5 academics from the Faculty of Construction and Environment have been selected by the Hong Kong Scholars Programme (HKSP) 2018 to each engage a mainland scholar as a Postdoctoral Fellow in their research projects. Launched in December 2010 as a joint initiative between mainland authorities and the Society of Hong Kong Scholars, the HKSP promotes academic/ scientific exchanges and collaboration by matching outstanding mainland PhD graduates with leading academics of universities in Hong Kong, who will supervise the mainland scholars for 2 years in a research project. Following are the details:

The 10th International Conference on Applied Energy was held at PolyU from 22 to 25 August 2018. Attracting about 1100 academics and professionals from around 50 countries, the theme of the conference was innovative solutions for energy transitions. Prof. You-Lin Xu, Dean of the Faculty of Construction and Environment (FCE), delivered an opening speech at the plenary session, which was followed by a short talk from Prof. Jinyue Yan, the editor-in-chief of Applied Energy, a top journal in energy engineering. Chaired by Prof. Hongxing Yang of the Department of Building Services Engineering (BSE), the conference featured 4 keynote speakers, including Prof. Geoffrey Hammond of the University of Bath, Prof. Shengwei Wang of PolyU’s BSE, Prof. Paitoon Tontiwachwuthikul of the University of Regina in Canada, and Dr Yongping Zhai of the Asian Development Bank.

In addition, there were 169 sessions including oral presentations and poster sessions on different topics such as clean energy conversion technologies, energy management, policy, economics and sustainability, energy sciences, energy storage, intelligent energy systems, mitigation technologies, renewable energy, and geothermal energy. Chaired by Prof. Vivien Lu and Dr Linda Xiao of BSE, a conference banquet was organized. Prof. Asif Usmani, the Head of BSE, introduced the development of BSE to the delegates. Best performance awards were given to Dr Chen Xi (Chief Secretary of the conference) and the helpers led by him. Two site visits were arranged after the conference, one to a solar farm at the Siu Ho Wan Sewage Treatment Works, the other to an international low carbon city in Shenzhen and an eco-technology park in Shenzhen Bay. Supported by FCE and BSE, the conference was also sponsored by the Future Energy Center of Malardalen University in Sweden, Applied Energy Innovation Institute, the Solar Energy Society of Hong Kong, and Elsevier.

Participants of the conference

From 16 to 18 August 2018, about 300 scholars and researchers gathered at the Jockey Club Innovation Tower on the campus of PolyU for the 4th International Conference on Contaminated Land, Ecological Assessment and Remediation. Welcoming speeches were delivered by Prof. You-Lin Xu, Dean of the Faculty of Construction and Environment (FCE), and Prof. Xiang-dong Li, Director of the Research Institute for Sustainable Urban Development.

Hosted by the Department of Civil and Environmental Engineering (CEE) and supported by the Environment and Conservation Fund, the conference provided a platform for knowledge exchange among professionals across the world to advance the management agenda for contaminated sites in the local context, with attention to its environmental compatibility, financial feasibility and social needs. There were 13 plenary speeches, 16 keynote speeches, talks from 50 invited speakers, and 250 oral/poster presentations. Some of the speeches were from editors/editors-in-chief of top journals, including an Academician of the Chinese Academy of Sciences. A visit to an ecological site was organized for the last day of the conference. The Conference Chair (Dr Dan Tsang of CEE) and the organizing committee would like to thank the sponsors of the conference, which included Hongkong Electric, WSP (Asia) Limited, Chulalongkorn University, and Seoul National University.

At the conference

A focused workshop on writing proposals for the Theme-based Research Scheme (TRS) of the Research Grants Council (RGC) was held on 29 August 2018 for about 20 academic and research staff. Led by the project coordinators of 2 TRS projects, Prof. Tao Wang and Prof. Jin-Guang Teng of the Department of Civil and Environmental Engineering (CEE), the workshop examined the RGC criteria for assessing TRS proposals and shared relevant details of the funded projects, which were respectively entitled “Photochemical Air Pollution in Highly Urbanized Subtropical Regions: from Micro Environments to Urban-terrestrial-oceanic interactions” and “Sustainable Marine Infrastructure Enabled by the Innovative Use of Seawater Sea-sand Concrete and Fibre-Reinforced Polymer Composites.” It was well received by those in attendance, including Prof. You-Lin Xu, Dean of FCE, and Prof. Xiangdong Li, Associate Dean (Research).

Prof. Wang		Participants of the workshop

On 7 August 2018, 3 representatives of the Hong Kong Institution of Engineers (HKIE) met with several academic staff of the Faculty of Construction and Environment (FCE) to explore the possibility of accreditation of some of its MSc programmes by HKIE. Ir Prof. Arthur Mak, Deputy Chairman (Accreditation Board), Ir Paul Chan, member of the Fire Discipline Advisory Panel, and Dr Jenny Tang, Senior Manager (Professional Standards), presented an overview of different types of programmes that HKIE accredits, , and its accreditation criteria for MSc programmes. In attendance were Ir Prof. Michael Yam, Acting Associate Dean (Teaching), Prof. Asif Usmani, Head of the Department of Building Services Engineering (BSE), Prof. Y.S. Li, Advisor of the Department of Civil and Environmental Engineering (CEE), and several programme leaders, including Prof. M.L. Chen and Dr Joseph Lai of BSE, Prof. C.W. Li and Prof. W. Chu of CEE, as well as Dr Yang Xu of the Department of Land Surveying and Geo-Informatics (LSGI).

