News

BEEE Maintains Strong Global Standing in Architecture and Built Environment in QS World University Rankings by Subject 2025

In an exciting development for the academic community, the Department of Building Environment and Energy Engineering (BEEE) at The Hong Kong Polytechnic University has maintained its impressive ranking in the Architecture and Built Environment category of the QS World University Rankings by Subject 2025, holding steady at 17th globally. This remarkable achievement underscores BEEE's unwavering commitment to excellence in education and research, solidifying its position as a leader in the field.   The QS World University Rankings by Subject are highly regarded for their comprehensive evaluation of universities worldwide, assessing factors such as academic reputation, employer reputation, and research impact. BEEE's consistent ranking at 17th globally highlights the department's dedication to fostering innovative research and providing top-tier education to its students.   The 2025 edition of the QS World University Rankings by Subject features 55 individual subjects across five broad subject areas. This year's rankings are the most extensive yet, with 171 new institutions included that were not present in the 2024 edition.   The success of BEEE in the QS World University Rankings by Subject 2025 is a testament to the hard work and dedication of its academics, researchers, and students. These achievements not only enhance The Hong Kong Polytechnic University's reputation on the international stage but also reinforce its role as a pivotal contributor to sustainable development and innovation in its respective fields.  

Celebrating Excellence: BEEE Students Honored at CIBSE Hong Kong Region Student Awards 2025

The Department of Building Environment and Energy Engineering (BEEE) at The Hong Kong Polytechnic University is delighted to announce the achievements of two outstanding BEEE students who received the CIBSE Hong Kong Region Student Awards 2025. The ceremony, held on March 20, 2025, at the JW Marriott Hotel in Hong Kong, celebrated exceptional accomplishments in the field of Building Services Engineering.   The evening brought together industry leaders, educators, and aspiring engineers for a memorable annual dinner. We were honored to have Professor Asif Sohail Usmani, Head of the Department, in attendance, along with the two distinguished awardees, Miss Wong Nok Hei and Mr. Chan Lok Kwan. Their outstanding performance and dedication to their studies were recognized.   The event provided an excellent platform for networking and celebrating the hard work and achievements of our students. It was a night filled with inspiration and recognition, highlighting the bright future of the industry.   Congratulations to Miss Wong Nok Hei and Mr. Chan Lok Kwan for their well-deserved awards. Their achievements are a testament to their dedication and passion for Building Services Engineering, and we look forward to their continued contributions to the field.  

BEEE Scholars Secure Major Research Funding to Propel Innovative Projects

The Department of Building Environment and Energy Engineering (BEEE) at The Hong Kong Polytechnic University (PolyU) is thrilled to announce the substantial research funding secured by our scholars. This funding underscores the department's pivotal role in advancing innovative research projects, with support from the Collaborative Research Equipment Grant (CREG), Young Collaborative Research Grant (YCRG), and the Research Impact Fund 2024/25. Recognition from these prestigious funding schemes highlights BEEE's ability to attract and manage significant research projects, further empowering the department to lead transformative advancements in building environment and energy engineering.   Collaborative Research Fund 2024/25 The Collaborative Research Fund (CRF) supports multi-investigator, multi-disciplinary projects, encouraging research groups to engage in creative and high-quality cross-disciplinary and cross-institutional projects. The CRF offers several types of grants, including: • Collaborative Research Equipment Grant (CREG): Enables the acquisition of major research facilities or equipment. • Young Collaborative Research Grant (YCRG): Supports early-stage academic staff in gaining experience in leading and managing collaborative research. Funded Projects: • Collaborative Research Equipment Grant (CREG): o Project Title: Development of a Colorimetric and Photometric Characterisation Platform for Binocular VR/AR Headsets o Project Coordinator: Prof. Tommy WEI, Professor, BEEE o Amount Awarded: HK$3,015,000 • Young Collaborative Research Grant (YCRG): o Project Title: AI-empowered Wind Field Simulation for Sustainable Urban Microclimate Design o Project Coordinator: Prof. Ruoyu YOU, Assistant Professor, BEEE o Amount Awarded: HK$3,643,410 Research Impact Fund 2024/25 The RGC Research Impact Fund (RIF) aims to provide sustained support to local academics for conducting impactful and translational collaborative research projects, articulating the potential for benefiting the wider community. • Project Title: Creating Delightful Experience in Virtual Reality and Augmented Reality Headset through Optimal Optical Design o Project Coordinator: Prof. Tommy WEI, Professor, BEEE o Amount Awarded: HK$4,800,000 These projects highlight BEEE's commitment to pioneering research that delivers tangible societal benefits and reinforces the department's academic leadership. With this funding, BEEE is poised to drive forward-thinking solutions that address critical challenges in building environment and energy engineering, ultimately contributing to a more sustainable and innovative future.  

