News

Welcome message from the Head of Department

The Department of Building Environment and Energy Engineering (BEEE) was officially established in December 1981 (formerly referred to as the Department of Building Services Engineering). We have been serving Hong Kong’s building services engineering industry ever since, promoting sustainable, efficient and healthy indoor and urban living environments in one of the world’s greatest cities by providing world class teaching and conducting internationally leading research.  BEEE is one of the constituent departments of the Faculty of Construction and Environment, and offers a full range of taught and research based study programmes leading to awards from Bachelor of Engineering (BEng) to Masters (MSc and MEng) right up to Doctor of Philosophy (PhD).   Among many challenges confronting the world, perhaps the most critical is to provide high quality living environments to rapidly urbanising and ageing populations under the creeping threat of a worsening climate and increasing environmental pollution. UN forecasts that the world's population will reach 9.7 billion by 2050. 70% of the people are projected to live in urban areas, placing enormous strain on cities and the environment. To deal effectively with these challenges, future building engineers will need to be data savvy and work in interdisciplinary teams to deliver optimal solutions enabling smart urban environments incorporating elements such as vertical farms; renewables driven integrated buildings and transport systems; citywide recycling and so on for a sustainable planet and a smart and resilient built environment. In order to promote this vision, we have designed state of the art study programmes providing the best possible training to our students in designing high performance buildings and building systems through judicious exploitation of the sciences and contemporary technologies such as sensor and comms networks, AI and IoT techniques, data science and programming, BIM and digital twin systems etc. This is consistent with our mission, stated as, to imagine, engineer and promote sustainable, salutogenic and safe environments for human habitation.   BEEE full-time academic and teaching staff members engage in a wide range of research activities organized in the following three research themes: Building Energy: Energy issues in buildings are addressed in the context of both demand and supply to improve the sustainability of the built environment. Building Environment: Optimisation of buildings and built environments for thermal comfort, indoor air quality, visual/spatial and vibration/acoustic aspects to improve occupant health and productivity. Building Safety and Resilience: Protection of building occupants from hazards such as fire and lightning to improve safety and resilience of communities, buildings and built environments.   I would like to take this opportunity to thank you for your interest in our department and programmes and hope you’ll join us in learning to promote smarter urban environments for a better and more sustainable future for humanity and our planet.   Prof. Asif Usmani Head of Unit Department of Building Environment and Energy Engineering

New Assistant Professor - Dr Cynthia Hou

The Department of Building Services Engineering (BSE) is pleased to announce that Dr Cynthia Hou has been appointed the new Assistant Professor of BSE, starting on 18 August 2021. Dr. Cynthia Hou received her PhD in Real Estate and Construction from the University of Hong Kong and is a member of the Royal Institution of Chartered Surveyors. Before joining PolyU, she worked as an assistant professor in the Department of Management in the Built Environment, Delft University of Technology (2020-2021) and a lecturer in the Chinese University of Hong Kong (2015-2020). She has been engaged in research in the field of built environment management. Her research focuses include post-occupancy evaluation, workplace management, strategic facilities management, and heritage management. Recently, she has leveraged smart technologies in her research by investigating smart hotels, smart heritage facilities management, and virtual reality (VR) technologies applications in built environment education. She seeks to investigate efficient and sustainable built environment management strategies from a facilities management perspective. She is also keen on adopting digitalisation approaches in her research, with an aim to delineating the dynamics among people, facilities and space in the built environment and exploring data-driven solutions for facilities management problems in society.

