Issue 49 - November 2014

Table of Contents

• Distinguished Chinese Scholars Honoured
• 20th Congregation of FCE
• Outstanding Alumni Awards 2014
• Meeting highlights Social Responsibility of FCE
• PolyU-MIT Joint Workshop on Sustainable Water Project
• Green Building Award 2014
• Asia Pacific Project Management Awards 2014
• 20th Asia Construct Conference
• Associate Head of BRE Appointed to CITB
• LSGI Scholar Participates in InnoCarnival
• LSGI Hosts Hydrographic Training with Industry
• CIB Student Chapter Honors Best Dissertations
• CEE PhD Graduate Begins Academic Career Down Under
• BRE PhD Graduates off to a High-flying Career
• Invitation for Programme Admission 2015/16
• Invitation for Postgraduate Scheme Entry Scholarship 2015/16
• Faculty Public Lecture
• Forthcoming Events

Two renowned scholars from the Chinese mainland, Prof. Xu Guanhua and Prof. Wang Huijun, nominated by FCE Departments were honoured by The Hong Kong Polytechnic University on 25 November at a Presentation Ceremony of the Distinguished Chinese Visiting Scholars Scheme, presided over by PolyU President Professor Timothy W. Tong.

Professor Xu Guanhua is an expert in remote sensing and geographic information. He has acted as the leader of Expert Advisory Group of the National Basic Research Programme (973 Programme) since 2011. Prof. Xu has long been engaged in the study of remote sensing, earth information science and organization management of science and technology. He was in charge of science projects for the national sixth, seventh and eighth five-year plans for 15 years (1981-1995). He has achieved breakthroughs in computer image analysis and processing as well as satellite images used to study resource-regenerated investigation, making significant contributions to the science and technology development of remote sensing and geographic information system in China. Prof. Xu has contributed a lot to implementation of system reform, promotion of scientific and technological innovation and industrialization of science and technology. He has done a lot of excellent work for formulation of the National Medium and Long-term Science and Technology Development Plan (2006-2020).

Prof. Xu Guanhua was elected as a Member of the Chinese Academy of Sciences (CAS) in 1991. He served as the Vice President of the CAS from 1994 to 1995. He also served as Vice Minister of the Ministry of Science and Technology (MOST) between 1995 and 2001 and Minister of the MOST from 2001 to 2007. Prof. Xu is also a Fellow of the World Academy of Sciences for the Advancement of Science in Developing Countries.

Professor Wang Huijun is an atmospheric physics expert, the first in China to couple an Atmospheric General Circulation Model with a mixed layer ocean model and a thermal sea ice model, and simulated the climate changes induced by the CO2 doubling. His result was cited by the 1992 Supplementary Report of the Intergovernmental Panel on Climate Change (IPCC). He has many contributions towards improving the seasonal climate prediction in China and most of his work are original and have importance to the operational climate prediction. He has published more than 230 journal papers in China and other countries, among which, more than 140 SCI-extended papers. He has served as the Chief Editor of Advance in Atmospheric Science and is currently the Chief Editor of Atmospheric and Oceanic Science Letters. His academic honours include the Second-class National Natural Science Award and the Prize for Scientific and Technological Progress of Ho Leung Ho Lee Foundation. Prof. Wang was elected as a Member of the CAS and a Member of the Norwegian Academy of Technological Science in 2013.

The scientists have presented public lectures and had in-depth academic exchanges with academic staff and students in FCE on both scientific issues and future research collaborations.

On 4-5 November 2014, the 20th Congregation and Prize Presentation Ceremony of the Faculty of Construction and Environment was held in the Jockey Club Auditorium of the PolyU campus. It was eagerly anticipated by both graduates and their families, who packed the auditorium along with the invited guests. There were six sessions in all, one for each of our four departments, and two sessions for graduates from our postgraduate programmes. More than 1500 students were honoured at the ceremony, which had its share of memorable moments. Besides inspirational speeches from the guests of honour, who included Mr Au Choi Kai Johnny, Ir Victor Cheung Chi Kong, Ir Hon Chi-keung JP, Mr Cheng Wai-pun Ben, outstanding students from our departments also delivered heartfelt valedictory speeches.

Prof. You-lin Xu, Dean of the Faculty, urged the graduates to move on to the next phase in their lives. With their skills and knowledge, graduates were told they all have a role to play in ensuring that the problems posed by urbanization, by pollution, by global warming, and by technological changes do not threaten our future.