Successful Student Gathering and Scholarship Awards Ceremony for MScCNCUS Programme

On January 22, 2025, the MSc in Carbon Neutral Cities and Urban Sustainability (MScCNCUS) programme hosted a successful student gathering event at the Alumni Atrium. The highlight of the event was the award presentation for the MScCNCUS Post-Entry Merit-based Scholarship for the 2024/25 academic year.   The event commenced with registration at 10:20 am, followed by a warm welcome speech from the Programme Leader, Prof. Vivien Lu. Prof. Lu congratulated the students on their achievements and emphasized the importance of sustainability in urban development. The award presentation recognized outstanding students with scholarships in three categories: Gold, Silver, and Bronze. The recipients were: • Gold (HK$30,000 each): LIU Chenxi, LI Qi, QIU Yi, WANG Shuo • Silver (HK$20,000 each): ZHANG Zhaolin, LIU Yanting, CAO Xin, LU Siqi, LI Wangjie, MAO Wanfang • Bronze (HK$10,000 each): LEUNG Yiu Nam, LI Shuyi, LIN Jiaxin, HUANG Ziyi, ZHANG Yilin, WANG Hanmeng, GE Wenjing, XU Lichi, TANG Duo   Following the award ceremony, participants enjoyed a light lunch, providing an opportunity for networking and discussion among students and the Department. The event concluded with a group photo session at 12:10 pm, capturing the spirit of camaraderie and achievement.    We extend our heartfelt congratulations to all the scholarship recipients and thank everyone who participated in making this event a memorable success.    The photo gallery can be found here.  

Two BEEE PhD Students Won the Oral Presentation Awards in International and National Conferences

The Department of Building Environment and Energy Engineering (BEEE) of The Hong Kong Polytechnic University (PolyU) is pleased to report that Mr Yifei DING and Mr Yichao ZHANG, our PhD student who are both under the supervision of Associate Professor Xinyan HUANG, have been selected for the Oral Presentation Awards for two academic conferences in 2024.   Yifei Ding selected for the Outstanding Oral Presentation Award on 2024 National Thermal Safety Conference. His presentation, “AI-based digitized fuel load survey: data collection and statistical analysis”, proposed a new building fire load database, contributing to fire safety design and smart building developments.  Yifei’s research is focused on smart firefighting and fire digital twins.   Yichao Zhang received the Best Student Oral Presentation Award at the 17th International Peatland Congress for his presentation, “Impact of Underground Smoldering on Plant Roots in Peat Soil.” This research investigates the damage caused by smoldering underground peat fires to plant roots, providing theoretical support for forest management and vegetation recovery after wildfires. Yichao’ work focus on wildland fire and smoldering fire.   The Department of BEEE congratulates Yifei, Yichao and their collaborators on their outstanding achievements and wishes them continued success.  

BEEE PhD Student Team Awarded in the Hong Kong ICT Startup Award 2024

The Department of Building Environment and Energy Engineering (BEEE) at The Hong Kong Polytechnic University (PolyU) is proud to announce that our PhD student, Mr. Wong Ho Yin, supervised by BEEE Associate Professor Dr Huang Xinyan, has won the Certificate of Merit in the Hong Kong ICT Startup Award.   Mr. Wong’s team project, “Generation Alpha Building Emergency System”, initiated in the PolyU Maker Fund Programme 2021 and thus established a start-up, GABES Limited, received the Certificate of Merit Hardware and Devices Stream. The project is an Internet of Things (IoT) system comprising a wireless detectors mesh network and dynamic exit signs. The fire detector system, which utilizes artificial intelligence technology, can significantly reduce the number of false alarms and provide an early warning, while the dynamic exit sign system guides evacuees towards the safest evacuation paths, reducing evacuation time.   This project is crucial to the novel smart firefighting technology developed at PolyU (the SureFire Project). This technology will be applied to the next generation of smart and resilient buildings, helping Hong Kong become the world's leading smart city.   The Hong Kong ICT Awards was established in 2006. It is the most recognised and longest-standing information technology award in Hong Kong. It aims at recognising and promoting outstanding local information and communications technology (ICT) inventions and applications, thereby promoting constant innovation and pursuit of excellence in the entire ICT industry.   The Department of BEEE congratulates Mr. Wong Ho Yin and his team on their outstanding achievements and wishes them continued success.  

