Issue 56 - June 2015

Table of Contents

• 2015 Dean’s Awards
• Staff Promotions
• Nanotechnology and Advanced Materials Symposium
  
• Sustainable Urban Development Conference
• Workshop on Anaerobic Syntrophy
• LSGI Scholars in the News
• FCE Summer Attachment 2014/15
• BRE Academic Advocates Team Based Learning for FCE Students
• New Academic Staff
• CEE Academic Exchange to Wuhan University
• Briefing on Opportunities at Technion
• Overseas Students Introduced to FCE
• Scholarship Students Graduate with Distinction
• FCE Introduced to Counsellors from Overseas
• Invitation for Programme Admission 2015/16
• Faculty Public Lectures
• Forthcoming Events

The Faculty of Construction and Environment is pleased to have the following staff receiving the 2015 Dean’s Awards in several categories, namely, 1) Highly-cited Papers, 2) Outstanding Achievement in Research Funding, 3) Outstanding Achievement in Technology Transfer, and 4) Outstanding Achievement in Academic Programme Development.

1. Prof. Kwok-Wing Chau, Prof. Yi-Qing Ni, and Prof. Jin-Guang Teng received the 2015 Dean’s Award for Highly-cited Papers, details of which are listed below:
   
   

   Title	Authors	Journal
   Comparison of Several Flood Forecasting Models in Yangtze River	CHAU, KW; WU, CL; LI, YS	Journal of Hydrologic Engineering  Volume 10, Issue 6, Pages 485-491   (Nov-Dec 2005)
   Technology Developments in Structural Health Monitoring of Large-scale Bridges	KO, JM; NI, YQ	Engineering Structures Volume 27, Issue 12, Pages 1715-1725  (Oct 2005)
   Technology Innovation in Developing the Structural Health Monitoring System for Guangzhou New TV Tower	NI, YQ; XIA, Y; LIAO, WY; KO, JM	Structural Control & Health Monitoring  Volume 16, Issue 1, Pages 73-98   (Feb 2009)
   Bond–slip Models for FRP Sheets/Plates Bonded to Concrete	LU, XZ; TENG, JG; YE, LP; JIANG, JJ	Engineering Structures Volume 27, Issue 6, Pages 920-937  (May 2005)

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2. For their success in securing external competitive research funding in the past few years, seven academics received the Dean’s Award for Outstanding Achievement in Research Funding. Details are as follows:
   
   

