News

New Chair Professor - Prof. Shao Zongping

BEEE is delighted to announce the appointment of Prof. Shao Zongping as a Chair Professor, effective from 17 July 2026.   Prof. Shao received his bachelor’s degree in Chemistry from Zhejiang University (former Hangzhou University) in 1995, and his PhD from Dalian Institute of Chemical Physics, Chinese Academy of Sciences in 2000. Then, he conducted his postdoc researches at Institute of Catalysis Research at CNRS, France, and California Institute of Technology from 2000-2005.   In July. 2005, Prof. Shao joined Nanjing University of Technology as a distinguished Professor, and moved to Monash University, Australia, as a future fellow in 2011. He joined Curtin University, Australia, as a full professor in 2012, and as John Curtin Distinguished Professor since 2015. During his career, he received several awards and fellowships, such Changjiang professorship, The National Science Fund for Distinguished Young Scholars，secondary prize for Science and technology for Jiangsu province, secondary prize for Hubei province, first prize for Science and Technology of Liaoning Province, secondary Class Award in Natural Science of the Higher Education Outstanding Scientific Research Output Awards (Science and Technology), and western Australia innovation award.   Prof. Shao has published peer-reviewed articles in high-profile journals, like Nature, Science, Nature Energy, Joule, and Advanced Materials. All his papers have received a total citation of more than 100,000, and he has a H-index of 161. He is Clarivate highly cited researcher for ten years. In 2025, he is awarded highly cited researcher in three fields: Chemistry, Materials Science, and Ecology and Environmental. He is deputy editor for Materials Reports: Energy and associate editor for ACS-Energy & Fuels. He is the founding director for Curtin Centre for Advanced Energy Materials and Technologies. He has also awarded more than 100 patents from both China and US, and several his research outcomes have been successfully commercialized. Up to now, he has supervised more than 200 master and ph.D graduate students. Among them, more than 30 have been promoted to full professors or associate professors worldwide, including Australia and China.   His research focuses on sustainable energy technology and environment, including fuel cells, solar cells, batteries, green hydrogen production and ammonia synthesis, and waste water treatment. More recently, his research interests extend to the advanced technologies for building environment and energy management.

BEEE Student Wins First Runner-up in HK Electric Green Energy Dreams Come True Competition 2025/26

The Department of Building Environment and Energy Engineering (BEEE) at The Hong Kong Polytechnic University is delighted to announce that a BEEE undergraduate student, Mr Lam Ka Ho, supervised by Professor Hou Cynthia, has won First Runner-up in the Green Energy Dreams Come True Competition 2025/26 (Tertiary), organised by HK Electric.   The competition encourages secondary and tertiary students to turn their green energy ideas into reality, with a focus on decarbonisation, energy efficiency and conservation, and renewable energy. It also promotes the sharing of experience and exchange of ideas through an alumni network.   The award-winning project, “AIoT Urban Waste Management System with Carbon Reduction Forecasting,” proposes an innovative smart waste management solution that integrates automatic waste classification, data collection, waste generation forecasting, and recycling collection route optimisation. The system aims to improve urban waste management efficiency while supporting carbon reduction.   This achievement reflects the creativity and innovation of BEEE students, as well as the Department’s commitment to nurturing talent in sustainable technology and smart city development.  

Revolutionising Building Cooling: PolyU’s Award-Winning AI Delivers Major Energy Savings

As cities move towards carbon neutrality, artificial intelligence is emerging as a powerful tool for improving building energy efficiency. In Hong Kong, where cooling systems account for a major share of building electricity use, Prof. Xiao Fu, Associate Dean of the Faculty of Construction and Environment and Professor in the Department of Building Environment and Energy Engineering at PolyU, has developed an AI-enabled smart energy management system that can reduce daily energy consumption by up to 40%.   The award-winning system integrates dual-horizon load prediction, real-time monitoring and cloud-based control to optimise chiller operations in large buildings while maintaining thermal comfort. By combining day-ahead and hour-ahead forecasts, the platform enables more accurate and adaptive cooling decisions, reducing unnecessary energy use and improving overall system performance.   The research team’s AI-empowered digital twin platform for smart energy management received a Gold Medal at the International Exhibition of Inventions Geneva 2025. The innovation has also been successfully implemented in a high-rise government office building in Hong Kong, with on-site testing demonstrating an average energy saving of 18.4% and significant improvements in chiller plant efficiency.   This breakthrough highlights BEEE’s commitment to advancing smart, scalable and sustainable solutions for the built environment.   Source: RIO's news

