Eight PolyU research projects receive support from Environment and Conservation Fund, driving sustainable development through interdisciplinary collaboration

The Hong Kong Polytechnic University (PolyU) is committed to advancing interdisciplinary research and translating research outcomes into innovative, impactful solutions that foster sustainable development. Eight PolyU projects have received support under the first-round funding exercise of the 2025/26 Environment and Conservation Fund (ECF). These projects cover areas including low-carbon construction materials, wastewater treatment, electric vehicle infrastructure, greenhouse gas monitoring, air quality assessment, coral reef restoration and eco-cultural tourism, with total funding of approximately HK$6.45 million.

Prof. Christopher CHAO, PolyU Senior Vice President (Research and Innovation), congratulated the research teams and said, “We sincerely thank the ECF for supporting and recognising PolyU’s interdisciplinary research efforts. PolyU is committed to tackling climate change, achieving carbon neutrality and promoting sustainable development through education, research and policy studies. As an innovative world-class university, PolyU will continue to address global challenges with world-leading research and innovation, contributing to a low-carbon, climate-resilient and sustainable future for Hong Kong.”

Funded PolyU projects:

Principal Investigator	Research Project	Awarded Amount (HKD)
Faculty of Construction and Environment
Prof. Joseph AWANGE Professor Department of Land Surveying and Geo-Informatics	AI-powered Sky Scans: Revolutionising Hong Kong’s Greenhouse Gas Monitoring with GNSS-RO	348,000
Prof. LENG Zhen Professor Department of Civil and Environmental Engineering Associate Director Research Centre for Resources Engineering towards Carbon Neutrality	Dual-phase VOC Reduction of Waste Tyre Modified Low-carbon High-performance Asphalt Pavements through Reactive Extrusion	1,316,000
Prof. LIU Tao Assistant Professor Department of Civil and Environmental Engineering	Reconfiguring Saline Wastewater Treatment to Remove Phosphorus and Nitrogen via Innovative Pathways	500,000
Prof. MA Wei Associate Professor Department of Civil and Environmental Engineering	EVChargeMap: An Integrated Geospatial Database of Public and Private EV Chargers in Hong Kong	500,000
Prof. Charles WONG Associate Dean (Teaching & Global Engagement) Faculty of Construction and Environment Professor Department of Land Surveying and Geo-Informatics Associate Director Research Institute for Sustainable Urban Development	Unravelling City-wide Vertical Aerosol and Particulate Matter, a Remote Sensing Study in Hong Kong	600,000
Faculty of Engineering
Prof. CHAU Kwok Tong Chair Professor of Electrical Energy Engineering Department of Electrical and Electronic Engineering	Next-generation ChaoJi Chargers and AI driven Intelligent Infrastructure Siting Strategy for Electric Vehicles	1,000,000
Faculty of Science
Prof. James FANG Associate Professor Department of Food Science and Nutrition	3D-printed Artificial Reefs from Oyster Shell Waste for Coral Restoration: Technology Demonstration and Community Education	1,593,200
School of Design
Prof. WANG Xiaolu Assistant Professor School of Design	Commons-based Smart Ecological Stewardship in Mirs Bay: Integrating Technology, Eco-cultural Tourism, and Community Governance	594,400

The ECF was set up by the Government of the Hong Kong Special Administrative Region of the People’s Republic of China to provide funding support for educational, research and other projects and activities in relation to environmental protection and nature conservation matters. It aims to encourage the public to change their behaviour and lifestyle to achieve sustainable development, and to develop or introduce innovative technologies and practices to improve the environment and conserve resources.

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