   Dept	Awardees	Allocation Date	Project Title  (Funding Scheme)
   BSE	Prof. DU Ya Ping	1 Jul 2012	Application of Surge Protective Devices in High-rise Buildings against Lightning  Surges (RGC General Research Fund)
   		1 Jul 2013	Evaluation of Lightning Surges in Radio Base Stations for Mobile Communication (RGC General Research Fund)
   		1 Jul 2014	Developing the Traveling Wave Theory for Lightning Transients on Vertical Structures (RGC General Research Fund)
   BSE	Prof. NIU Jianlei	1 Jul 2012	Further Development of PCM/Water Emulsion Based Thermal Energy Storage: Solar Thermal Applications (RGC General Research Fund)
   		1 Jul 2013	Developing Energy Efficient Window Systems for Cooling Dominant-climates Using Transparent Super-insulation Materials (RGC General Research Fund)
   		1 Jul 2014	Optimal Thermal Energy Storage (TES) Technology Using Phase-change Material Impregnated into Open Cell Metal Foams (RGC General Research Fund)
   CEE	Prof. CHAN Siu Lai	14 Mar 2013	Innovative Design Technique for Steel-concrete Composite Structures in Hong Kong (Construction Industry Council Research Fund)
   		18 Apr 2013	BIM Applications in Structural Analysis and Design for Buildings (Innovation and Technology Fund)
   		1 Jul 2013	Second-order and Advanced Analysis of Steel Frames with Plastic Hinge along Member by One Element-per-member Model (RGC General Research Fund)
   		15 Aug 2014	Advanced Design of Flexible Barrier Systems by Large Deflection Theory (Innovation and Technology Fund)
   CEE	Prof. TENG Jinguang	1 Jul 2012	Strengthening of Rectangular RC Columns through Shape Modification and FRP Confinement (RGC General Research Fund)
   		1 Jul 2013	FRP Tube-Confined Concrete Columns Containing Recycled Concrete Lumps (RGC General Research Fund)
   		1 Jul 2014	FRP-Confined Steel Tube-Reinforced Concrete Columns (RGC General Research Fund)
   CEE	Prof. WANG Tao	19 Apr 2010	Study of Photochemical Air Pollution inHong Kong (Environment and Conservation Fund)
   		1 Jul 2012	Heterogeneous Loss of Dinitrogen Pentoxide and the Impact on Atmospheric Ozone Pollution (RGC General Research Fund)
   		3 Jan 2013	Chemical Transformation of Dinitrogen Pentoxide and Its Roles in Regional Air Pollution in North China (Natural Science Foundation of China)
   		1 Jul 2014	Atmospheric Chemistry of Dinitrogen Pentoxide in Polluted Subtropical Coastal Environments: A Field and Modeling Study in the Boundary Layer of Hong Kong, South China (RGC General Research Fund)
   CEE	Prof. YIN Jianhua	3 Jan 2013	Extension and Validation of a New Simplified Method for Calculation of Consolidation Settlements of Clayey Soils with Creep (Natural Science Foundation of China)
   		10 Jan 2013	Long-term Dynamic Stability of Ballastless Track Subgrade for High-speed Railway and Design Method Based on Limit States (Natural Science Foundation of China)
   		3 Sep 2013	Development of New FBG-Based Transducers for Integrated Measurement of Total Earth Pressure, Porewater Pressure and Effective Stress (Innovation and Technology Fund)
   		1 Jan 2014	特殊填料的力學特性和本構關係研究 (National Basic Research (973) Programme)
   LSGI	Prof. DING Xiaoli	1 Jul 2010	High Resolution Mapping of Ionospheric TEC Anomalies Associated with Earthquakes with SAR Measurements (RGC General Research Fund)
   		1 Jul 2011	Mountain Glacier Mass Balance Around the Qinghai-Tibetan Plateau from SAR Interferometry and Satellite Altimetry (RGC General Research Fund)
   		1 Jul 2013	Conceptual Investigation of Train Carrying InSAR for Railway Slope and Tunnel Stability Monitoring (RGC General Research Fund)
   		1 Jul 2014	Merging Satellite and Ground-Based Radar Remote Sensing for Monitoring Deformation of Urban Structures (RGC General Research Fund)

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3. The Dean’s Award for Outstanding Achievement in Technology Transfer was given to Prof. Albert Chan and his team for the following project:
   
   

   Project Title	Team Leader	PolyU Team Members
   Anti-Heat Stress Clothing for Construction Workers in Hot and Humid Weather	Prof. Albert Chan, BRE	Prof. Francis Wong Dr Michael Yam Dr Daniel Chan Dr Edmond Lam Prof. Y Li Dr YP Guo Dr WF Song Dr W Yi Miss Y Yang	BRE BRE BRE BRE ITC ITC BRE BRE BRE

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4. The Dean’s Award for Outstanding Achievement in Academic Programme Development was given to Dr Daniel Chan and his 25 team members for developing the MSc/PgD programme in Construction and Real Estate.
   
   All the winners will be honoured later this year at the Faculty Graduation and Prize Presentation Ceremony on 3-4 November 2015.

Five academics of the Faculty of Construction and Environment have been promoted with effect from 1 July 2015. Following are their details:

Prof. Albert Chan, Chair Professor of Construction Engineering and Management (BRE)

Ir Prof. Chan holds an MSc in Construction Management and Economics from the University of Aston in Birmingham, and a PhD in Project Management from the University of South Australia. He joined the Department of Building and Real Estate of PolyU in 1996 and was its Associate Head (Teaching) from 2005 to 2011; Associate Dean and Interim Dean of the Faculty of Construction and Environment from 2011 to 2013, and from 2013 to 2014 respectively.  He has been  Head of the Department of Building and Real Estate (BRE) since March 2015.  Ir Prof. Chan's research and teaching interests include project management and project success, construction procurement and relational contracting, construction management and economics, construction health and safety, and construction industry development. His recommendations have been incorporated in the Construction Industry Council Guidelines on “Site Safety Measures for Working in Hot Weather” in April 2013.  He has produced over 700 research papers in refereed journals, internationally refereed conference papers, consultancy reports, and other articles.  He has also won a number of prestigious research paper and innovation awards since 1995.

