News

BRE Students Receive FCE Presidential Leadership Award and Departmental Outstanding Student Award 2025/26

《BRE Students Receive FCE Presidential Leadership Award and Departmental Outstanding Student Award 2025/26》 Congratulations to Mr Hugo CHEUNG Pak Yin, our Surveying student, on receiving the Presidential Student Leadership Award of FCE 2025/26! Launched by PolyU in the 2022/23 academic year, this prestigious award recognises exceptional student leaders and encourages them to reach their full potential.  This inspiring achievement underscores Hugo’s remarkable leadership skills and commitment to serving the community and beyond.  Besides, our Surveying student Andrew PANG Yin Yui was presented with the Outstanding Student Award of the Department of Building and Real Estate 2025/26. This remarkable milestone highlights Andrew’s exceptional academic and non-academic endeavours.

Architectural Studies Students Gained Industry Insights

《Architectural Studies Students Gained Industry Insights》 Our Architectural Studies (AS) students enjoyed a visit to the Oval Partnership’s Hong Kong office, led by Prof. Tris KEE, Programme Leader and BRE Associate Professor in mid-March.  The visit provided a valuable platform for students to connect classroom theory with professional practice.  Senior Director Mr James PIERCE, along with Project Directors, Ms Wendy TSAI, Mr Jay LIU and Mr Norman LI, shared insights into the ‘42 Tung Street’ project. The discussion highlighted the delicate balance needed when designing for contemporary urban living within a historic district. By exploring how to preserve a ‘sense of place’ amidst modern development, our students gained perspectives on heritage-sensitive design, preparing them for the complexities of Hong Kong’s evolving urban landscape.

Bridging Generations at BREDAA Mingling Night

《Bridging Generations at BREDAA Mingling Night》 Last Friday, the Building and Real Estate Departmental Alumni Association (BREDAA) and BRE jointly hosted a vibrant Mingling Night, bringing together a dynamic blend of alumni, students and faculty. The evening kicked off with a warm welcome from Prof. Tanya TAN from BRE, who highlighted the importance of alumni and student connections. She also expressed our sincere gratitude to Ir TSUI Tack Kong, a PolyU Fellow and Outstanding Alumnus, for his generous sponsorship and steadfast support. Ir Tsui offered inspiring insights on connecting industry professionals with emerging talent. In addition, Ir Phyllis CHEN, BREDAA President, encouraged our community to stay active and engaged in our growing alumni network. Amid a relaxed setting, attendees enjoyed free-flowing conversation and exchanged career perspectives. It was wonderful to see multiple generations of BRE talent under one roof. A huge thank-you to Ir Tsui, the BREDAA Executive Committee and everyone who made this event a success. We look forward to many more opportunities to connect the diverse generations of our BRE Community!

A Warm Welcome to Inbound Exchange Students

《A Warm Welcome to Inbound Exchange Students》 In line with the University’s dedication to internationalisation, BRE continues to embrace every opportunity for global student exchange. In early March, BRE hosted a welcoming gathering for our inbound exchange students from Chongqing University, KTH Royal Institute of Technology, Politecnico di Milano and The University of Newcastle. Prof. Michael YAM, Head of BRE, together with Prof. SUN Yi, Associate Head (Partnership) and Prof. YI Wen, Student Exchange Officer, warmly greeted these new arrivals. Apart from the welcome, this gathering provided a valuable networking opportunity for our students preparing for their outbound exchange in the next academic year to connect with their international peers. We look forward to fostering more global connections to empower our students on their academic journeys!

Symposium on Developing an MiC Data Platform for Reusable Modules in the Transitional Housing Projects: Towards a Circular Economy

《Symposium on Developing an MiC Data Platform for Reusable Modules in the Transitional Housing Projects: Towards a Circular Economy》 On 27 February, a research team led by Prof. Jeff SHEN, Associate Professor of BRE, hosted the symposium ‘Developing a MiC Data Platform for Reusable Modules in the Transitional Housing Projects: Towards a Circular Economy’.  The event drew over 70 professionals from transitional housing operators and NGOs, the Hong Kong Institute of Surveyors and BEAM Society Limited. It provided an overview of the Transitional and Light Public Housing landscape, while also detailing the newly developed data structure, taxonomy and digital identification methodology for reusable MiC modules as well as synthesised stakeholder perspectives and policy implications for MiC data standardisation. The day concluded with a networking reception and hands-on platform demonstration stations.