At the meeting

From 27 June to 3 July 2018, a group of 19 nondestructive testing (NDT) engineers from Sweden, Switzerland, India, Algeria, Netherlands, Finland, Ireland, Korea, Japan and Hong Kong attended a workshop in Berlin, Germany.

Organized by Dr Ernst Niederleithinger of the Federal Institute of Materials Research and Testing (BAM) in Berlin and co-organized by Ir Dr Wallace W.L. Lai of the Department of Land Surveying and Geo-Informatics (LSGI), the annual workshop has been held since 2013, covering the basics and the advanced development of NDT-CE technologies. From testing to evaluation and imaging technologies in civil engineering, the topics included classical NDT, concept of validation, principles and hands-on practice of impact echo, ground penetrating radar, ultrasonics, thermography, laser-induced spectroscopy, geophysical methods, pile testing, surface wave, electrochemistry of corrosion process, moisture measurement, data fusion, etc. There was also a one-day visit to the test site in Horstwalde (a forest 50 km away from Berlin), where a few practical survey instruments were demonstrated. The workshop was highly rated by the participants. For information on the next workshop, please refer to http://www.ndte-training.bam.de/en/home/index.htm.

Participants of the workshop

An orientation was held on 24 August 2018 for full-time taught postgraduate students of the Faculty of Construction and Environment (FCE). Prof. You-Lin Xu, Dean of FCE, welcomed the new students and introduced them to the Faculty, after which the Postgraduate Scheme in Construction and Environment was introduced by its Acting Chairman, Prof. Michael Yam, who is also Acting Associate Dean (Teaching). The 4 departments of FCE were subsequently introduced by Prof. Albert Chan, Head of the Department of Building and Real Estate (BRE), Prof. Asif Usmani, Head of the Department of Building Services Engineering (BSE), Prof. William Lam, Head of the Department of Civil and Environmental Engineering (CEE), and Prof. John Shi, Head of the Department of Land Surveying and Geo-Informatics (LSGI), respectively. Following an introduction of the Mental Wellness Clinic by Dr Dana Lo of the University Health Service, students had a chance to meet with their respective programme leaders in 10 break-out sessions. It was a great start to the academic year for all the new students.

On 27 August 2018, an orientation on the Broad Discipline of Construction and Environment (BDCE) was held for incoming freshmen. Prof. Michael Yam, Acting Associate Dean of the Faculty of Construction and Environment (FCE), welcomed the students and introduced them to the BDCE team. The BDCE Programme Leader, Dr Daniel Chan of the Department of Building and Real Estate (BRE), then introduced the BDCE curriculum and academic advising for BDCE, the leadership of which would be taken over by Dr W.L. Lee of the Department of Building Services Engineering (BSE) at the start of the 2018/19 academic year. Students had a chance to meet and familiarize themselves with some of their academic advisors, namely Dr Daniel Chan from BRE, Dr W.L. Lee from BSE, and Dr Lilian Pun from the Department of Land Surveying and Geo-Informatics (LSGI). The BDCE academic advisor of the Department of Civil and Environmental Engineering (CEE), Prof. K.F. Chung, was represented by his colleague, Dr Barbara Siu, that afternoon.

Subsequently, the four departments of FCE were introduced respectively. Students were also introduced to the mental wellness services provided by the University Health Service and the services of the Centre for Student Advancement and Resources (Centre STARS) before the orientation was over.

Prof. Yam		At the BDCE orientation

The following research students have been selected for the FCE Awards for Outstanding PhD Theses.

Dr Guan Lin, Research Assistant Professor in the Department of Civil and Environmental Engineering (CEE), recently won the IIFC 2018 Runner-up Award for Best PhD Thesis. The International Institute for FRP in Construction (IIFC) was established in March 2003 to advance the understanding and application of FRP composites in civil infrastructure. Its council set up the IIFC Best PhD Thesis Award in 2016. Dr Lin presented his PhD work at the 9th International Conference on FRP Composites in Civil Engineering, which was held in Paris, France from 17 to 19 July 2018. His Runner-up Award includes a cash prize of US$500, an honorarium of US$1,500 to cover his travel costs, and a complementary IIFC membership for two years. The title of Dr Lin’s thesis is “Seismic Performance of FRP-confined RC Columns: Stress-strain Models and Numerical Simulation”. He was supervised by Prof. Jin-Guang Teng, Chair Professor of Structural Engineering of CEE.