New Chair Professor - Professor Chen Qingyan

The Department of Building Services Engineering (BSE) is pleased to announce the appointment of Professor Chen Qingyan to the post of Chair Professor of Building Thermal Science in the Department of Building Services Engineering and concurrently as Director of PolyU Academy for Interdisciplinary Research (PAIR). Professor Chen obtained his Bachelor of Science degree in Thermal Energy Engineering from the Tsinghua University in 1983, and his Master of Science and Doctor of Philosophy degrees in Mechanical Engineering from the Delft University of Technology in Netherlands in 1985 and 1988 respectively.  Before joining our University, Professor Chen was the James G. Dwyer Professor of Mechanical Engineering at Purdue University, USA. Professor Chen’s research interests include computer simulations and experiment measurements of built environment, energy-efficient, healthy and sustainable buildings.  His journal publications have been cited by more than 19,000 times and his h-index is 73 according to Google Scholar.  During his career, Professor Chen established four multi-disciplinary and inter-disciplinary research centres/consortia with a total research funding of over HK$200 million from different government agencies.  He was interviewed by more than 80 media outlets from 10 countries for his research on infectious disease transmission in built environment during COVID-19 pandemic. Professor Chen has been serving as Editor-in-Chief of the international journal “Building and Environment” since 2008.  He was the Director of National Consortium for Key Project on Ventilation and Air Quality Control Strategies for Residential Buildings in China from 2016 to 2019 and the Founding Director of Tianjin Key Laboratory of Indoor Environment Quality Control in the Commission of Science and Technology of Tianjin Municipality in China from 2014 to 2016.  Furthermore, he was the Chief Scientist in the National Consortium for 973 Project on Key Problems in Cabin Air Environment of Large Commercial Airliners in China and the Director of Center for Cabin Air Reformative Environment at Tianjin University in China from 2012 to 2016, and the Principal Director in National Air Transportation Centre of Excellence for Airliner Cabin Environment Research in USA from 2004 to 2010. Professor Chen has received a number of prestigious awards including the Distinguished Achievement Award from the International Building Performance Simulation Association in 2013, the John Rydberg Gold Medal from the Scandinavian Federation of Heating, Ventilating and Sanitary Engineering Associations in 2011, and the Willis J. Whitfield Award from the Institute of Environmental Sciences and Technology in 2007.  Professor Chen has also received several technical paper and poster awards and Distinguished and Exceptional Service Awards from the American Society of Heating, Refrigerating, and Air-conditioning Engineers (ASHRAE).  In addition, he was awarded as an honorable member of the Society of Heating, Air-Conditioning and Sanitary Engineers of Japan in 2020.  He is also a Fellow of the ASHRAE, the International Society of Indoor Air Quality, and the International Association of Advanced Materials.

PolyU Summer Programme 2021

The Department of Building Services Engineering (BSE) of The Hong Kong Polytechnic University (PolyU) is pleased to report that PolyU Summer Programme 2021 was held successfully on 4 August 2021 via online mode. PolyU Summer Programme is a university-wide activity coordinated by the Academic Registry. It aims to promote PolyU and our undergraduate programmes to Secondary 4 and Secondary 5 students, and to help them make informed JUPAS choices. First, there was a Video Show briefly presenting BSE.  Afterwards, BSE Associate Head and Associate Professor, Dr Horace MUI, and Programme Leader and Associate Professor, Dr L.T. WONG, introduced BSE and BEng(Hons) in Building Services Engineering to the participants. Other activities included a virtual laboratory tour, student sharing, demonstrations and DIALUX software application introduction. BSE believes that this programme has deepened the senior secondary school students’ understanding of Building Services Engineering. We look forward to seeing them again in the near future.

The 7th Hong Kong University Student Innovation and Entrepreneurship Competition

The Department of Building Services Engineering (BSE) of The Hong Kong Polytechnic University (PolyU) is pleased to report that a team of BSE students, namely Ms. Hung Tak Lam, Mr. Leung Chun Kuen and Ms. Lam Nico, has received the Merit Award in the category of Energy, Environmental and Chemical Engineering at the 7th Hong Kong University Student Innovation and Entrepreneurship Competition. Under the supervision of BSE Professor, Prof. Lu Lin Vivien, the team with the project entitled “Performance Analysis of Bifacial Solar PV module and its Application in Hong Kong,” has been awarded a prize of HK$2,000 from the Competition. The awarded project is based on the final-year project of Ms. Hung under the supervision of Prof. Lu. BSE would like to take this opportunity to congratulate the success of the team and achievement on winning the award.  We wish them continued success.

BSE Scholar Appointed as the Editor of the Prestigious Journal – Building and Environment

The Department of Building Services Engineering (BSE) of The Hong Kong Polytechnic University (PolyU) is delighted to announce that Ir Prof. Cheuk Ming MAK, Professor of BSE, has been promoted from Associate Editor to Editor of the prestigious Elsevier’s journal – Building and Environment from 1 January 2021. Building and Environment is the top SCI journal in the field of building environment with an impact factor of 4.971 in 2019. It is an international journal that publishes original research papers and review articles related to building science, urban physics, and human interaction with the indoor and outdoor built environment. Please find the following link for the editorial board of Building and Environment: (https://www.journals.elsevier.com/building-and-environment/editorial-board) Congratulations to Ir Prof. MAK for the honour and thanks for Ir Prof. MAK’s continued outstanding academic and research contributions to the Department and University.

