International Symposium cum Inauguration of State Key Laboratory of Climate Resilience for Coastal Cities marks major step for resilient city development

Recognising the critical importance of climate resilience, FCE was pleased to serve as one of the supporting units of the inauguration of the State Key Laboratory of Climate Resilience for Coastal Cities (SKL-CRCC), jointly established by PolyU and The Hong Kong University of Science and Technology (HKUST). The inauguration took place on 4 December 2025 at Hotel ICON.

Accredited by the Ministry of Science and Technology (MOST) in August 2025, SKL-CRCC represents a major recognition of PolyU’s leadership in climate resilience research and leverages the combined strengths of both universities.

The event was officiated by Prof. Jin-Guang TENG, PolyU President; Prof. Nancy IP, HKUST President; Prof. Wing-tak WONG, PolyU Deputy President and Provost; Prof. Qingrui YUE, Chairman of the Academic Committee of SKL-CRCC; and SKL-CRCC Directors, Prof. Xiang-dong LI (PolyU) and Prof. Charles NG (HKUST).

A two-day international symposium was held concurrently to commemorate this milestone. Around 30 keynote speakers from leading universities across the globe shared insights on topics ranging from marine heatwaves and earthquakes to urban water management and artificial intelligence applications. The vibrant academic exchange underscored the laboratory’s commitment to fostering international cross-disciplinary innovation, positioning Hong Kong as a global hub for climate resilience research.

FCE tops global ranking in transportation science & technology in Global Ranking of Academic Subjects 2025

FCE is proud to share its outstanding performance in the Global Ranking of Academic Subjects (GRAS) 2025, released by ShanghaiRanking in November 2025.

FCE is ranked 1st in the world for Transportation Science & Technology, affirming its international leadership in this field. In Civil Engineering—a long-standing area of strength for the Faculty—FCE is ranked 3rd globally and 1st in Hong Kong. In addition, the Faculty is ranked 31st worldwide and 2nd in Hong Kong in Remote Sensing, further demonstrating the Faculty’s diverse academic strengths.

FCE’s continued presence at the forefront of global rankings represents its educational and research excellence at both the local and international levels.

Outstanding Alumni Award of PolyU Faculty of Construction and Environment 2025

The Faculty is delighted to announce the recipients of the Outstanding Alumni Award of PolyU FCE 2025. Four distinguished awardees have been honoured for their remarkable professional and scholarly achievements, as well as their unwavering support for their alma mater and impactful contributions to the community.

FCE takes immense pride in its decades-long history of nurturing outstanding graduates. Since 2022, the Faculty has recognised these exceptional individuals through the Outstanding Alumni Award of PolyU FCE to celebrate their achievements and ongoing contributions.

These role models reflect FCE's high-quality education and will inspire the FCE community to strive for excellence in their respective fields while making meaningful contributions to society.

Follow this link to learn more about the awardees’ accomplishments.

Outstanding Alumni Award
	Outstanding Alumni Award in Professional Achievement Ir CHENG Wai Lung, Brian Master of Science in Construction and Real Estate The Hong Kong Polytechnic University (2002) Bachelor of Engineering in Building Services Engineering The Hong Kong Polytechnic University (1995)			Outstanding Alumni Award in Professional Achievement Sr Dr TSUI Siu Lung Doctor of International Real Estate and Construction The Hong Kong Polytechnic University (2024) Bachelor of Science in Building Surveying Hong Kong Polytechnic (1992)
Outstanding Young Alumni Award
	Outstanding Young Alumni Award in Scholarly Achievement Prof. CUI Yifei Bachelor of Engineering in Civil Engineering The Hong Kong Polytechnic University (2005)			Outstanding Young Alumni Award in Professional Achievement Prof. WANG Yuanhao Doctor of Philosophy The Hong Kong Polytechnic University (2011)

FCE scholar publishes breakthrough technology boosting durability of clean energy ceramic cells in Nature Communications

A paper titled “Interfacial oxide wedging for mechanical-robust electrode in high-temperature ceramic cells”, co-authored by Prof. Meng NI, Chair Professor of Energy Science and Technology of the Department of Building Environment and Energy Engineering (BEEE), has been published in Nature Communications.