Mr Maomao Hu, a PhD student in the Department of Building Services Engineering (BSE) supervised by Dr Linda Xiao, has won the 1st place in a Student Paper Competition at the 5th International High Performance Buildings Conference held in Purdue University, USA, from 9 to 12 July 2018. Mr Hu’s paper was entitled “Model Predictive Control of Inverter Air Conditioners Responding to Real-Time Electricity Prices in Smart Grids.”

Held every two years, this international conference provides an opportunity for researchers and practitioners from all over the world to discuss current engineering advances, problems and solutions for high performance building technology.

The Postgraduate Scheme in Construction and Environment provides scholarships to outstanding applicants admitted to taught MSc programmes. For 2018/19, 17 scholarships covering the tuition fees were given to deserving applicants of the following programmes:

Vincent Boadu BRE MSc in Construction and Real Estate	Tsz Wing Li BRE MSc in Construction Law and Dispute Resolution	Kin Wing Tsang BRE MSc in Construction Law and Dispute Resolution	Li Yee Chan BRE MSc in Project Management

Yu Kit Leung BRE MSc in Project Management	Ka Lok Wong BSE MSc in Building Services Engineering	Tsz Ho Cheung BSE MSc in Building Services Engineering	Lek Ka Cheung BSE MSc in Building Services Engineering

Siu Na Chan BSE MSc in Facility Management	Yik Fun Lau BSE MSc in Fire and Safety Engineering	Ho Tin Wong BSE MSc in Fire and Safety Engineering	Chi Ho Chan BSE MSc in High Performance Buildings

Nitin Agrawal CEE MSc in Civil Engineering	Chun Yiu Hau CEE MSc in Civil Engineering	Wai Chun Yeung CEE MSc in Civil Engineering	Lam Lam Yeung CEE MSc in Environmental Management and Engineering

Wing Hong Or LSGI MSc in Geomatics (GIS)

A study tour is often a highlight of any university experience. There is something exciting about immersing in a foreign culture first-hand rather than just reading about it. More than 150 students from the Department of Building and Real Estate (BRE) seize the opportunity to participate in a study tour in 2017/18. Following are the details:

In January 2018, 2 groups of students visited Tokyo, one with Dr Milton Lau and Dr M. J. Wadu, while another went with Mr Stephen Kong and Prof. Eddie Hui. In addition to tours of the Edo Tokyo open air architecture museum, the Venus Fort, the Science museum, and the Tokyo sewage museum, students learnt about the real estate market in Japan at the CBRE office there and property valuation concepts from the Japan Real Estate Institute.

Another group of students visited Tokyo in May 2018. Led by Prof. Patrick Lam and Dr M.J. Wadu, they visited Daikyo Incorporated, Kajima Corporation, Nishimatsu Construction (Aikawa Technical Research Institute), and the Tokyo Institute of Technology to explore a range of built environment practices and issues in the Japanese construction industry, with special reference to construction technology and safety, planning and development as well as property development.

2 other groups of students went to Osaka in May 2018. One group was accompanied by Dr Hebe How, Dr Milton Lau, and Prof. Eddie Hui, the other by Dr Joon Oh Seo and Dr Hong Qin Fan. The first group visited Osaka Castle, which housed a museum of historical artefacts. Students learnt about burdock piling used in the construction of the castle’s foundation. They attended a short lecture at Ritsumeikan University in Kyoto to find out about the building services system and urban design in Japan. They also were given a choice to look around either Tsutenkaku, the National Museum of Art, or the Umeda Sky Building in small groups. A final stop at Kinkidai University for the participants to hear about some of its programmes concluded the study tour.

The memorable places visited by the second group included a storm surge station known as the Tsunami, the Miyako Ecology Center, and the Japan Real Estate Institute, where students heard from Mr Nishio about the work of a qualified valuer of real estate in Japan and the overall housing prices there for the past few decades.

Another destination some students chose for their study tour in May 2018 was the United Kingdom. Accompanied by Mr Stephen Kong and Prof. Eddie Hui, they visited the headquarters of the Royal Institution of Chartered Surveyors (RICS) to learn about its accreditation scheme for surveyors. They also attended a few lectures at the University of Cambridge and the Kingston University London. Visits to Oxford and The Building Centre completed their study tour.

All the students agreed that a study tour was definitely a worthwhile learning experience for them.

Students on one of the Tokyo study tours		Students on the UK study tour

To foster academic exchange and strengthen collaborations between Wuhan University (WU), Tongji University (TU) and PolyU, the Department of Land Surveying and Geo-Informatics (LSGI) hosted a group of about 50 students from WU and TU from 30 July to 3 August 2018. Prof. John Shi, Head of LSGI, introduced the department to the visiting students, who attended several lectures of LSGI academics, a public lecture by a guest speaker, and participated in a cultural exchange/ sharing with LSGI students. They also visited some laboratories and facilities of LSGI, PolyU’s House of Innovation, the Survey and Mapping Office of the government’s Lands Department, City Gallery in Central, as well as the Tsing Ma Bridge. Students had a chance to share what they have learnt from the study tour with one another on the last day. It is hoped more academic collaborations and exchanges between the 3 universities can take place in the future.

Participating students of the study tour