On 3 May 2019, Prof. Hai Guo of the Department of Civil and Environmental Engineering (CEE) and his postdoctoral fellow, Dr Xiaopu Lyu, were awarded the Champion of the 2019 Environmental Paper Award from the Hong Kong Institution of Engineers (HKIE). The award recognizes efforts in environmental research.

Entitled “Effectiveness of Replacing Catalytic Converters in LPG-Fueled Vehicles in Hong Kong,” the paper was one of the outcomes of a research-based consultancy project funded by the Hong Kong Environmental Protection Department (HKEPD). 3 groups of researchers were engaged in the work for the paper. In addition to Prof. Guo’s team, there was also a group from the HKEPD and a group led by Prof. Donald Blake of the University of California at Irvine.

(from right) Prof. Blake, Prof. Guo, and Dr Lyu receiving their award

A team of researchers from the Department of Building Services Engineering (BSE) has received a Best Paper Award at the “One Belt-One Road” Forum of Evaporative Air-conditioning Key Technologies in Xi’an organized by the Industrial Association of Chinese Manufacturers of Air-conditioners and Xi’an Polytechnic University. Co-authored by Dr Yi Chen, Ms Yunran Min, and Prof. Hong-xing Yang, the paper was entitled “Experimental studies on indirect evaporative coolers for energy recovery of air-conditioning systems in hot and humid regions.”

Prof. Jian-Guo Dai and his team from the Department of Civil and Environmental Engineering (CEE) have received the R & D Grand Award of the Structural Excellence Award 2019 organized by the Structural Division of the Hong Kong Institution of Engineers (HKIE). Their award-winning research was presented in a paper in ASCE Journal of Composites for Construction in 2018. Entitled “Three-level Fire Resistance Design of FRP-Strengthened Reinforced Concrete (RC) Beams,” the paper was co-authored by Dr Wan-Yang Gao, Prof. Jian-Guo Dai and Prof. Jin-Guang Teng. Dr Gao was a former PhD student of CEE under the joint supervision of Prof. Dai and Prof. Teng. A summary of the work done by Dr Gao for his PhD, the award-winning paper presents for the first time a systematic, step-by-step design procedure for the fire resistance design of FRP-strengthened RC beams and demonstrates its use through a case study.

Another paper entitled “Typhoon- and Temperature-induced Quasi-static Responses of a Supertall Structure” received a Commendation Merit in the Structural Excellence Award 2019. Co-authored by Prof. Yong Xia of CEE, his former PhD student Dr Jia-zhan Su, his colleague Prof. Yi-qing Ni, Prof. Le-dong Zhu of Tongji University and Prof. Hong-ping Zhu of Huazhong University of Science and Technology, the winning paper was published in Engineering Structures in 2017. Integrating field monitoring, numerical analysis, and wind tunnel testing, the paper documents the typhoon- and temperature-induced quasi-static responses of the 600m-tall Canton Tower in Guangzhou.

A co-authored paper by Dr George Zhizhao Liu of the Department of Land Surveying and Geo-Informatics (LSGI) and others at the China University of Geosciences (Wuhan) and the Chinese Academy of Sciences has been recognized as one of the ten major scientific and application achievements in 2018 of China’s Meridian Project, a RMB$170 million project on monitoring space weather. Entitled “A new method for deriving equatorial plasma bubble velocity by tracing OI 630 nm all-sky images,” the paper was published in the Journal of Geophysical Research: Space Physics in 2018.

Equatorial plasma bubbles (EPBs) have long been a research topic in the ionosphere and space weather community. The observation and measurement of EPBs are of crucial importance in terms of scientific and practical values, as EPBs have significant impacts on navigation and communication systems.

A new assistant professor in the Department of Land Surveying and Geo-Informatics (LSGI), Dr Chengxiang Zhuge, was allocated $800,000 in start-up funding from LSGI, the Faculty of Construction and Environment (FCE), and the University Matching Fund for a project entitled “Developing Public Charging Infrastructure for Electric Vehicles (EVs): A Data-Driven and Activity-based Approach.” The 3-year project will develop an activity-based model to locate and optimize public charging infrastructures for EVs with the GPS-based big data on several EV types (including private cars and taxis), considering the constraints of land use and power grid system. The results are expected to be useful for stakeholders to shape their policies and develop charging facilities in both transport and power sectors.