Innovating for the Future: Pioneering Predictive Fire-Safety Technologies for Sustainable Cities

As cities become denser and more complex, resilience against fire hazards is increasingly vital to sustainable urban development. With fire risks evolving rapidly in the urban environment, innovative technologies are needed to support safer and more resilient communities.   At The Hong Kong Polytechnic University (PolyU), Prof. Asif Sohail Usmani, Chair Professor in Building Sciences and Fire Safety Engineering of the Department of Building Environment and Energy Engineering (BEEE), has developed SureFire, an intelligent forecasting tool designed for fire safety and public emergency management in urban infrastructure and the built environment.   By harnessing smart city technologies, including data-generating networks, real-time monitoring, and physics- and AI-based predictive analytics, SureFire integrates native sensing capabilities in buildings with distributed sensors to track fire progression in real time. During severe incidents, it can also forecast critical events through AI-assisted simulations, helping emergency responders make timely and informed decisions.   Beyond supporting emergency response, SureFire also shows promise for the development of next-generation firefighting robots, paving the way for fully automated and casualty-free firefighting in the future.   Through innovations like SureFire, BEEE and PolyU remain committed to advancing urban safety, strengthening resilience, and contributing to a more sustainable future.   Watch the video  

BEEE Engages Students in PolyU FCE Build a Smart City Competition 2026 to Explore Sustainable Northern Metropolis Development

The Department of Building Environment and Energy Engineering (BEEE) actively engaged students in the PolyU Faculty of Construction and Environment (FCE) Build a Smart City Competition 2026, supporting the theme “Build a Smart & Sustainable North.” The competition is designed to equip future designers, architects, urban planners and engineers with the knowledge and skills needed to create sustainable, functional and future-ready built environments.   Under the “Greening the Northern Metropolis” initiative, participants were encouraged to develop innovative proposals that emphasise energy efficiency, carbon reduction and integration of natural elements. The project also aimed to inspire students to advocate for green building and sustainable urban design, while balancing economic and social development with environmental protection.   A key challenge of the competition required students to design a new campus building for university lectures and offices in the Northern Metropolitan region. Teams were tasked with optimising land use, incorporating smart technologies and proposing practical solutions that would harmonise the building with its surroundings while fulfilling its intended functions.   The 2-day workshop provided participants with a rich blend of academic sharing, hands-on activities and field exposure. On Day 1, the programme began with a project orientation and Q&A session led by Professor Jiang Liming, followed by a mini-lecture titled “Steering the Solar Photons for Building Energy Transition” by Ir Professor Lu Lin Vivien. After lunch, students took part in two interactive workshops: “Applied solar energy in buildings” by Dr Gong Quan and “Carbon neutrality” by Dr ZHAO Jingxian.   On Day 2, participants attended “Future Campus: Smart, Sustainable and Human-Centric Design” delivered by Dr Tsang Tsz Wun, Hayley, followed by laboratory activities led by the BEEE technical team. These hands-on sessions covered daylighting analysis, thermal comfort assessment, energy efficiency analysis, indoor air quality assessment, and a smart home technology demonstration. The workshop concluded with lunch, registration and transportation arrangements for a site visit to the Kwu Tung North and Fanling North New Development Areas Community Liaison Centre, where students gained first-hand insights into the planning and development of the Northern Metropolis.   Through this meaningful initiative, BEEE demonstrated its strong commitment to smart city development, sustainability education and experiential learning, while encouraging students to apply their professional knowledge to real-world urban challenges.   The photo gallery can be found here : Day 1 and Day 2.  