BEEE Team Wins Gold Medal for Innovative Coating at the 4th Asia Exhibition of Innovations and Inventions, Hong Kong

Hong Kong, December 6, 2024 – The Building Environment and Energy Engineering (BEEE) team from The Hong Kong Polytechnic University (PolyU) has been awarded a prestigious Gold Medal at the 4th Asia Exhibition of Innovations and Inventions (AEII) held in Hong Kong on December 5-6, 2024. The team, led by Prof. LU Lin Vivien and Dr. GONG Quan, was recognized for their groundbreaking project titled "Synergistic Integration of Terrestrial Radiative Cooling and Bifacial Solar Photovoltaics for Low-Carbon Buildings."   The BEEE team has developed an environmentally friendly solar-driven adaptive radiative cooling coating that can adjust cooling capacity based on solar irradiance, thus cooling building roofs and walls without consuming any energy. The invention can integrate bifacial photovoltaic (biPV) modules, enabling simultaneous solar power generation and radiative cooling, thereby transforming buildings from energy consumers into energy harvesters. The coating can also convert solar energy into visible light to prevent buildings from absorbing excessive heat, as well as improve the efficiency of biPV systems and enhance their cooling capabilities. This enables buildings to generate more power while passively radiating excess heat into space, helping to realise energy-efficient and net-zero energy building designs.    The AEII is a renowned annual event that celebrates cutting-edge inventions and solutions from across Asia, attracting scholars, experts, and inventors from around the globe. This year, PolyU achieved remarkable success, securing a total of 18 accolades, including the Grand Prize, one Special Prize, seven Gold Medals, eight Silver Medals, and one Bronze Medal.   Prof. Christopher CHAO, PolyU Vice President (Research and Innovation), expressed his pride in the achievements of the PolyU teams, stating, "The remarkable accomplishments of our academics, students, and alumni reflect PolyU's strong research capabilities and our commitment to innovation. These awards highlight our dedication to addressing global challenges through cutting-edge research and solutions."   The BEEE team's success underscores the vital role of PolyU's research initiatives in driving sustainable development and innovation. Their award-winning project not only contributes to the advancement of low-carbon building technologies but also aligns with PolyU's mission to create a positive impact on society and the environment.   For more information on BEEE award-winning project and innovations showcased at the AEII, please visit the PolyU Knowledge Transfer and Entrepreneurship Office website.   News on SingTao (in Chinese only): 理大推動綠色技術研發實現碳中和 輻射製冷塗層助建築物節能降溫  

BEEE Chair Professor Joins Elite Ranks as 'Highly Cited Researcher 2024’

The Department of Building Environment and Energy Engineering (BEEE) of The Hong Kong Polytechnic University (PolyU) proudly announces that Prof. Yan Jinyue Jerry, Chair Professor of Energy and Buildings in the Department of Building Environment and Energy Engineering (BEEE), has been recognized as one of the "Highly Cited Researchers 2024" by Clarivate Analytics. This prestigious recognition underscores Prof. Yan's significant contributions and impact in his research field, placing him among the top 1% of researchers worldwide based on citation metrics.   The annual list by Clarivate Analytics honors researchers who have demonstrated exceptional influence through the publication of multiple highly-cited papers over the past 11 years. This year, 6,636 researchers from 59 countries and regions have been acknowledged for their outstanding work.   Prof. Yan's inclusion in this list highlights PolyU's commitment to research excellence and its dedication to fostering innovation and societal impact. His work in building environment and energy engineering not only advances academic knowledge but also contributes to sustainable development and environmental stewardship.   BEEE congratulates Prof. Yan on this remarkable achievement and looks forward to his continued contributions to the field and the university's mission of driving positive societal change.    

