partnership between the Artelia Foundation and Planète Enfants & Développement, two Artelia volunteers - Monika Kmostincova and Thomas Caillon - spent a week in Cambodia. Immersed at the heart of our HaLI program, which aims to improve the living conditions of families in the slums of Phnom Penh, these two experts in sustainable construction put forward a series of recommendations to make housing renovation more sustainable and eco-responsible.
As soon as they arrived, Monica and Thomas were welcomed by our local team before embarking on their first visit to the Khmounh district of Sensok. There, they were able to discover the houses we have already rehabilitated and observe the technical and climatic constraints faced by the inhabitants.
Their mission continued in the Sen Sabay neighborhood, where Planète Enfants & Développement is currently concentrating its efforts. On site, Monika and Thomas met several families and began a socio-urban and technical diagnosis of the neighborhood. This immersion enabled them to identify the specific needs of the inhabitants and gain a better understanding of the realities on the ground.
Drawing on their expertise, they have developed a series of proposals based on passive strategies to improve thermal comfort and natural ventilation in housing. Their approach is based on the use of ecological materials and low-tech techniques, while drawing on local know-how to ensure the sustainability and reproducibility of the proposed solutions. It also incorporates a reflection on the evolution of housing, in line with the growing awareness of residents regarding their living environment. In this way, their intervention fits in with and complements our social work with families.
Initial ideas include a new architectural design adapted to the tropical climate, more efficient but locally available insulating materials, and simple layouts that promote air circulation while limiting environmental impact.
This mission marks a key step in the evolution of our HaLI program, bringing an innovative technical vision rooted in the local context. Thanks to the commitment of Monika Kmostincova and Thomas Caillon, this collaboration between Artelia and Planète Enfants & Développement paves the way for more sustainable, more comfortable housing, better adapted to the needs of Cambodian families.
My first steps on the Asian continent with Planète Enfants & Développement were a very memorable experience, both professionally and personally. Indeed, as part of this Franco-Khmer team, I became aware of the challenges facing the countries of Southeast Asia, and in particular Cambodia, a country with a rich and complex history, in full development.
I was also able to apply my skills in tropical bioclimatic design acquired during my studies and various internships on Reunion Island, even if the challenges of these insalubrious habitats subject to strong monsoon periods are on a completely different level. We were able to find parallels and recommend certain technical solutions, notably concerning natural ventilation.
It was very rewarding to talk to the association and suggest ways of improving the way they build.
I'd like to thank them again for this extraordinary human adventure, and I'm still impressed by the people I met and the depth of their country.
"អរគុណសម្រាប់គ្រប់យ៉ាង" (aw-kun samrab krob yang): Thank you for everything!