Prof. Jianlei Niu, Chair Professor of Building Environment and Energy (BSE)

Prof. Niu received his BSc in HVAC Engineering and MSc in Thermal Engineering from Tsinghua University, and PhD in Mechanical Engineering from Delft University of Technology in the Netherlands. He started his academic career at Tsinghua University, and also had industrial R&D exposure in China and UK in the 1980s. His research interests are computational fluid dynamics and thermal simulation, aiming at solving real-world problems in indoor air quality, infection control in built environments, building energy use, and more recently in urban thermal comfort.

Prof. Niu is the Chair of the Departmental Research Committee. Over the years, he has won an impressive number of external research grants from a range of funding bodies, including the Research Grants Council (RGC), the Innovation Technology Fund and the Research Fund for Control of Infectious Diseases. He is a recipient of numerous awards in technical publications and technology innovations, and has been conferred fellowships from the American Society of Heating, Refrigerating and Air-Conditioning Engineers (ASHRAE), the Chartered Institution of Building Services Engineers (CIBSE), the Hong Kong Institution of Engineers (HKIE), the International Building Performance Simulation Association (IBPSA) and the International Society of Indoor Air Quality and Climate (ISIAQ). He serves as an RGC Engineering Panel member, and is a co-Editor-in-Chief of the journal Energy and Buildings.

Prof. Chi-Sun Poon, Chair Professor of Sustainable Construction Materials (CEE)

Prof. Poon obtained his PhD from Imperial College, London with a thesis on cement based hazardous waste stabilisation/solidification process. He then spent two years as a Research Fellow at Oxford University specialising in cement and concrete research. After working three years with an environmental consultant and the Environmental Protection Department of the HK Government, he joined PolyU in 1992 specialising in the teaching and research of construction materials and waste management. He pioneered the development of the eco-block technology for turning wastes into construction materials. He has published over 300 papers in international journals and conferences. A Fellow of the Hong Kong Institution of Engineers (HKIE) and the Hong Kong Concrete Institute (HKCI), Prof. Poon has been Chairman of the HKIE Environmental Division as well as the Hong Kong Waste Management Association, and the representative of the HKIE Environmental Discipline. He is currently the President of the HKCI. He is on the Green Building Faculty of the Hong Kong Green Building Council and has been serving the Technical Review Committee of the BEAM PLUS assessment scheme as its Materials Aspect Panel Chair. Prof. Poon was appointed by the Hong Kong SAR Government to serve on the Advisory Council on the Environment and the Council for Sustainable Development. He has served as a Justice of the Peace since 2013. He is also an Editor of Construction and Building Materials and an Associate Editor of Waste Management.

Dr George Liu, Associate Professor (LSGI)

Dr Liu received his BSc degree in Surveying Engineering from the Jiangxi University of Science and Technology in 1994 and his MSc degree in Geodesy from Wuhan University in 1997. He earned his PhD in Geomatics Engineering from the University of Calgary, Canada, in 2004. He then worked for one year at the University of Calgary as a Post-Doctoral Fellow. Prior to his move to PolyU in 2009, he was working as a senior R&D specialist in the Canadian Global Positioning System (GPS)/Global Navigation Satellite System (GNSS) industry, including Leica Geosystems. 