All who attended found the occasion memorable and edifying.

Congregation	Prof. You-lin Xu	Group Photo with Graduates

The Faculty of Construction and Environment was pleased to confer Outstanding Alumni Awards on the following distinguished individuals at the 20th Congregation and Faculty Prize Presentation Ceremony on 4-5 November 2014.

The Department of Building and Real Estate honored Prof. CHAN Ka Kui, a Higher Diploma graduate in Surveying and Building Technology in 1971, and Mr LAU Ping Cheung, who graduated from the then Hong Kong Polytechnic with a Higher Diploma in Quantity Surveying in 1974.

A former Managing Director of Hsin Chong Construction Company Limited, Prof. Chan’s achievements are not restricted to the surveying profession and construction industry. He was appointed by the government to serve as Chairman of the Sir David Trench Fund Committee, Vice Chairman of the Occupational Safety and Health Council, and member of both the Town Planning Board and the Sports Development Board. He was appointed as a Justice of the Peace in 1992 and received the Bronze Bauhinia Award in 1998. Currently, he is the Chairman of the Mustard Seed Foundation, a charitable organization helping young people from underprivileged families, Vice-Chairman of Friends of Caritas, and a member of various government committees.

With an illustrious career in surveying, Mr Lau has been serving Hong Kong as a former member of the HKSAR Legislative Council, a former non-executive Director of the Urban Renewal Authority, former chairman of the Infrastructure Development Advisory Committee of the Trade Development Council, and a former member of the Long-term Housing Strategy Steering Committee. Currently, Mr Lau is a member of the Economic Development Commission as well as the Convener of its Working Group on Professional Services, a member of the Council of The Hong Kong Polytechnic University and a Project Director at SOCAM Asset Management (HK) Ltd of the Shui On group of companies.

The Department of Building Services Engineering paid tribute to Ir MO Cheung Ying Eagle, who graduated from PolyU with a Bachelor’s degree in Building Services Engineering in 1997 before getting a Master degree from The University of Hong Kong in 2006. A Managing Director of Telemax Environmental and Energy Management Limited, Ir MO has been involved in numerous large scale projects over the past 17 years, such as The Venetian Macau Hotel and Casino, Beijing Olympic Games Complex, and many local and overseas development projects, from commercial buildings, hotels, residential buildings, to data centres and resorts. She and her team designed Holiday Inn Express Hong Kong Soho Hotel, the first green hotel in the world, which achieved 4 platinum awards in Green Building Accreditations (LEED, BEAM Plus, Green Mark, and China Green Building Label).

The Department of Civil and Environmental Engineering honored Ir Prof. CHOY Kin-Kuen, who graduated from the then Hong Kong Polytechnic with a Higher Diploma in Structural Engineering in 1974 and an Associateship in Structural Engineering in 1975, which provided him with a sound foundation for pursuing his career in the engineering profession. A senior member of a number of local and overseas engineering bodies like the Hong Kong Institution of Engineers, Institution of Civil Engineers and Institution of Structural Engineers in U.K., Prof. Choy became a Director of the Structural Division of Meinhardt (C&S) Ltd. in 2013 after 33 years of public service. He is one of the pioneers in setting up the current building control and site supervision system administered by the Buildings Department. He also steered the development of the Code of Practice for foundation and building demolition, which won the respect of the building industry.

The Department of Land Surveying and Geo-Informatics (LSGI) honored a 2005 PhD graduate with its Outstanding Alumni Award. Prof. Zhiwei Li was a postdoc in LSGI before becoming a professor in 2007 at Central South University, where he has been Head of the Department of Geomatics for many years. An outstanding researcher, Prof. Li has published extensively in the fields of atmospheric effects on InSAR, data filtering algorithms for SAR interferograms and applications of InSAR in some important scientific fields. 5 of his research projects have been supported by the National Natural Science Foundation of China, including one Excellent Young Scholar project. He has received several research awards in recognition of his research achievements, including two First-Class Natural Science Awards from the Ministry of Education of China and one First-Class National Surveying and Mapping Science and Technology Award.

Congratulations to all the award recipients, whose presence at the ceremony was indeed an inspiration for the FCE graduates.