“Enchanting Beautiful China, Beautiful Hong Kong” Experience Day Promotes Green Transition and Sustainability

To celebrate the 105th anniversary of the founding of the Communist Party of China, the Environmental Protection Department (EPD) and the Friends of Hong Kong Association co-organised the “Enchanting Beautiful China, Beautiful Hong Kong” Experience Day on 13 July, launching celebratory activities under the theme of “Green Transition.”   The event highlighted the achievements of the nation and Hong Kong in ecological civilisation, environmental protection and sustainable development, while also promoting public awareness of low-carbon transition and green innovation. Officiating at the event, the Secretary for Environment and Ecology, Mr Tse Chin-wan, delivered remarks on Hong Kong’s role in supporting the country’s green development strategy and the HKSAR Government’s commitment to achieving carbon neutrality by 2050 through the promotion of new energy transport and the circular economy.   Among the officiating guests were the President of the Friends of Hong Kong Association, Dr Tam Kam-kau; HKSAR deputy to the National People’s Congress Ms Wong Ping-fan; Dean of the Faculty of Construction and Environment (FCE) of The Hong Kong Polytechnic University, Professor Li Xiangdong; and the Director of Environmental Protection, Dr Samuel Chui. The event was further enriched by keynote sharing from Professor Guo Zhiling of the Department of Building Environment and Energy Engineering (BEEE), who delivered an insightful presentation on Building integrated Photovoltaics applications. In addition, Professor Jiang Liming gave the closing remarks, wrapping up the event with thoughtful reflections on the importance of collaborative efforts in advancing green transition and sustainable development.   The participation of the FCE Dean and BEEE academic staff demonstrated the Faculty and Department’s strong commitment to sustainability-related initiatives. BEEE, together with staff from other departments and offices, also supported the event by providing guided tours, helping participants better appreciate the exhibition content and the significance of the nation’s achievements in environmental protection.   Several experts and academics also shared their insights on low-carbon transition and green energy with members of the public and students attending the event.   The Experience Day provided an engaging platform for the public to learn more about the country’s achievements in environmental technologies and to strengthen their sense of identity, pride and support for the nation’s green development journey.  

New Associate Professor - Prof. Chen Di

BEEE is delighted to announce the appointment of Prof. Chen Di as an Associate Professor, effective from 2 July 2026. He is also a recipient of PolyU’s Presidential Young Scholars Scheme and holds a joint appointment in the Department of Chemistry.   Prof. Chen received his bachelor’s degree in Materials Science and Engineering from Tsinghua University and his PhD from the Massachusetts Institute of Technology, where he was awarded an MIT Energy Initiative Fellowship. After two years in industry, he completed his postdoctoral training at Stanford University.   In Nov. 2019, Prof. Chen joined the Future Laboratory at Tsinghua University as an Associate Professor in research-track （副研究員）and established his independent research group. He received an “Excellent” rating in Tsinghua University’s Annual Faculty Performance Review for four consecutive years from 2021 to 2024 and was promoted to Professor in research-track （研究員）in Dec. 2025.   Prof. Chen has published 50 peer-reviewed articles. His work has been published in Nature Catalysis (twice), the Journal of the American Chemical Society, and Advanced Functional Materials, and he has also contributed to collaborative studies published in Science, Nature Materials and Nature Nanotechnology. He is the PI of two National Key R&D projects (Young Scientist and International Cooperation), an NSFC project, and collaborative projects with Sinopec, Apple, Microsoft, Country Garden, and governments of Foshan and Kunshan. Postdocs under his supervision have secured five NSFC Youth Fund projects and five grants from the China Postdoctoral Science Foundation. Seven former postdocs from his group have taken faculty positions.   His research focuses on surface electrocatalysis and functional materials for energy and environmental applications. By combining atomically precise materials design with operando characterisation, he investigates fundamental surface and interfacial processes in high-temperature fuel cells, waste-gas and VOC treatment, antibacterial building ceramics, and refractory materials for harsh thermal environments.  

