The Covid-19 pandemic has magnified the potential threat of airborne transmission of viruses everywhere, particularly within hospitals. Even though guidance for airborne precautions has been provided to healthcare workers taking care of patients with known or suspected viral infections, the risk of in-hospital airborne transmission remains if patients with unidentified airborne infection of novel virus or asymptomatic infection of known airborne diseases are not handled correctly in general human-occupied areas (GHOAs) (i.e. general inpatient wards, outpatient clinics, accident and emergency (A&E) rooms, washrooms etc.)

To evaluate the infection risks of various ventilation strategies in mechanically ventilated GHOAs, Dr Horace Mui of the Department of Building Services Engineering (BSE) and his research team were awarded a CRF Covid-19 and Novel Infectious Diseases (NID) Research Funding of $4,429,517 by the Hong Kong Research Grants Council (RGC). They will conduct computational modelling of the dispersion, transportation and deposition of expiratory droplets. The fluid dynamics inside drainage systems, indoor dispersion from ingress of contaminated aerosols in washrooms, outdoor emission disposal of pathogenic bioaerosols from the ventilation stack and associated medical costs and energy impact will also be studied. By understanding the association between exposure risk and energy expenditure, strategic ventilation schemes for a general hospital area and washrooms that could strike a balance between cross-infection risk (in terms of reduced medical cost) and energy consumption will be proposed to the hospital management.

His research team includes his BSE colleague Dr Ling-tim Wong, Dr Wai-man Yuen from the School of Nursing, Dr Wai-ming Lee from the Department of Architecture and Civil Engineering at CityU, and Dr Chun-ho Liu from the Department of Mechanical Engineering at HKU.

A project to develop durable and high-performance zinc-air flow batteries for energy storage was also supported by $4.2 million from the Collaborative Research Fund (CRF) of the Hong Kong Research Grants Council (RGC). Led by Prof. Meng Ni of the Department of Building and Real Estate (BRE), the project team includes Prof. Dennis Leung of the University of Hong Kong and Prof. Tianshou Zhao of the Hong Kong University of Science and Technology. Together, they will tackle the key challenges of Zn-air batteries with flowing electrolyte, novel air electrode catalyst, and Zn electrode morphologies. Compared with other types of batteries, zinc-air batteries have high energy density, in addition to being cheap and safe. Their widespread usage would facilitate the successful application of renewable solar and wind power.

Another project to research key technologies for smart building received $5.84 million from the CRF. Led by Prof. Shengwei Wang of the Department of Building Services Engineering (BSE), the project aims to develop the next-generation methodologies and technologies on the basis of the emerging technological foundations for smart and energy-efficient buildings. To achieve this, the following research tasks are planned: (1) develop next-generation Building Automation System (BAS) technologies, particularly for the integration and application of IoT technologies in field control network; (2) develop optimal control technologies of enhanced efficiency and robustness for building energy systems that interact with smart grids and engage occupants, particularly for distributed intelligence in field control network; (3) develop big data analytics and big-data-analytics-based diagnosis technologies for building energy systems.

Members of Prof. Wang’s research team include his colleague Prof. Fu Xiao, Prof. Jiannong Cao and Dr Dan Wang from the Department of Computing at PolyU, Prof. Chuangyin Dang and Dr Gongsheng Huang from CityU’s Department of Systems Engineering and Engineering Management and Department of Architecture and Civil Engineering respectively.

In the third round of the PolyU Postdoc Matching Fund Scheme 2020/21, 21 academics in the Faculty of Construction and Environment (FCE) have been supported with funding to each engage a postdoc fellow (PDF) in their research for 2 years. Following are the details:

Prof. Wu Chen of the Department of Land Surveying and Geo-Informatics (LSGI) has been appointed to lead the department with effect from 1 February 2021.

Prof. Chen joined The Hong Kong Polytechnic University in 2000. He was awarded a BSc by the Chinese University of Science and Technology in 1982, an MSc by the Institute of Geodesy and Geophysics, the Chinese Academy of Sciences in 1985, and a PhD from the University of Newcastle upon Tyne in 1992.

He has actively worked on GNSS-related research for over 30 years. His main research interests are geodesy and geodynamics, seamless positioning technologies, indoor positioning, navigation and integrity, GNSS positioning and applications, system integration, GNSS performance evaluation, regional GPS network, wireless sensor network positioning, and airborne Lidar applications.

Prof. George Liu of the Department of Land Surveying and Geo-Informatics (LSGI) has been invited to serve as Associate Editor-in-Chief for the Journal of Global Positioning Systems (JGPS), the only official journal published by the International Association of Chinese Professionals in Global Positioning Systems (CPGPS). Highly selective in its review process, the journal covers all aspects of research and applications of global positioning systems (GPS) / global navigation satellite systems (GNSS).

The CPGPS is a non-profit organization headquartered at the University of Calgary in Canada. It provides a global platform for Chinese professionals in the GPS/GNSS field to hold academic exchanges. Many of its members have made significant contributions to the development of the Chinese Beidou Navigation Satellite System (BDS), one of the four global GNSS systems together with the US GPS, Russian GLONASS, and European Galileo.

Prof. Liu is an internationally well recognized expert in the GPS/GNSS field. His Micro-Laboratory of Atmospheric Research and Geomatics Engineering (Micro-LARGE) has developed many novel algorithms and methods that are widely used by the community. For instance, his novel algorithm for cycle slip detection and repairing, a key procedure necessary in nearly all the high precision GNSS applications, has been widely adopted by both academic and industrial sectors. In addition to his service for (JGPS), he also serves on the editorial board of two other top GPS/GNSS journals, the GPS Solutions and Satellite Navigation.

The outlook for jobs in the private sector was covered by Mr Jimmy Lau from Bentley Systems and Mr Zico Kwok from Castco Testing Centre Ltd., who suggested a rising demand in the private sector for graduates from LSGI-related disciplines. They shared some job opportunities and their specifications in software and utility surveying corporations as well as recruitment tips to give students an edge in landing their first job.