2 academics of the Faculty of Construction and Environment (FCE) have been awarded funding from the National Natural Science Foundation of China (NSFC)/ Research Grants Council (RGC) Joint Research Scheme 2018/19. Following are the details:

A list of Highly Cited Researchers 2018 compiled by Clarivate Analytics has included 4 academics of the Faculty of Construction and Environment (FCE). Prof. Hong-xing Yang and Prof. Lin Lu of the Department of Building Services Engineering (BSE) as well as Prof. Kwok Wing Chau and Prof. Shuncheng Lee of the Department of Civil and Environmental Engineering (CEE) were selected for their exceptional research performance, as demonstrated by their highly cited papers that rank in the top 1% by citations for field and year in Web of Science.

Approximately 6,000 researchers are named on the list, which identifies scientists and social scientists who have demonstrated significant influence through publication of multiple highly cited papers during the last decade.

A Joint Laboratory of the Guangdong-Hong Kong-Macao Greater Bay Area for the Environment was recently established by the Chinese Academy of Sciences, Guangzhou Institute of Geochemistry (GIGCAS) and PolyU, between whom is a prolific record of research collaboration. It has passed the fifth assessment of the 2018 Joint Laboratory of the Chinese Academy of Sciences and Hong Kong to become one of the five newly approved laboratories. Jointly led by Dr Xinming Wang, a researcher of CASGIG, and Prof. Xiangdong Li, Associate Dean (Research) of PolyU’s Faculty of Construction and Environment (FCE), the new laboratory will further integrate the strengths of both parties in the fields of environmental science basic research and engineering technology, focusing on environmental pollution in the development of the Greater Bay Area and providing scientific, technical support for the continuous improvement of its environmental quality with advanced technology.

The joint laboratory promotes substantive collaboration and exchanges between CAS and higher education institutions in Hong Kong. Its establishment is expected to reinforce the geographical advantages of GIG in collaborations between Guangdong and Hong Kong, aligning with national development strategies for the Greater Bay Area.

On 3 October 2018, Dr Zhen Leng of the Department of Civil and Environmental Engineering (CEE) presented a paper that won an Outstanding Paper Award for Young Engineers/ Researchers from the Hong Kong Institution of Engineers (HKIE) at its headquarters in Causeway Bay. Co-authored with Anand Sreeram, Rabindra Padhan, and Qu Xin, the paper was entitled “Eco-friendly paving materials using waste PET and reclaimed asphalt pavement.” More than 25 members of HKIE, practitioners, engineering students, and secondary school students attended the public lecture.

Launched in 2006, the HKIE Outstanding Paper Award for Young Engineers/ Researchers is an international competition to promote engineering among the younger generation. Mr Anand Sreeram is a PhD student of Dr Leng and the only student awardee of the award this year.

3 academics of the Faculty of Construction and Environment (FCE) have recently been approved for funding to engage postdoctoral fellows to support their research. Following are the details:

The 24th Congregation and Prize Presentation Ceremony of the Faculty of Construction and Environment (FCE) was held on 6 and 7 November 2018 at the Jockey Club Auditorium for over 1,700 graduates, their families and friends. Prof. You-Lin Xu, Dean of FCE, officiated at the 6 sessions of the ceremony, which not only awarded degrees to graduating students, but also prizes to outstanding staff and alumni of the Department of Building and Real Estate (BRE), the Department of Building Services Engineering (BSE), the Department of Civil and Environmental Engineering (CEE), and the Department of Land Surveying and Geo-Informatics (LSGI). The recipients of the Departmental Outstanding Alumni Awards were Mr Alex Lui (BRE), Mr Augustine Wong (BRE), Ir Dr Anthony Lo (BSE), Ir Francis Kung (CEE), and Mr Ray Leung (LSGI). Guests of honour Mr Daryl Li, Prof. Qingquan Li, and Mr Sai-hung Lam, JP, addressed the Congregation, which was made even more memorable by valedictory speeches from graduating student representatives. It was indeed a special occasion for all who attended to remember.

Prof. Xu addressing the Congregation

An accreditation team from the Hong Kong Institution of Engineers (HKIE) visited the Faculty of Construction and Environment (FCE) on 29 and 30 November 2018 to review some of its degree programmes, namely, the BSc (Hons) in Building Engineering and Management, the BEng (Hons) in Building Services Engineering, the BEng (Hons) in Civil Engineering, and the BEng (Hons) in Environmental Engineering and Sustainable Development.

Beginning with a combined session, the team gained a general overview and met with Prof. You-Lin Xu, Dean of FCE, Heads of Departments, Prof. Michael Yam, Acting Associate Dean (Teaching), several key staff and programme leaders from the Department of Building and Real Estate (BRE), Department of Building Services Engineering (BSE), and the Department of Civil and Environmental Engineering (CEE), to discuss strategic and generic issues affecting the programmes under review.

Subsequently, there were discussions with academic staff responsible for major elements of the programmes in 3 parallel sessions for BRE, BSE, and CEE respectively. An informal reception with external stakeholders was followed by a meeting with the President of PolyU, Prof. Timothy W. Tong, as well as key academic staff of FCE. The accreditation team also met with some students in different years of their studies and recent graduates of each programme concerned. Selected student work of varying quality was reviewed by the accreditation team.