20210101 BSE Newsletter (Jan 2021)

BSE’s Students Won Platinum Trophy and Gold Trophy in Inter-Institutional Competition on Facility Management Project Presentation 2020

The Department of Building Services Engineering of The Hong Kong Polytechnic University (PolyU) is pleased to report that our students of the Bachelor of Engineering (Honours) in Building Services Engineering programme, Miss Erica LAU Sze Wing and Mr. Alvis CHOW Tsz Him, are the Platinum Trophy and Gold Trophy Winners respectively in Inter-Institutional Competition on Facility Management Project Presentation 2020. The Competition was organized by the Hong Kong Chapter of International Facility Management Association (IFMA). Miss LAU was a student of Dr. Joseph LAI, Associate Professor and Programme Leader of Master of Science in Facility Management programme, and Mr. CHOW was a student of Dr. CAO Sunliang, Assistant Professor.   The awards were presented at the IFMA Integrate Conference 2020, which was held on 17 November 2020 (see screenshots below).   Miss LAU’s research project evaluated the importance of different attributes that contributed to the satisfaction level of a swimming pool. The Analytical Hierarchy Process was used for data analysis. The two swimming pools in PolyU (i.e. the Michael Clinton Swimming Pool and the Block X Swimming Pool) were used as case studies. Mr. CHOW’s research project investigated the feasibilities of achieving zero emission building with energy conservation and renewable energy measure to retrofit current MTR facilities. The IFMA Student Competition was launched in 2011 with great success and was soon become annual signature event of the Chapter. BSE would like to take this opportunity to congratulate Miss LAU and Mr. CHOW on their achievements.

BSE’s MScFM student awarded IFMA Foundation Scholarship

The Department of Building Services Engineering of The Hong Kong Polytechnic University is pleased to report that our student of the Master of Science in Facility Management (MScFM) programme, Miss LEUNG Ashley Wing Cheung, has been awarded the 2020 International Facility Management Association (IFMA) Foundation Scholarship (Hong Kong Chapter). Miss LEUNG was a student of Dr. Joseph LAI, Associate Professor and MScFM Programme Leader. The virtual scholarship presentation was held on 12 November 2020 (see screenshot below). Miss LEUNG is working as an administrator in a public hospital in Hong Kong and her works are focused on FM for the hospital. She has received the award for demonstrating exceptional academic achievement, strong leadership, and interpersonal skills. Miss LEUNG has been invited to attend the IFMA World Workplace 2021 Conference and Expo. The Conference is an incredible opportunity to meet practicing professional, attend education sessions, network with future colleagues, and interview with potential employers. The IFMA Foundation scholarship program started in the early 1990s. Scholarship recipients receive a cash award and fully subsidized World Workplace conference travel, registration and participation. The individual scholarships are awarded to undergraduate (2-year and 4-year) and graduate students enrolled in FM or FM related (built environment) programs. These scholarships change lives and are a principal strategy in creating the next generation of FM professionals. BSE would like to take this opportunity to congratulate Miss LEUNG on her achievement.

Joint Laboratory with Shenzhen Power Supply Bureau

The Department of Building Services Engineering (BSE) of The Hong Kong Polytechnic University (PolyU) is pleased to report that a low voltage innovation laboratory platform jointly established by Shenzhen Power Supply Bureau (深圳供電局) and BSE of PolyU has been put into use recently in Shenzhen. This laboratory was developed by Prof. Yaping Du, Associate Head and Professor of BSE, Prof. Mingli Chen, Professor of BSE, and their team. The laboratory is currently operated by the Futian Power Supply Bureau of Shenzhen in cooperation with BSE of PolyU. It is the first laboratory in China that integrates grid systems and building electrical systems, and serves as a foundation for the Shenzhen Power Supply Bureau, as well as the China Southern Power Grid, to research and develop its own intelligent power distribution equipment independently, and to address various safety issues in the distribution and utilization of electricity. The team will continue to work on safety issues with the facilities in the laboratory. A newsletter in Chinese could be found at https://www.sohu.com/a/427732150_764234. A new project with SPSB is planned to commence in early 2021, which will be focused on electrical safety in Village in City (城中村). A project on safety issues of electric arc will be proposed soon. BSE would like to congratulate the success of the team. We look forward to seeing updates and contribution from the team and BSE in the near future.