His MicroLARGE Lab mainly focuses on pioneering work in the areas of GPS/GNSS innovative algorithm development, lower atmosphere water vapor modeling, upper atmosphere ionosphere and space weather studies, which has impacted the international GPS/GNSS community and beyond. His innovative algorithm of GPS/GNSS cycle slip detection and repairing, fundamental for all the GPS/GNSS precise applications, is used by research groups worldwide. His work on ionosphere has revealed a two-decade-long anomaly associated with the GPS satellites broadcast ionospheric model and has a worldwide impact on the GPS/GNSS product manufacturing and user applications.

As a Principal Investigator (PI), he secured RGC funding for three projects consecutively and one NSFC grant, in addition to many other projects as Co-PI. He is the founder of the New GNSS Algorithms and Techniques for Earth Observations (nGATEo) biennial International Summer Course Series, which is funded by the Croucher Foundation during 2014-2018. Dr Liu is the Managing Editor of the Journal of Global Positioning Systems and an invited reviewer for many journals/grants. He was also the President of the International Association of Chinese Professionals in Global Positioning Systems in 2013, and the international advisor to the US Institute of Navigation’s (ION) Pacific PNT conference in 2015.

Dr Bo Wu, Associate Professor (LSGI)

After obtaining his PhD in Photogrammetry and Remote Sensing from Wuhan University in 2006, Dr Wu did post-doctoral research at Ohio State University in the US from 2006 to 2009, where he worked on NASA-funded projects for Mars and lunar exploration missions, developing novel photogrammetric techniques for Mars rover localization and topographic mapping. Since joining PolyU in 2009, Dr Wu has developed innovative lunar mapping approaches. Invited by the China Academy of Space Technology (CAST), Dr Wu worked on the landing site characterization and selection of the Chinese Chang’E-3 lunar exploration, which contributed to the success of the lunar mission in December 2013. Funded also by CAST, Dr Wu is currently working on characterization and selection of the Chang’E-5 landing site and on China’s future mission to explore Mars. Dr Wu was the Vice President of the Hong Kong GIS Association, and currently serves as the Co-Chair of the Working Group II/6: Geo-Visualization and Virtual Reality of the International Society for Photogrammetry and Remote Sensing. A recipient of the Duane C. Brown Senior Award from the Ohio State University in 2009 and the John I. Davidson President’s Award from the American Society for Photogrammetry and Remote Sensing in 2014, he has secured a number of external research grants and published over 50 peer-reviewed research articles.

On 19 June 2015, a mix of business professionals, entrepreneurs, and academics gathered on the campus of PolyU for the Nanotechnology and Advanced Materials Symposium. Jointly organized by the Nano and Advanced Materials Institute (NAMI) Limited and PolyU’s Department of Civil and Environmental Engineering (CEE), the symposium focused on business opportunities and technical innovation in recycling resources and green technologies for Hong Kong’s construction industry. Welcome remarks were delivered by Prof. You-Lin Xu, Dean of the Faculty of Construction and Environment, and Dr Ivan Sham, Director of Research and Development at NAMI. Among those giving presentations were Prof. Chi Sun Poon, Dr Jian Guo Dai, and Dr Dan Tsang, all from CEE. Prof. Poon introduced an effective way to incorporate nano-TiO2 in photo-catalytic cementitious materials. Dr Dai highlighted the strength development properties and microstructures of plain and fiber-reinforced alkali-activated slag pastes/ mortars, while Dr Tsang discussed the development of recycling technologies for timber wastes in Hong Kong.

On 12 June 2015, over a hundred scholars turned out for a Sustainable Urban Development Conference. Organized by Mr Wei Lang and Prof. Edwin Chan of the Department of Building and Real Estate, the conference focused on urban studies for sustainable density, particularly with respect to planning, design, and GIS. After welcoming speeches by Ir Prof. Alex Wai, Vice-President of PolyU (Research Development), and Ir Prof. Jin-Guang Teng, Director of the Research Institute for Sustainable Urban Development (RISUD), the conference began with a presentation on the research of city density by Prof. Tunney Lee, former Head of the Department of Urban Studies and Planning at the Massachusetts Institute of Technology. He was followed by six other researchers speaking on related topics. Details are as follow:

The conference ended with a discussion involving all the speakers.