2 Memoranda of Understanding (MoU) have recently been signed between PolyU and industry partners to collaborate on spatial big data analytics. One was with the Companhia de Telecomunicacoes de Macau (CTM), and the other was with SuperMap Software Co. Ltd. Representing PolyU at both signings was Prof. John Shi, Head of the Department of Land Surveying and Geo-Informatics (LSGI), who said the collaboration with CTM would not only facilitate the development of a smart city in Macau, especially with respect to tourism, but also serve as a testbed for the development of smart cities in the Greater Bay Area. As a result of the MoU with CTM, a spatial big data analytics study on the needs and preferences of tourists in Macau will be conducted by LSGI’s Laboratory for Smart City and Spatial Big Data Analytics, with an aim to improving Macau's tourism service and enhancing tourists' experience through innovative services.

Prof. Shi (front left) at the signing with CTM

Meanwhile, the MoU with SuperMap Software Co. Ltd. will contribute to the development of an international platform for geographic information services (GIS) by taking advantage of the respective strengths of PolyU and SuperMap in research, undergraduate teaching, training, and market services. The donation of GIS software by SuperMap to PolyU for teaching and research purposes is expected to further develop the Laboratory for Smart City and Spatial Big Data Analytics at LSGI.

Prof. Shi (front left) at the signing with SuperMap

The 11th Forum on Land Surveying and Geomatics for Beijing, Hong Kong, and Macau was held on 23 and 24 May 2019 at PolyU. Promoting land surveying and geographical information science, the forum enhanced collaborations among Beijing, Hong Kong, and Macau. Co-organized by the Department of Land Surveying and Geo-Informatics (LSGI), the Hong Kong Institute of Surveyors (HKIS), and the Hong Kong Institution of Engineering Surveyors (HKIES), the forum was also supported by the Beijing Association for Science and Technology, Direccao dos Servicos de Cartografia e Cadastro, DSCC, and the Hong Kong Institute of Vocational Education Morrison Hill (IVE Engineering), among other organizations.

The theme of the forum was “Together We Make the Future Smart Cities.” In addition to 23 presentations on relevant topics, a keynote speech on the development of spatial data infrastructure for smart city development in Hong Kong was delivered by Mr King Wah Leung, JP, Deputy Director of the Lands Department of the HKSAR Government. Prof. John Shi, Head of LSGI, also gave a speech on research innovation in smart cities, while his colleague, Dr Charles Wong, shared the technology for recognizing land use by means of deep learning.

Furthermore, a technical visit was arranged for participants to visit City Gallery in Central, where they were introduced to smart city planning and development in Hong Kong. A tour of LSGI’s Laboratory for Smart City and Spatial Big Data Analytics concluded the event. The 12th forum will be held in 2021 in Beijing.

Some participants of the forum

At the Smart City, Smart Mobility Conference on 21 May 2019, Prof. John Shi, Head of the Department of Land Surveying and Geo-Informatics (LSGI), gave a talk on research innovation in smart cities. Co-organized by Hotel ICON and Charged Hong Kong, a local charity supporting the adoption of plug-in electric vehicles, the conference provided a platform for stakeholders to further explore technologies and best practices for turning a smart city plan into reality.

23 academic staff and students from the Department of Civil and Environmental Engineering (CEE) participated in an academic exchange at Wuhan University (WHU) under the Ten Thousand People’s Scheme of China and Hong Kong from 18 to 26 May 2019. Led by Prof. Hai Guo, staff and students from both PolyU and WHU explored the latest research on atmospheric chemistry in a sharing session. With the guidance of the Wuchang Environmental Protection Department, the CEE team visited the Wuchang Power Plant. They also had a chance to visit the National Background Atmosphere Watch Station in Shennongjia region and discuss further research collaboration with local authorities there.

CEE students and staff at Wuhan University

To help prospective students learn more about admissions strategies, interview skills as well as the programmes offered by the university, PolyU organized a Joint University Programmes Admissions System (JUPAS) Consultation Day for them on 18 May 2019. The Faculty of Construction and Environment (FCE) provided consultation sessions and info seminars on some of its programmes. Staff members were on hand to introduce their respective department and answer questions at the consultation sessions. The four FCE departments also arranged information seminars to provide the students with in-depth programme information. With a better understanding of university entrance requirements, various curricula and their characteristics, it is hoped that students could make wiser programme choices in their applications for higher education.

Prospective students learning about FCE and its programmes at the consultation sessions

Programme representatives introducing FCE programmes

Some 30 students from the Santa Laurensia High School in Jakarta, Indonesia, visited PolyU on 17 May 2019. They had a chance to learn about the different Faculties/ Schools of the university according to their interests. About half of them saw some demonstrations in a few laboratories of the Faculty of Construction and Environment (FCE), namely, the Smart Construction Laboratory of the Department of Building and Real Estate (BRE), the Fire Engineering Laboratory of the Department of Building Services Engineering (BSE), the Concrete Materials Laboratory of the Department of Civil and Environmental Engineering (CEE), and the Smart City Lab of the Department of Land Surveying and Geo-Informatics (LSGI). The visit was a way to encourage them to further their studies at PolyU.

