Academic Staff

With a first-class honours bachelor’s degree in building services engineering, a master’s degree in environmental management, a PhD in facility management and over a decade of professional practice in engineering consultancy, property development and facility management, Prof Lai combines professional and academic roles as a scholar in teaching and research.

Prof Lai is Associate Head of the Department of Building Environment and Energy Engineering, The Hong Kong Polytechnic University. The honours he received include, inter alia, Teaching Excellence Award, Faculty Teaching Excellence Award, Dean’s Award for Outstanding Achievement in Academic Programme Development, and Distinguished Educator Award of the International Facility Management Association.

Prof Lai is Co-Editor of the Facilities journal, Associate Editor of the Smart and Sustainable Built Environment journal, Editorial Advisory Board Member of the Journal of Engineering, Design and Technology, and Academic Advisor (Asia) of the International Facility Management Association Foundation. Besides playing key roles in professional institutions, serving on the committees of public bodies and acting as reviewer of research funding organisations, Prof Lai has been active in chairing programme accreditations, delivering seminars and speeches, and providing training courses and consultancy projects.

• Doctor of Philosophy, Cardiff University
• Master of Science in Environmental Management, The University of Hong Kong
• Bachelor of Engineering in Building Services Engineering, The Hong Kong Polytechnic University
• Diploma in Legal Studies, The University of Hong Kong (School of Professional and Continuing Education)

• Fellow Member of the Building Services Operation and Maintenance Executive Society
• Registered Professional Engineer
• Chartered Engineer
• Fellow Member of the Chartered Institution of Building Services Engineers
• Fellow Member of the Hong Kong Institution of Engineers
• Fellow Member of the Hong Kong Institute of Facility Management