BEEE Congratulates Prof. WEI Minchen Tommy on Receiving the Prestigious HUAWEI Spark Award

The Department of Building Environment and Energy Engineering (BEEE) warmly congratulates Prof. WEI Minchen Tommy, Associate Head of Department and Director of the PolyU-Qianhai Disruptive Technology and Innovation Research Centre, on being honoured with the prestigious HUAWEI Spark Award.   This recognition celebrates Prof. Wei and his team’s innovative solution to a major industrial challenge, as well as their successful translation of research into real-world application. He is the second PolyU scholar to receive this award, and the only scholar from a Hong Kong tertiary institution to be so honoured in the past two years.   BEEE is proud of Prof. Wei’s achievement, which highlights his research excellence and PolyU’s strength in driving impactful innovation and knowledge transfer.   For the full media release, please refer to here.  

BEEE Alumna Advances Indoor Air Quality Research with Best Poster Award at Indoor Air 2026

The Department of Building Environment and Energy Engineering (BEEE) at The Hong Kong Polytechnic University is delighted to announce that Ms Junran Yang, an alumna of the Master of Engineering in Building Services Engineering programme and former student of Ir Professor Niu Jianlei, has received the Best Poster Award at Indoor Air 2026, one of the world's premier conferences on indoor air quality and healthy built environments.   Indoor Air 2026 was held in Singapore from 14–18 June 2026 and brought together more than 900 scientists, engineers and policymakers from over 40 countries. Convened by the International Society of Indoor Air Quality and Climate (ISIAQ) and organised by the Singapore Green Building Council together with the National University of Singapore, the conference serves as a leading global platform for advancing research and innovation in indoor environmental quality.   The award-winning poster, entitled “Perceptual Indoor Air Quality (IAQ) Endurance in Built Environments: Defining the Concepts and Directions for Future Research”, was co-authored by Ms Yang, Prof. Hilde Breesch, Prof. Douaa Al-Assaad, Prof. Mariya Bivolarova and Prof. Pawel Wargocki. The work introduces the concept of Perceptual IAQ Endurance, a novel framework describing occupants' ability to tolerate and adapt to indoor air quality stressors over time.   The proposed framework aims to advance the understanding of human responses to environmental challenges and their implications for building design and operation. By integrating concepts such as subjective IAQ resilience and environmental adaptation, the work contributes to the development of healthier, more sustainable and more resilient indoor environments.   Ms Yang is currently pursuing her PhD at KU Leuven, Belgium, where her research focuses on human perception and resilience in indoor environments, particularly under heat and air pollution exposure.   This achievement represents meaningful international recognition of Ms Yang's research and reflects the strong academic foundation she developed during her studies at PolyU. BEEE congratulates Ms Yang on this well-deserved honour and wishes her continued success in her future research endeavours.  

Teaching and Learning Exchange: Teaching Research Salon Series 4

The Department of Building Environment and Energy Engineering (BEEE) successfully held Teaching Research Salons – Series 4 on 23 June 2026 (Tuesday) in Room Z405, 4/F, Block Z.   This session featured a sharing by Ir Professor Yuen Anthony Chun Yin, recipient of the Departmental Teaching Award 2024/25. Prof. Yuen shared his insights and practical experience in teaching, offering colleagues valuable perspectives on effective pedagogical strategies and classroom practices.   The salon provided a relaxed and engaging platform for academic staff to exchange ideas, reflect on teaching approaches, and discuss ways to enhance student learning and engagement. In particular, Prof. Yuen shared his recent developments in flipped-learning classes and tutorials (i.e. pre-class content) to facilitate students’ learning in computational fluid dynamics (CFD) and fire models software skills. Additionally, the application of AI technologies to develop flipped learning adaptive tutorials with enhanced interactivity, link-to-lecture content, video and visual-aided functions. Colleagues actively participated in the discussion, contributing thoughtful questions and experiences that enriched the sharing session.   Light refreshments were provided, adding to the warm and collegial atmosphere of the event. The Department would like to express sincere thanks to Prof. Yuen for his insightful sharing and to all colleagues for their enthusiastic participation and support.   Teaching Research Salons continue to serve as an important platform for peer learning and pedagogical exchange within the Department. We look forward to welcoming colleagues to the next session.