A demonstration in the Fire Engineering Lab		Students watching a demonstration

The Department of Civil and Environmental Engineering (CEE) has appointed Prof. Chi Sun Poon as its new Head with effect from 1 July 2019. Prof. Poon is currently a Chair Professor of Sustainable Construction Materials and Director of the Research Centre for Environmental Technology and Management at CEE. A Changjiang Scholar Chair Professor since 2017, Prof. Poon specializes in the research and development of environmental-friendly construction materials, waste management, concrete technology, and sustainable construction. He has published over 350 papers in international journals. A fellow of the Hong Kong Institution of Engineers (HKIE), past chairman of the HKIE Environmental Division and past representative of the HKIE Environmental Discipline, he is also a fellow of the Hong Kong Concrete Institute (HKCI) and its former president. He has served on the Advisory Council on the Environment (ACE) and the Council for Sustainable Development, and is currently a member of the advisory committee for the Recycling Fund of the Hong Kong SAR Government. Prof. Poon has a PhD from Imperial College London.

Dr Tak Ming Chan is currently an Assistant Professor in Structural Engineering at PolyU and an Honorary Associate Professor at the University of Warwick in the U.K. He is a council member of the Institution of Structural Engineers in the U.K and an associate editor for Advances in Structural Engineering, Thin-Walled Structures and HKIE Transactions. His research achievements have been recognized by numerous awards from the Hong Kong Institution of Engineers and the Institution of Structural Engineers. He is also a recipient of the Teaching Excellence Award from CEE. Dr Chan graduated from the University of Hong Kong with a first-class honours degree in civil engineering before starting his structural engineering career at Arup (Hong Kong). His master's degree in structural steel design and PhD in tubular structures were both from Imperial College London. He also received his Postgraduate Certificate in Academic and Professional Practice from the University of Warwick. Dr Chan specializes in steel structures and has been leading research projects on the stability of steel structures and earthquake engineering.

On 25 May 2019, a PhD graduate of the Department of Building and Real Estate (BRE), Dr Antwi-Afari Maxwell Fordjour, was honoured with an Outstanding Project Award from the Hong Kong Ergonomics Society (HKES). His project was entitled “Evaluation of biomechanical risk factors for work-related musculoskeletal disorders and fall injuries among construction workers.” His supervisors were Prof. Heng Li and Dr Joon Oh Seo of BRE, as well as Dr Arnold Wong of the Department of Rehabilitation Sciences.

At the 32nd anniversary dinner of the Hong Kong Institution of Engineers - Building Services Division (HKIE-BSD) on 14 May 2019, 3 undergraduates from the Department of Building Services Engineering (BSE) were honoured with HKIE-BSD Outstanding Student Awards. They were Chun On Chan, Chun Kuen Leung, and Haiwei Li, who each received a certificate and a cash prize of HK$5000 for achieving a good level of academic standard and maintaining a record of extra-curricular activities.

Only full-time students studying for either a bachelor’s degree, an associate degree, or a higher diploma in building services engineering can be nominated for the award. They should also have good academic results, strong leadership abilities, and aspire to a career in the building services engineering profession to be eligible.

Mr Chan (left) receiving his award		Mr Leung (left) receiving his award		Miss Li (left) receiving her award

A team of students from the Department of Building Services Engineering (BSE) has received 3rd Prize in the category of Energy, Environmental and Chemical Engineering at the 5th Hong Kong University Student Innovation and Entrepreneurship Competition. Their project was entitled “Optical and thermal performance analysis of aerogel glazing technology in a commercial building of Hong Kong,” which was based on the final-year project of BSE student, Mr Chun Kuen Leung. His teammates included Kin Chi Chan, Wing Yi Leung, and Nico Lam. They received their prize of HK$3,000 from Mr Nicholas Yang, Secretary for Innovation and Technology of the HKSAR, in an award ceremony attended by Mr Matthew Cheung, Chief Secretary for Administration of the HKSAR, on 26 May 2019. The students’ advisor on the project was Prof. Lin Lu of BSE.

Organized by the Hong Kong New Generation Cultural Association and funded by the Innovation and Technology Commission, the competition attracted over 200 submissions. Co-organizers included the 16 local institutes of higher education and the Hong Kong Science and Technology Parks Corporation.

Prof. Lu (far right) with the 4 winning students