At the International Advisory Board (IAB) meeting on 6 November 2014, Prof. Geoffrey Shen, Associate Dean of the Faculty of Construction and Environment (FCE), met with three members of the IAB, including Prof. Gang Pei, President of Tongji University; Prof. Guaning Su, President Emeritus of Nanyang Technological University in Singapore; and Prof. Jianhua Wang, Director of State Key Laboratory of Electrical Insulation and Equipment and Professor of Xi’an Jiaotong University. Representing some of FCE’s initiatives in the area of social responsibility were Prof. Shengwei Wang of the Department of Building Services Engineering, Dr Barbara Siu of the Department of Civil and Environmental Engineering (CEE), and Mr Wai-kei Kong of the Department of Building and Real Estate. Prof. Wang gave a presentation on integrating academic research with practical applications, with a particular focus on the design optimization and optimal control of air-conditioning systems at the International Commerce Centre, the tallest building in West Kowloon. Dr Siu showed how she incorporated a service learning component into her course, where FCE students served the community by engaging in field investigations for a project on age-friendly community. 18 students from the BSc (Hons) programme in Building Engineering & Management also took part in a self-initiated voluntary reconstruction project to design and supervise the Panyun Primary School in Guangxi from September 2005 to April 2007. According to Mr Kong, it was a great opportunity for students to apply their knowledge to help those in need and gain actual experience at the same time.

A workshop on sustainable water project was held on 11 November 2014 at the Hong Kong Polytechnic University. Jointly organized by the Research Institute for Sustainable Urban Development (RISUD) and the Massachusetts Institute of Technology (MIT), the workshop focused on evaluating strategies for integration of seawater toilet flushing and saline sewage reclamation for nutrient recovery and potential reclaimed water use. Bringing together leading scholars in the field, including Prof. John H. Lienhard, Director of the Center for Clean Water and Clean Energy at MIT, and Prof. Andrew Whittle of MIT’s Department of Civil and Environmental Engineering, the workshop consisted of 7 presentations on related issues by different speakers, who were welcomed by Prof. You-lin Xu, Dean of the Faculty of Construction and Environment, and Prof. Jin-Guang Teng, Director of RISUD. RISUD scholars who presented their research included Dr Steven Boles, Dr Po-Heng Lee, Prof. Pei Li, Prof. Xiang-dong Li, and Prof. Hong-xing Yang. The discussions following the presentations aimed to identify topics of mutual interest and develop a proposal for larger scale research collaboration between the two institutions.

At the Green Building Award Presentation Ceremony cum Hong Kong Green Building Council 5th Anniversary Dinner on 20 November 2014, Prof. Hongxing Yang and his research team from the Department of Building Services Engineering and the Renewable Energy Research Group of the Research Institute for Sustainable Urban Development(RISUD) were honored with a Merit Award in the Building Products and Technologies Category for their highly dispersed screen-printable nanocomposite paste for self-cleaning curtain walls. Nominated by RISUD for the award, their cost-effective and environmental friendly innovation can be used to make highly transparent multifunctional coatings on glass. Congratulations to Prof. Yang and his team, which includes Dr Lin Lu and Dr Yuanhao Wang.

An experimental study on health and safety measures for working in hot weather has won top honors in the Asia Pacific Project Management Awards (Research) 2014. Led by Prof. Albert Chan of the Department of Building and Real Estate (BRE), the multi-disciplinary research team included Prof. Francis Wong (BRE), Dr Michael Yam (BRE), Dr Daniel Chan (BRE), Prof. Joanne Chung from the Hong Kong Institute of Education, Prof. Esmond Mok (LSGI), Dr Geoffrey Shea (LSGI), Dr Del Wong from the Technological and Higher Education Institute of Hong Kong, Prof. Herbert Biggs from the Queensland University of Technology, and Dr Donald Dingsdag from the University of Western Sydney. On behalf of his team, Prof. Chan will receive the award at the Project Management Congress in Beijing on 29-30 November 2014.

Submissions were judged by a panel of eminent project managers and researchers representing both the profession and academia. Prof. Chan’s demonstrated achievements in the project management aspects of the project won awards in both the local and international categories. A High Commendation Award was given to his colleague from the same department, Dr Lam Tsun Ip. Congratulations to them all.