Successful Opening of the Architectural Studies Student Installation Exhibition

《Successful Opening of the Architectural Studies Student Installation Exhibition》 Last Thursday marked the successful opening of the Architectural Studies Student Installation Exhibition. This showcase features the creative work from our Year 1 BSc (Hons) in Architectural Studies (AS) students for the Hong Kong & Shenzhen Bi-City Biennale of Urbanism\Architecture (UABB). The event brought together a gathering of 60 industry professionals, academics and students. In attendance were Mr LIU Sing Cheong, JP, Adjunct Professor and University Fellow of PolyU, representatives from the Architectural Services Department (ASD) of the HKSAR Government, the Hong Kong Institute of Architects (HKIA), UABB officials. This Opening featured insights from Prof. Xiangdong LI, the Dean of Faculty of Construction and Environment, Prof. Tris KEE, AS Programme Leader, Ms Miffi CHENG, Senior Architect of ASD and Mr LIU LEI, Secretary-General of Shenzhen Biennale Foundation. They celebrated the students' creativity and the collaboration with the PolyU Industrial Centre. One of highlights was the announcement of the students' work being featured in the ASD’s 40th anniversary celebration. The event successfully demonstrated the strong link between our architectural curriculum and the professional industry, paving the way for future regional collaborations.

Prof. Albert CHAN Honoured with Adelaide University’s International Fellows Award

《Prof. Albert CHAN Honoured with Adelaide University’s International Fellows Award》 Congratulations to Prof. Albert CHAN, MH, Distinguished Research Professor of BRE, on receiving Adelaide University’s International Fellows Award! This fellowship recognises the world’s leading academic and research minds, specifically those from the top 100 ranked universities or top-tier disciplines. The initiative aims to forge enduring international partnerships, increase collaborative research output and broaden global academic influence. It also offers a premier platform for fellows to advance their work within the supportive framework of Australia’s newest university. Through this fellowship, Prof. Chan will collaborate with the Adelaide University community to address global challenges. This honour further demonstrates Prof. Chan’s steadfast pursuit of research excellence and his dedication to a more sustainable future. More about Prof. Albert CHAN: https://www.polyu.edu.hk/.../acad.../ir-prof-albert-pc-chan/  

In Loving Memory of Dr Stephen AU Ling Ming, DIREC Graduate

《In Loving Memory of Dr Stephen AU Ling Ming, DIREC Graduate》 We honour the memory of Dr Stephen AU Ling Ming, a distinguished and beloved member of the BRE family who recently passed away. Dr Au’s history with PolyU came full circle over the years. Beginning with a Higher Diploma in Applied Science from the then Hong Kong Polytechnic in 1982, he reached the pinnacle of his academic journey with our Doctor of International Real Estate and Construction (DIREC) programme in 2025. Dr Au embodied the spirit of lifelong learning. As a recipient of the 2017 Outstanding PolyU Alumni Award, Dr Au was a role model for our students and alumni alike. He was widely respected for his professional achievements and commitment to serving the community with integrity. We are proud to count him among our graduates and his legacy will continue to inspire those within the BRE family. Our thoughts and prayers are with his family and loved ones during this difficult time.

Guest Lecture by Arcadis Hong Kong Limited

《Guest Lecture by Arcadis Hong Kong Limited》 Our students taking the subject ‘Cost and Value Management’ enjoyed a guest lecture from Arcadis. Mr Brenda MOK, Director and Ms Angel Shiu, Talent Acquisition Advisor shared invaluable insights into the evolving landscape of the built environment. The session helped bridge the gap between academic theory and professional practice and offered students a firsthand look at life at a global consultancy. With Arcadis recruiting talented Quantity Surveying (QS) students for graduate positions, the discussion highlighted career progression. The session provided a networking platform to empower students in launching their professional careers with a global industry leader.

Invitation to the Symposium ‘Developing a MiC Data Platform For Reusable Modules in The Transitional Housing Projects: Towards a Circular Economy’

《Invitation to the Symposium ‘Developing a MiC Data Platform For Reusable Modules in The Transitional Housing Projects: Towards a Circular Economy’》  Join us on 27 February to explore the future of circular construction! This research project ‘Developing a MiC Data Platform For Reusable Modules in The Transitional Housing Projects: Towards a Circular Economy’ aims to develop an open, data-driven information platform to support the tracking, matching and cross-project redeployment of reusable Modular Integrated Construction (MiC) modules from Hong Kong’s Transitional Housing (TH) projects, thereby promoting a circular economy in the construction sector. Register Now: https://lnkd.in/gEH66TJS