High-temperature electrochemical ceramic cells are used for clean energy conversion and storage. However, as the air electrodes inside these cells delaminate and crack after rigorous thermal cycles, the performance of these ceramic cells degrades as time passes.

A study conducted by Prof. Ni and a team of researchers from The Hong Kong University of Science and Technology, Shenzhen University, Nanjing Tech University, and Curtin University presents a new approach to solving this challenge. By inserting a layer of interfacial oxides between the negative thermal expansion (NTE) materials and positive thermal expansion perovskites (PTE) inside the electrode, these oxides act like wedges that reduce delamination and prevent cracks. With this breakthrough technology, the durability of high-temperature electrochemical ceramic cells is greatly enhanced, leading to longer-lasting and more reliable high-temperature energy devices.

FCE academics propel innovation and societal impact through diverse research funding schemes

As 2025 draws to a close, the Faculty is pleased to report several external competitive research funding secured by our academic staff. The diverse and distinct focus areas of these grants demonstrate FCE’s extensive expertise across multiple disciplines and its ability to tackle a broad spectrum of research challenges—from cross-border research collaboration to transportation science and technology. These projects address critical issues and create meaningful impact within their respective fields.

FCE departments highlight programme strengths at PolyU Taught Postgraduate Programme Information Week

FCE actively engaged prospective students from around the world for its taught postgraduate programmes targeting admission in 2026/27 and beyond during the PolyU Taught Postgraduate Programme Information Week, held from 13 to 22 December 2025. The event kicked off with a live broadcast seminar, where representatives from the four FCE departments introduced their respective postgraduate programmes. They provided an overview of the popular offerings, emerging industry trends, career prospects, and the distinctive strengths of these programmes. Following this, a series of 12 programme-specific seminars was conducted throughout the event week, offering prospective applicants in-depth information to help them make informed decisions.

FCE offers a wide spectrum of taught postgraduate programmes for those seeking to advance their studies in construction and environment-related disciplines. For more information, please visit https://www.polyu.edu.hk/fce/study/taught-postgraduate-programmes/.

Conferment of Emeritus Professorship on Prof. Jian-Hua Yin

Prof. Jian-Hua YIN, Distinguished Research Professor and former Chair Professor of Soil Mechanics in the Department of Civil and Environmental Engineering (CEE), will be conferred the title of Emeritus Professor (Soil Mechanics) by the University, with effect from 1 January 2026, upon completion of his appointment as Distinguished Research Professor.

Prof. Yin joined PolyU in 1995 and was promoted to Chair Professor of Soil Mechanics in 2013, a position he held until his retirement in September 2024. He subsequently served as a Distinguished Research Professor in CEE. As the leader of CEE’s geotechnical unit, Prof. Yin has been an exceptional educator, nurturing numerous scholars and distinguished professionals.

The conferment of Emeritus Professorship on Prof. Yin is a recognition of his outstanding and sustained contributions to the academic, research, and other aspects of the University's activities, as well as his international academic leadership.

New academic staff

The Department of Building Environment and Energy Engineering (BEEE) has welcomed a new Assistant Professor, Prof. Yongxin XIE, who was promoted from Research Assistant Professor in late October 2025. Prof. Xie earned her PhD from PolyU, her Master’s and Bachelor’s degrees from the South China University of Technology (SCUT) and The Hong Kong University of Science and Technology (HKUST), respectively. Before joining PolyU, she served as a postdoctoral researcher (Shuimu Tsinghua Scholar) at Tsinghua University. Her research focuses on thermal comfort, heat-health assessment, human thermoregulation modelling, urban microclimate, and human-built thermal environment interactions. She also serves as an Early Career Board Member of Building and Environment.