Successful Completion of The 2nd International Conference on Energy Engineering

The Department of Building Environment and Energy Engineering (BEEE) of The Hong Kong Polytechnic University (PolyU) successfully organized the 2nd International Conference on Energy Engineering (ICEE2024), held from November 29 to December 2, 2024, at PolyU. The conference attracted over 250 academics and professionals from Mainland China, Hong Kong, and various overseas countries. The theme of the conference is ‘Engineering a Carbon-neutral Future’, which aims to address a wide range of global challenges through interdisciplinary discussions and communications. For more details, please visit the event website at https://www.iceeconf.com/.   Chaired by Prof. LU Lin Vivien of BEEE, alongside Prof. WU Wei from City University of Hong Kong and Prof. CAO Sunliang of BEEE, ICEE2024 featured plenary sessions, keynote speeches, oral presentations, poster sessions, and technical tours. Key topics included Renewable Energy, Clean Energy Technologies, Intelligent and Electrical Energy Systems, Energy Efficiency, Energy Storage and Energy Policy and Sustainability.   During the opening ceremony on November 30, Prof. LU Vivien delivered an opening speech, followed by welcome speeches from Dr. Miranda Lou, the Executive Vice President of PolyU, and Dr. Wai-kwok Lo, JP, a Member of the Legislative Council (Engineering) and Chairman of the Development Panel in Hong Kong SAR, China.  The plenary distinguished speakers include Prof. Yong Tae KANG from Korea University, with the plenary speech on “Thermal Energy Storage for Plus Energy Building Applications: Sorption Thermal Battery”; Prof. WANG Zuankai from The Hong Kong Polytechnic University, with the plenary speech on “Field Matching Principle for Energy Efficiency Enhancement”; Prof. ZHANG Lizhi from South China University of Technology, with plenary speech on “Solar Energy Driven Membrane-Based Desalination Systems.”; Prof. DING Yuling from the University of Birmingham on “Sector Coupling Through Synergistic Energy and Resource Integration: The Role and Value of Carnot Batteries,” and another by Prof. Soteris KALOGIROU from the Cyprus University of Technology titled “Renewable Energy Systems: Current Status in the World and Prospects.”      Prof. LU Lin Vivien and Dr Wai-kwok Lo, JP delivering welcome speeches   The success of ICEE2024 is largely attributed to the strong support from PolyU and BEEE, particularly in terms of financial resources and venue arrangements. Additionally, support came from the Hong Kong Polytechnic University, City University of Hong Kong, China University of Mining & Technology-Beijing, Tech Science Press, HKIE, and several supporting journals, including Energy Engineering, Renewable Energy, Frontiers in Heat and Mass Transfer, and Science & Technology Review.   BEEE would like to congratulate the success of the conference. We look forward to seeing the participants in BEEE activities in the near future.  

BEEE Academic Staff Honored in Stanford's Top 2% Scientists Compilation

The Department of Building Environment and Energy Engineering (BEEE) of The Hong Kong Polytechnic University (PolyU) is proud to announce that 16 BEEE academic staff members have been recognized among the world's top 2% of scientists in their respective disciplines, according to the index recently compiled by Stanford University. These distinguished scholars have been included in the “Career-long Impact” list based on their citation impact throughout their careers. BEEE Top 2% Scientists in the Global List  Name Subject Field (Top-Ranked Science-Metrix Category) Professor Asif Sohail Usmani Civil Engineering Ir Professor Christopher Chao Building & Construction Professor Chen Qingyan Building & Construction Ir Professor Niu Jianlei Building & Construction Ir Professor Wang Shengwei Energy Professor Yan Jinyue Jerry Energy Ir Professor Lai Hung Kit Joseph Building & Construction Ir Professor Lu Lin Vivien Energy Ir Professor Mak Cheuk Ming Acoustics Ir Professor Mui Kwok Wai Horace Building & Construction Professor Xiao Fu Building & Construction Ir Professor Yang Hongxing Energy Professor Cao Sunliang Energy Professor Huang Xinyan Energy Ir Professor Wong Ling Tim Building & Construction Professor Yuen Anthony Chun Yin Mechanical Engineering & Transports    The latest release of the citation indicators, compiled by a team of experts led by Professor John Ioannidis at Stanford University, is based on the top 100,000 scientists by c-score (with and without self-citations) or those with a percentile rank of 2% or above in their sub-field. Scientists are classified into 22 scientific fields and 174 sub-fields according to the standard Science-Metrix classification.   This publicly available database provides standardized information on citations, h-index, co-authorship adjusted hm-index, citations to papers in different authorship positions, and a composite indicator. The complete list can be found here. (As per the data published by Elsevier on 16 September 2024 (version 7) )   Congratulations to our top scientists for this well-deserved recognition!