News

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.  

BEEE Research Student Received Sheldon Tieszen Student Award at IAFSS 2026

The Department of Building Environment and Energy Engineering (BEEE) of The Hong Kong Polytechnic University (PolyU) is delighted to announce that BEEE PhD student Yifei Ding has won the prestigious Sheldon Tieszen Student Award for the excellence of research paper presented in the 15th International symposium on fire safety science (IAFSS 2026, top conference of the field).   The award was presented by the Chairman of the International Association for Fire Safety Science (IAFSS) and are sponsored by the International FORUM of Fire Research Directors (https://iafss.org/awards/sheldon-tieszen-student-awards/). The International Symposium on Fire Safety Science, a triennial event organized by the IAFSS since 1985, is widely recognized as the most important academic gathering in the field of fire safety science. The Sheldon Tieszen Student Awards were established to recognize the excellence in an IAFSS symposium paper in fire safety science by a student making a significant contribution to that paper. Each Sheldon Tieszen Student Award consists of a plaque and a cash payment.   The award-winning research paper is titled ‘Coupling Computer-Vision House Field Load Estimation with Fire Spread Simulation in the Wildland-Urban Interface (WUI)’, which introduces a novel WUI fire spread risk evaluation strategy considering houses’ discrepancy. This research was advised by Professor Xinyan Huang (his chief supervisor) with the help from Professor Negar Elhami-Khorasani (University at Buffalo) and Professor Thomas Gernay (Johns Hopkins). The research was based on PolyU’s recent investigations on WUI fire risk modelling, and proudly supported by the PolyU International Collaborative Research Fellowship (ICRF).   Congratulations to Yifei Ding on this remarkable milestone! To learn more about this study, you can access the full publication via https://doi.org/10.1016/j.firesaf.2026.104713.     

BEEE Student Wins Gold Award in IFMA 2026 Student Competition for Best Facility Management Project

The Department of Building Environment and Energy Engineering (BEEE) at The Hong Kong Polytechnic University is delighted to announce that Mr CHAN Chun Kit, a BEEE Master student, has won the Gold Award in the IFMA 2026 Student Competition for Best Facility Management Project.   Under the guidance of Professor Hou Cynthia, Mr Chan presented a project titled “Smart Facilities Management and its Current Development Status in Hong Kong” and demonstrated outstanding academic and practical insights in the field of facility management.   The recognition reflects Chan’s dedication, creativity, and strong research capability, as well as the valuable support and mentorship provided by Professor Hou. This achievement also highlights BEEE’s commitment to nurturing talented students and promoting excellence in professional practice and innovation.   Congratulations to Mr Chan Chun Kit on this remarkable accomplishment!  

BEEE Student Awarded ASHRAE Hong Kong Chapter Scholarship 2025–26

The Department of Building Environment and Energy Engineering (BEEE) at The Hong Kong Polytechnic University is pleased to announce that our student, Mr. Wong Hui Lok, has been awarded the ASHRAE Hong Kong Chapter Scholarship 2025–26.   This scholarship recognises outstanding students who have demonstrated strong academic performance, enthusiasm for the HVAC&R profession, and active engagement in ASHRAE-related activities. Mr. Wong’s achievement is a testament to his dedication and potential as a future professional in the building services and HVAC&R industry.   The BEEE Department extends its heartfelt congratulations to Mr. Wong on this well-deserved recognition and wishes him continued success in his academic and professional journey.  

BEEE Research Team Develops Smart Window Film to Regulate Light and Humidity, Reducing Building Energy Consumption and Promoting Low-Carbon City Development

On behalf of the Department of Building Environment and Energy Engineering (BEEE) at The Hong Kong Polytechnic University, we are delighted to share that a research team at the International Centre of Urban Energy Nexus (UEX) has developed an innovative smart window film that can automatically regulate indoor light and humidity in response to environmental changes. This breakthrough offers a promising solution for reducing building energy consumption and supporting the development of low-carbon cities.   As global warming intensifies, window technologies that can adapt to changing environmental conditions are increasingly important. The newly developed smart window film is designed to lower indoor temperatures during the day while absorbing moisture and reducing transparency at night, thereby enhancing energy efficiency, indoor comfort, and privacy. Antibacterial, durable, and cost-effective, the innovation is particularly suitable for humid regions such as Hong Kong and holds strong potential for green building applications.   Known as the “Moisture-responsive and Light-regulating” (MRLR) film, this PolyU innovation was led by Prof. YAN Jinyue Jerry, Chair Professor of Energy and Buildings, and Dr LIU Junwei, Research Assistant Professor of BEEE. The team has transformed traditional window film design by adopting a dual-layer structure composed of a hydrophilic polyacrylonitrile (PAN) nanofiber layer and a transparent polyacrylamide (PAAM) hydrogel with excellent water retention. By leveraging the water absorption and evaporation characteristics of these materials, the film is able to regulate light, heat, and humidity simultaneously.   This innovative development demonstrates the research excellence and commitment of BEEE and PolyU in advancing sustainable building technologies and contributing to a greener, more resilient urban future.   BEEE congratulates Prof. YAN, Dr LIU, and the entire research team on this outstanding achievement. For details, please refer to https://www.polyu.edu.hk/media/media-releases/2026/0610_polyu-develops-smart-window-film-to-regulate-light-and-humidity/