On 13 June 2015, 13 scholars participated in a workshop in PolyU   to review the current understanding of microbial ecology and energetics behind the anaerobic syntrophy observed in laboratory and full-scale anaerobic processes. Some of the participants were well known academics who came from Germany, Japan, and the US.  They were welcomed by Prof. Xiangdong Li, Associate Dean (Research) of the Faculty of Construction and Environment (FCE), and Dr Po-Heng Lee of the Department of Civil and Environmental Engineering (CEE), who organized the workshop. Supported by the Research Institute for Sustainable Urban Development, FCE, and CEE, the workshop provided an opportunity for the scholars to identify knowledge gaps in the field of anaerobic syntrophy, particularly with respect to its application for pollution control and resource recovery. The discussion generated from the workshop will lead to a collective review article by some of the participants. A similar workshop to promote collaborative research is being planned for next year.

In May 2015, Dr Charles Wong, Prof. Janet Nichol, and Mr Syed Irtezav of the Department of Land Surveying and Geo-Informatics (LSGI) were interviewed by local media on the feasibility of using hyperspectral remote sensing and aerial photogrammetry to assess the health of trees in Hong Kong. Versions of the interview appeared in Ming Pao, the Hong Kong Economic Times, Wen Wei Po, Sky Post, and The Sun.

According to Dr Wong, the spectrum of light emitted by trees is as unique as fingerprints. After exposure to sunlight, trees will absorb part of its light before reflecting certain wavelengths. The ratio of reflected wavelengths by different plants is not the same, which enables the identification of different plant species and their health conditions. Taking Light Detection and Ranging (Lidar) measurements above the canopy could not only capture the density, height and width of plants, but also tell whether they are slanted or not. Thus, the use of such technology could preempt accidents due to collapsing trees.  

In addition, Dr Wong estimated it would take approximately four months to examine all the trees on Hong Kong Island by this technology. The examination of all the trees in Hong Kong, Kowloon, and the New Territories could be completed in a year. It would cost about HK$ 8 million.

Dr Hongqin Fan of the Department of Building and Real Estate will spend part of his summer in Canada as part of the FCE Summer Attachment Scheme. Jointly supported by his department and FCE, he will engage in collaborative research at the University of Toronto from 28 June to 27 July 2015.

Dr Hongqin Fan of the Department of Building and Real Estate has become an advocate for team-based learning (TBL) after spending a few weeks in February 2015 observing it in action in two subjects offered by the Department of Civil Engineering at the University of British Columbia (UBC) in Canada. Supported by an Overseas Scholarship Scheme of the Educational Development Centre and the Faculty of Construction and Environment (FCE), Dr Fan had a chance to interview Dr Thomas Froese, who was teaching through TBL in the Department of Civil Engineering at UBC, as well as Jim Sibley, Manager of the Centre for Instructional Support at UBC and author of the book Getting Started with Team-Based Learning. Dr Fan believes TBL is an appropriate pedagogy for FCE academics to adopt, especially for management related subjects with large classes, as it focuses on developing students’ problem-solving skills in a team environment. TBL has been widely implemented since it was launched in the US in the late 1970s. More information on TBL can be found at http://www.teambasedlearning.org/.

The Department of Civil and Environmental Engineering welcomed a new Assistant Professor in July 2015. Dr Siu Kai Lai obtained a Bachelor’s degree in Building Services Engineering with first class honours from the City University of Hong Kong in 2004.  Subsequently, he received his PhD degree in Mechanical Engineering from the same institution in 2007.

From 2007 to 2010, he was a Postdoctoral Fellow at the School of Engineering and Civionics Research Centre of the University of Western Sydney in Australia. He later worked as a Research Associate at the Department of Mechanical Engineering of The University of Hong Kong from 2011 to 2012.  Prior to joining PolyU, Dr Lai was a Senior Engineer in Meinhardt (M&E) Limited working in the field of building and construction, and was involved in many large-scale industrial projects in both Hong Kong and Macau.