Visits to the laboratories and facilities of the Industrial Centre and the relevant departments were held on the second day of the visit. Some members of the accreditation team also visited the university library and the English Language Centre. An executive summary session for the accreditation team to have a final meeting with the Faculty Dean, Department Heads, programme leaders and other key staff concluded the visit.

The HKIE accreditation team with the President of PolyU, Prof. Tong and some key academic staff of FCE

On 29 November 2018, Prof. Timothy W. Tong, President of PolyU, visited the Hong Kong branches of the Chinese National Engineering Research Centre for Steel Construction and the Chinese National Rail Transit Electrification and Automation Engineering Technology Research Centre with Prof. You-Lin Xu, Dean of the Faculty of Construction and Environment (FCE), and Prof. Michael Yam, Acting Associate Dean.

Established in October 2015 with the approval of the State Ministry of Science and Technology, both Chinese National Engineering Research Centres (CNERCs) were funded by the Innovation and Technology Fund of the Innovation and Technology Commission of the Government of Hong Kong Special Administrative Region with an annual funding of HK$ 5 million each, which will be doubled next year according to the Policy Address in October 2018.

Prof. Tong congratulated the Directors of both centres, Prof. Kwok Fai Chung and Prof. Yiqing Ni, on the funding increase, and encouraged both CNERCs to further develop innovative engineering technology for wide applications in Hong Kong and China.

(left to right) Prof. Yam, Prof. Chung, Prof. Tong, and Prof. Xu		Prof. Tong (middle) with Prof. Ni, Prof. Xu, and some staff of a CNERC

At the second committee meeting of the China-Pakistan Economic Corridor University Alliance held in Hangzhou in early November, a Memorandum of Understanding (MoU) was signed by representatives of PolyU, Zhejiang University (ZJU), and the National University of Sciences and Technology of Pakistan (NUST) that will enable NUST to nominate its outstanding graduates in civil engineering and building management to continue their studies in a dual PhD programme offered by PolyU and ZJU. Facilitating the arrangement was Dr Hafiz Zahoor Ahmad Khan, an Assistant Professor and Head of the Department of Construction Engineering and Management at NUST, also a PhD graduate from PolyU’s Department of Building and Real Estate (BRE). His supervisor was Prof. Albert Chan, Head of BRE and one of the parties signing the MoU. Witnesses at the signing ceremony included Prof. Daniel Shek, PolyU’s Associate Vice President (Undergraduate Programme); Prof. Weidong Luo, Vice President of ZJU; Mr Weijie Sun, Chairman of the Board of Supervisors of the China Association of Higher Education; and Dr Safdar Ali Shah, Director General of the China-Pakistan Economic Corridor of the Higher Education Commission of Pakistan.

The Faculty of Construction and Environment (FCE) received 5 representatives of the Shandong University of Architecture and Engineering on 8 November 2018. Led by their Vice President Prof. Su Liu, they were warmly welcomed by PolyU representatives and given a tour of the Department of Building Services Engineering (BSE) before they met with Prof. You-Lin Xu, Dean of FCE, Prof. William Lam, Head of the Department of Civil and Environmental Engineering (CEE), and Prof. Chi-Sun Poon, Associate Head (Research Development) of CEE, to discuss matters of mutual interest. The visitors also toured CEE with Dr Songye Zhu afterwards. It was a rewarding visit for all concerned.

The visitors with a few FCE academics

On 21 November 2018, a naming ceremony for the Yu Tung Shan Lecture Theatre was held in honour of Mr Yu Tung Shan, an alumnus with an Ordinary Certificate in Building. Over 150 staff, students, alumni, and friends of the Faculty of Construction and Environment (FCE) attended the ceremony, which was followed by a guided tour of 4 departmental laboratories for Mr Yu and his guests. Demonstrations were done by Prof. Heng Li of the Department of Building and Real Estate (BRE) in its Smart Construction Laboratory, Dr Xinyan Huang of the Department of Building Services Engineering (BSE) in its Fire Engineering Laboratory, Prof. Chi-sun Poon of the Department of Civil and Environmental Engineering (CEE) in its Concrete Materials Laboratory, and Dr Matthew Pang of the Department of Land Surveying and Geo-Informatics (LSGI) in its Laboratory for Smart City and Spatial Big Data Analytics. It was a memorable occasion for all in attendance.

At the naming ceremony

In an award ceremony on 27 October 2018, the Chairman of the Departmental Advisory Committee (DAC) of the Department of Civil and Environmental Engineering (CEE), Ir Hon Chi-keung, was awarded a Gold Bauhinia Star from the Hon. Mrs Carrie Lam, the Chief Executive of the Hong Kong Special Administrative Region. Ir Hon has over three decades of experience in various public works and engineering, serving as the government’s Permanent Secretary for Development (Works) between April 2015 and October 2018. His affiliation with the DAC of CEE began in January 2016. Since then, he has advised PolyU on the scope and nature of its academic programmes, research and other activities, particularly with respect to CEE.