On 13-14 November 2014, about 30 delegates from 9 different countries and region met at Hotel ICON for the 20th Asia Construct Conference, which was organized to promote construction industries in Asia by identifying and sharing good practices. The delegates were welcomed by the President of The Hong Kong Polytechnic University, Prof. Timothy W. Tong, and the Chairman of the Construction Industry Council, Mr Lee Shing See. The Secretary for Development of the HKSAR, Mr Chan Mo Po, Paul, presented a paper on the building opportunities in Hong Kong, particularly in east Lautau Island, while the Chairman of Hopewell Holdings Ltd., Sir Gordon Wu, talked about stronger materials for construction and city transportation, amongst other things.

With a theme on ‘Meeting Construction Industry Resources Requirements’, the conference focused attention on construction economics and the management of construction resources. Prof. Chiang Yat-Hung of the Department of Building and Real Estate presented a co-authored paper on the major problems facing the construction industry in Hong Kong and some proposed measures to address them. It was well received by all in attendance, as were the site visits to the Express Rail Terminal and the West Kowloon Cultural District on the second day of the conference.

All overseas delegates together with the Organizing Committee	Mr Lee Shing See (middle) receiving the souvenir from Prof. T. W. Tong (left) accompanied by Prof. Francis Wong (right)	(from left to rgiht) Prof. Albert Chan, Prof. Francis Wong, Prof. Mike Anson, Sir Gordon Wu, Mr Chan Mo Po and Prof. Timothy W. Tong

Prof. Chiang Yat-Hung, Associate Head of the Department of Building and Real Estate, has been appointed to serve on the Construction Industry Training Board (CITB) for a two-year term from 1 January 2015 to 31 December 2016. The CITB was established under the Construction Industry Council Ordinance to develop the construction workforce through organizing training courses and conducting trade tests for assessing the skill level of construction personnel. It will no doubt benefit from the wealth of experience Prof. Chiang has in that regard. Congratulations to Prof. Chiang.

Dr Man Sing WONG, Charles, Assistant Professor of the Department of Land Surveying and Geo-Informatics (LSGI), delivered a public seminar on Urban Heat Islands in Hong Kong at the InnoCarnival on 2 November 2014 in the Hong Kong Science Park.

Urban Heat Island effect, resulting from urbanization and global warming, has been shown to be more obvious in Hong Kong. PolyU researchers have been monitoring Hong Kong’s urban heat islands using satellite and aerial images for over ten years. The seminar gave the audience an insight into the Urban Heat Island effect, including the technologies used for monitoring, and the facts of anthropogenic heat emission in urban areas of Hong Kong.

InnoCarnival 2014 is organized by the Innovation Technology Commission of the HKSAR Government around the theme of Technology for a Better Living in three dimensions, namely Intelligent Living, Quality Living and Green Living. It featured more than 800 activities such as large-scale exhibitions, workshops, seminars, guided tours for the public to gain hands-on experience of the convenience and fun brought about by innovation and technology in our daily lives.

To keep up with the latest technologies in hydrographic and geophysical measurement, the Department of Land Surveying and Geo-Informatics (LSGI) partnered with two leading companies in the hydrographic surveying industry, U.S.-based Hypack Inc. and China ORES Ltd., to deliver the 2nd Hydrographic Surveying Hypack Workshop from 25-26 October 2014.

Hosted by Dr George Zhizhao Liu, Assistant Professor of LSGI, and Mr Nelson Chan, an Instructor in LSGI, the training included lectures by Mr Pat Sanders, President of Hypack Inc., and Mr Zhengyu Qi, General Manager of China ORES Ltd. Useful technical solutions of problems that may be encountered when using various applications were shared with the participants. More than 40 participants from LSGI, local industries, various government departments of Hong Kong attended the training, which was very well received. Plans are under way for more collaborative training in the future.