Professionally, Dr Lai is a Chartered Engineer of the Engineering Council of the UK, Chartered Professional Engineer of The Institution of Engineers Australia (IEAust), and Registered Professional Engineer (Mechanical Discipline) of the National Professional Engineers Register (NPER) in Australia.  He is also a member of The Hong Kong Institution of Engineers (HKIE), the Institution of Mechanical Engineers (IMechE), and The Institution of Engineers Australia (IEAust).

A delegation of 13 academics and students from the Department of Civil and Environmental Engineering (CEE) visited Wuhan University during 23-30 May 2015. Led by Dr Hai Guo, the delegation was warmly welcomed by Prof. Qingyun Du, Associate Dean of the School of Resources and Environmental Sciences, who introduced the rich history of Wuhan University and its research strengths. In return, Dr Guo highlighted the international aspects of CEE. He also enthused about the long-standing exchange and cooperation between PolyU and Wuhan University. Student representatives from the two universities also shared experiences of their respective campus. In addition to a tour of Wuhan University, the delegation also visited the Hubei Provincial Environmental Monitoring Centre, the Wuhan Environmental Protection Bureau, and the local History Museum.

Funded by an exchange programme promoting exchange of teachers/ students between Hong Kong and inland universities, the trip has greatly enhanced the friendship of students from the two universities.

On 22 June 2015, about 25 staff members, research personnel, and PhD students from a range of engineering disciplines attended a briefing session on post-doctoral programmes, teaching and research opportunities at Technion-Israel Institute of Technology, both in Israel and at its new campus in Shantou in Guangdong Province. Presented by Prof. Paul Feigin, Technion’s Vice President for Strategic Projects, the briefing was well received by the audience, who were all interested in the range of opportunities available at Technion.

Technion-Israel Institute of Technology is Israel’s premier center of science and technology education and applied research. It is ranked among the world’s top 50 technological universities and has been recognized for its leadership in promoting innovation and entrepreneurship. Located in Haifa, Israel, it is home to three Nobel Laureates and is also the birth place of many of Israel’s most exciting technological innovations.

Prof. Paul Feigin

On 25 June 2015, 21 secondary students and 35 university students from all over the world were introduced to the Faculty of Construction and Environment (FCE), its undergraduate and taught postgraduate programmes by Prof. Geoffrey Shen, Associate Dean (Teaching). They also had a chance to learn about FCE’s research activities from Prof. Xiangdong Li, Associate Dean (Research), before touring the various research facilities, including the Construction Virtual Prototyping Lab; the Heating, Ventilation and Air-Conditioning Lab; the Structural Engineering Research Lab; Water and Waste Labs, and the Underground Utility Survey Lab. The students were visiting PolyU to participate in its Global Student Challenge 2015, which is a worldwide competition for senior secondary students and university undergraduates to show their flair for business and turn their ideas into innovative products or services.

Five MSc students who were supported by our Entry Scholarships have recently completed their respective programmes with Distinction in the second semester of 2014/15. They shared their thoughts on what studying at PolyU has meant for them below.

Yu Hang FUNG	Siu Ting KWONG	Choi Hung NG	Tak Yi TSO	Yangyang ZHANG

On 3 June 2015, student counsellors from 25 high schools in 6 countries, namely, China, Indonesia, Kazakhstan, Korea, Malaysia, and Taiwan, were introduced to the Faculty of Construction and Environment (FCE) and its various undergraduate programmes by Prof. Xiaoli Ding, Associate Dean (Partnership). Also present at the briefing session were Mr Wai Kei Kong, Teaching Fellow from the Department of Building and Real Estate; Prof. Shiu Keung Tang from the Department of Building Services Engineering; Dr Andy Leung, Assistant Professor from the Department of Civil and Environmental Engineering; and Mr Kent Lam, Teaching Fellow of the Department of Land Surveying and Geo-Informatics. The departmental representatives gave the counsellors a tour of their laboratories, including the Underground Utility Survey Laboratory, the Ng Wing Hong Laboratory for Sustainable City, the Heating, Ventilation, and Air-Conditioning Laboratory, and the Structural Engineering Research Laboratory. The counsellors were invited to visit PolyU as part of its efforts to internationalize its student body.

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