To address the escalating challenges posed by climate change, PolyU has launched the Otto Poon Research Institute for Climate-Resilient Infrastructure (RICRI) to spearhead research and development of resilient and sustainable solutions for urban areas and rural communities. This initiative is a pioneering strategic approach focused on mitigating global climate change, ensuring sustainability and resilience for future generations.

Named after Ir Dr Otto Poon, Founder of the Otto Poon Charitable Foundation and a PolyU University Fellow, the new research institute serves as an interdisciplinary research platform to establish an effective and integrated scientific think-tank for the advancement and application of sustainable development in Hong Kong, the Nation, and the world.

The Opening Ceremony and Forum of RICRI, held in April, drew nearly 300 participants, including academic staff, students and industry experts. The event was officiated by Ir Dr Otto Poon and Professor Jin-Guang Teng, President of PolyU, alongside PolyU management and distinguished guests, including Mr Tse Chin-wan, Secretary for Environment and Ecology of the HKSAR Government, and Mr Chen Yulin, Director of Department of Educational, Scientific and Technological Affairs of the Liaison Office of the Central People’s Government in the HKSAR.

Professor Jin-Guang Teng expressed his heartiest gratitude for Dr Poon’s support of the University and his commitment to advancing research and innovation in climate resilience. He stated, “Dr Poon is an outstanding alumnus of PolyU, a University Fellow, and has been a long-standing supporter of PolyU’s development, empowering our University to make significant contributions for the betterment of society.” The Otto Poon Charitable Foundation has significantly contributed to the University’s research in smart cities and sustainable energy, establishing two research institutes and two endowed professorships in related disciplines in recent years. The establishment of RICRI, also thanks to the Foundation’s generous support, represents another milestone in the further pursuit of sustainable development.

Dr Poon envisions RICRI as a world-leading research centre for climate-adaptive resilient infrastructure in both urban and suburban areas, promoting innovation, policy exchange, and the establishment of guidelines, standards and good practices of infrastructures for Hong Kong and beyond.

Mr Tse Chin-wan outlined the HKSAR Government’s strategies and measures to achieve carbon neutrality by 2050 and emphasised the importance of building a climate-resilient city to protect lives and properties.

RICRI collaborates with a network of renowned experts, including those from Tsinghua University, Nanjing University and Beijing Normal University, along with Hong Kong government departments and industry partners.

The Director of RICRI is Professor Li Xiangdong, PolyU Dean of Faculty of Construction and Environment, Director of Research Institute for Sustainable Urban Development, Chair Professor of Environmental Science and Technology, and Ko Jan Ming Professor in Sustainable Urban Development. Under his leadership, RICRI focuses on four key research areas: climate change and extreme weather, urban infrastructure and resilience, rural community disaster mitigation, and climate-resilient policy and implementation.