On 7 November 2014, the PolyU CIB student chapter honored 2 undergraduates and 2 postgraduates with its 2014 Best Dissertation Awards, which come with a prize cheque of HK$1000 for the Distinction Award and HK$500 for the Merit Award. Following are the details:

Undergraduate Division

Award Type	Name of Student	Dissertation Supervisor
Distinction Award	Miss CHEUNG Lai Ying	Dr Lennon H.T. CHOY
Merit Award	Mr SZE Chung Yuen	Dr Daniel W.M. CHAN

Postgraduate Division

Award Type	Name of Student	Dissertation Supervisor
Distinction Award	Dr YI Wen	Prof Albert P.C. CHAN
Merit Award	Mr AMEYAW Ernest	Prof Albert P.C. CHAN

Dr Shishun Zhang, a PhD graduate of the Faculty of Construction and Environment (FCE), has been appointed a Lecturer in Civil Engineering in the School of Civil, Mining and Environmental Engineering at the University of Wollongong in Australia. Dr Zhang received his PhD degree from the Department of Civil and Environmental Engineering in May 2012. He undertook his PhD research under the supervision of Professor Jin-Guang TENG, Chair Professor of Structural Engineering, and his thesis on the behaviour and modelling of RC beams strengthened in flexure with near-surface mounted FRP strips won an FCE Award for Outstanding PhD Thesis. After completing his PhD study, he worked as a Postdoctoral Fellow with Prof. Jin-Guang TENG for around two years. His research interests include FRP-strengthened concrete structures, nonlinear finite element analysis of structures, application of fiber-optic sensing systems in civil structures, and seismic retrofit of RC frames. Dr Zhang is sincerely grateful to Prof. Jin-Guang Teng for his invaluable guidance, inspiration and supervision during his PhD study, which strongly motivated him to pursue an academic career.

Another former PhD student supervised by Prof Jin-Guang TENG, Dr Dilum Fernando, is also a Lecturer in the School of Civil Engineering at the University of Queensland.

Two recent PhD graduates from the Department of Building and Real Estate, Dr Hong Yuming and Dr Yuan Zhao, have accepted job offers from the Country Garden Corporation Limited, one of China’s leading integrated property developers, with businesses comprising construction, installation, fitting, property development, property management, as well as hotel development and management.

Recruited by Country Garden under its Future Leader Scheme, Dr Hong and Dr Yuan will work alongside outstanding PhD graduates from prestigious universities around the world, such as Harvard University, Stanford University, and Princeton University. The recruitment scheme, as declared by Country Garden, is dedicated to nurturing future management leaders in the area of integrated property development both locally and globally.

Dr Hong Yuming was supervised by Dr Daniel Chan and Prof. Albert Chan, while Dr Yuan Zhao was supervised by Geoffrey Shen. Another former BRE postdoctoral research staff, Dr Xu Yelin, who was supervised by Prof. Albert Chan in a joint PhD scheme with Southeast University in China, also participated in the Future Leader Scheme of Country Garden. Good luck to all of them.

Applications are now invited for the following taught postgraduate programmes.

For details, please visit at http://www.polyu.edu.hk/fce/postgrad-scheme/acad.html

Master of Science (MSc)/Postgraduate Diploma (PgD) Building Services Engineering 屋宇設備工程學 Civil Engineering 土木工程學 Construction and Real Estate 建築及房地產學 Construction Law and Dispute Resolution 建築法及爭議解決學 Environmental Management and Engineering 環境管理及工程學 Facility Management 設施管理 Fire and Safety Engineering 消防及安全工程學 Geomatics (Geographic Information Systems) 測繪及地理資訊學(地理資訊) Geomatics (Surveying) 測繪及地理資訊學(測量) High Performance Buildings 高效能建築 Project Management 項目管理 Sustainable Urban Development 可持續城市發展學 For programme details, please visit http://www.polyu.edu.hk/study

Chair Professor Inaugural Lecture:
Environmental Pollution on a Regional Scale – Research in the Pearl River Delta Region, South China
Date & Time: 11 Dec 2014 (Thur), 6:00p.m. to 7:00p.m.
Venue: Room Y302, The Hong Kong Polytechnic University
Website: http://www.polyu.edu.hk/fce/events/20141211_lecture/

2nd International Conference on Sustainable Urbanization
Date: 7-9 January 2015
Venue: The Hong Kong Polytechnic University
Website: http://www.polyu.edu.hk/risud/ICSU2015/

Engineering Mechanics Institute (EMI) International Conference 2015
Date: 7-9 January 2015
Venue: The Hong Kong Polytechnic University
Website: http://www.cse.polyu.edu.hk/~ktchau/emi2015-hk/emi2015hk.html

2nd International Conference on Performance-based and Lifecycle Structural Engineering (PLSE 2015)
Date: 9-11 December 2015
Venue: Brisbane Convention and Exhibition Centre, Australia
Website: http://plse2015.org/visit-brisbane/