News

BRE Retreat

Last week, we successfully convened our annual BRE Retreat, providing colleagues with an exceptional platform to share updates, reflect on, and discuss important issues in teaching, research, and partnership. The Retreat was well packed with a range of insightful presentations and productive discussions, in alignment with the University’s goals. A heartfelt thank you to every colleague who contributed to the success of the BRE Retreat!

Congratulations to Ar Prof. Donald CHOI

Please join us in congratulating Ar Prof. Donald CHOI, our Adjunct Professor, on his upcoming role as the Managing Director of the Urban Renewal Authority, commencing 15 June 2025. We wish Ar Prof. Choi great success as he embarks on this exciting new journey! Mr Choi is an architect by profession. He served as the Chief Executive Officer of Chinachem Group from 2018 until his retirement in August 2024. Prior to that, he was the Managing Director of the Nan Fung Development Limited and a Director at Foster + Partners. He also held the positions of President of the Hong Kong Institute of Architects and of the Hong Kong Institute of Urban Design. Mr Choi holds a Bachelor of Mathematics from the University of British Columbia in Canada and professional degrees in architecture from the Rhode Island School of Design. He also holds a Master of Business Administration from the University of Hong Kong and a Master of Arts in Comparative and Public History from the Chinese University of Hong Kong. *Biography information is courtesy of the Government of the HKSAR’s press release.

PolyU JUPAS Consultation Day 2025 (BRE Session)

Last Saturday marked the success of ‘PolyU JUPAS Consultation Day 2025’. A heartfelt thank you to all the JUPAS candidates and parents who joined us for this enriching event! Through our consultations, admission talk and guided tour, we hope you gained a clear picture of the latest admission updates, our programmes and campus life as you prepare for your next academic chapter. If you have any unanswered questions, please contact our admissions team. We look forward to welcoming you to our campus! (Please click here for video)

BRE Research Team Honoured with Best Paper Award at CIB World Building Congress 2025

Well done to Mr Sulemana Fatoama ABDULAI, Mr Abdul-Mugis YUSSIF, Dr Ridwan TAIWO, Mr Mohamed ELRIFAEE and Dr Muhammad MUDDASSIR for receiving the Best Paper Award at the CIB World Building Congress 2025! Under the supervision of Prof. Tarek ZAYED, Professor of BRE, the team’s award-winning paper, ‘Automated Detection for Alignment of Modular Integrated Construction Modules Using YOLOv9’ was honoured in the ‘Offsite Construction’ category at the Congress in May. This accolade is a fitting recognition of the team’s efforts and dedication to advancing innovation in the construction field. Modular Integrated Construction (MiC) enhances efficiency through off-site manufacturing, but precise module alignment remains challenging. This study develops an automated detection system using a modified YOLOv9 architecture to improve alignment precision and efficiency. Through a three-stage methodology involving literature analysis, acquisition of 5,000 laboratory images, and model development on a GeForce RTX 3050 GPU, the study achieved exceptional results: a mean Average Precision (mAP50) score of 0.995 and real-time processing capabilities of 3.1 ms per frame. The findings demonstrate the technology's potential to enhance installation precision and reduce human error in MiC practices, contributing significantly to construction automation advancement.

Ms Lichini Nikesha Kumari WEERASINGHE, Dr Amos DARKO and Prof. Albert CHAN Received Best Paper Award at CIB World Building Congress 2025

Congratulations to Ms Lichini Nikesha Kumari WEERASINGHE, a BRE PhD Student, Dr Amos DARKO, Assistant Professor at the University of Washington, and Prof. Albert CHAN, MH, BRE Distinguished Research Professor! They were recognised with the Best Paper Award in the category ‘Net Zero Carbon Building Design and Construction Practices’ at the CIB World Building Congress in May. The award-winning paper is entitled ‘Renewable Energy or Energy Efficiency? Building Occupant Preferences toward Net Zero Carbon Retrofit Measures’. Net zero carbon retrofitting offers a timely solution to reduce carbon emissions from existing buildings, addressing climate change. This study examines the preferences of Hong Kong building occupants regarding NZC retrofits for residential buildings. Data was gathered via a questionnaire survey, analyzed using mean score ranking. Findings reveal that most occupants favor renewable energy upgrades over building envelope and energy system (energy efficiency) improvements. This preference is unexpected, as global NZC standards typically prioritize energy efficiency. The study also delves into occupant preferences for specific retrofit measures within renewable energy and building envelope changes. These insights can aid in developing a zero-carbon built environment, aligning retrofit strategies with occupant preferences.

Explore More about New Programme, ‘Architectural Studies’

Our new programme, ‘BSc (Hons) in Architectural Studies’ is in the spotlight! Check out the interview with Ar Prof. Tris KEE, the programme leader, featured on ‘Dot Dot News’! You will discover the unique characteristics of this programme, its career prospects, enriching learning opportunities and entrance requirements from the coverage. Don’t miss out: https://polyu.me/4jeoa5t The BSc (Hons) in Architectural Studies programme is hosted by BRE and co-hosted by the PolyU School of Design, for the 2025/26 cohort. It aims to provide quality education to familiarise architectural students with the latest advanced technology such as Artificial Intelligence, Building Information Modelling and advanced construction technology relating to architecture, construction, building materials and building services to respond to issues of sustainable development in the built environment.

Discover our UG Programmes at PolyU JUPAS Consultation Day on 24 May

Mark your calendar for 24 May (Sat)! We will have an exciting range of activities for you to learn more about our undergraduate programmes in Architectural Studies, Building Engineering and Management, and Surveying at the upcoming PolyU JUPAS Consultation Day. Also, don’t miss the chance to immerse yourself in our cutting-edge virtual environment system. It will be a morning packed with discovery! 24 May (Saturday), 10:00am-1:00pm o BRE Consultation Counter (10:00am-1:00pm): Z208, 2/F, Block Z, Phase 8, PolyU o Guided Tour (Demonstrations of Cave Automatic Virtual Environment System and Motion Device) (11am-11:45am): ZN707, 7/F, North Tower, Block Z o Programme Seminar (12:00nn-12:45pm): ZS701, 7/F, South Tower, Block Z More details: https://www.polyu.edu.hk/study/events/

Workshop on Architectural Studies

In May, we were delighted to host an inspiring workshop to introduce our new BSc (Hons) in Architectural Studies. Led by Ar Prof. Tris KEE, the programme leader, the event provided secondary school students with an excellent opportunity to explore the fascinating world of architecture. Attendees enjoyed a preview of our curriculum and participated in an interactive architecture game, making the experience both educational and engaging. They demonstrated great passion for architectural studies throughout the workshop. The BSc (Hons) in Architectural Studies, offered by BRE in collaboration with the PolyU School of Design for the 2025/26 cohort, is designed to deliver high-quality education. More: https://polyu.hk/pUBtt (Please click here for video)

Miss Christy CHOW Awarded HKIE Best Individual Dissertation 2025

Congratulations to Miss Christy CHOW Wai Lam, a final-year student of the BSc (Hons) in Building Engineering and Management programme, on receiving the Best Individual Dissertation Award 2025 from the Hong Kong Institution of Engineers (Building Division)! Christy's winning dissertation, entitled ‘Study on the Efficiency of Project Management of Implementing Terrestrial Laser Scanning in Hong Kong’, was supervised by Prof. WEI Hsi Hsien, Associate Professor of BRE. She was honoured with this award at the HKIE Building Division Annual Dinner 2025 on 8 May. During the event, she received warm congratulations from many attendees, particularly, Prof. Michael YAM, Head of BRE and Prof. Daniel CHAN, her academic advisor and Associate Professor of BRE.

Ready to Lead in Global Real Estate and Construction?

Our Doctor of International Real Estate and Construction Programme (DIREC) is designed to equip you with the essential expertise and skills needed to excel in this evolving landscape. By integrating comprehensive academic approaches with international practical applications, DIREC prepares you to address the demands of innovative and large-scale projects in Hong Kong and beyond. In addition, this programme united an incredibly diverse group of professionals spanning finance, investment, construction, real estate, project management, and building management. Join DIREC and shape the built environment of tomorrow. Apply Now! (https://polyu.hk/MpQBF )