News

RCRE Director Wins Silver Award at the 2024 Hong Kong Green Innovations Awards

We are delighted to announce that a research project led by Ir Prof. Chi Sun POON, Director of RCRE and Distinguished Research Professor of CEE, along with team members Dr. Jian-xin LU (RCRE Member and Research Assistant Professor of CEE), Mr. Chunpeng ZHANG (PhD student of CEE), and Mr. Dingqiang FAN (PhD student of CEE), has received the Silver Award at the 2024 Hong Kong Green Innovations Awards (HKGIA). This prestigious recognition celebrates the team’s outstanding contributions to green innovation.  The award-winning project, titled “Sustainable High-Strength Lightweight Concrete: Reshaping the Future of Modular Construction”, focuses on developing advanced lightweight concrete solutions for Modular Integrated Construction (MiC). The research features two key innovations: a core-shell lightweight aggregate concrete for load-bearing structural elements, which significantly reduces structural weight while maintaining high strength, and a CO2-foamed concrete for non-load-bearing components, enabling carbon utilization and storage during both production and curing. Together, these complementary materials address both structural performance and environmental sustainability. Notably, the technologies have progressed beyond laboratory research and have already been successfully implemented in real construction projects in Hong Kong, demonstrating their practical feasibility and readiness for industry adoption. The Hong Kong Green Innovations Awards recognize exceptional achievements in green innovation and sustainable development. This recognition highlights RCRE’s commitment to translating research excellence into impactful solutions that support the construction industry’s transition toward low-carbon and sustainable building practices. We extend our heartfelt congratulations to Ir Prof. Poon and his team on this remarkable achievement.      

RCRE Seminar: Research Needs for Cementitious Materials

Prof. Karen Scrivener from Ecole Polytechnique Fédérale de Lausanne delivered a seminar entitled “Research Needs for Cementitious Materials” on 8 January 2026. The seminar was jointly organized by the RCRE and the CEE of PolyU. Over 60 participants joined the seminar.    

RCRE Public Lecture: Realistic Strategies for Decarbonising Construction

Prof. Karen Scrivener from Ecole Polytechnique Fédérale de Lausanne delivered a lecture entitled “Realistic Strategies for Decarbonising Construction” on 6 January 2026. The event was jointly organized by the RCRE and the CEE of PolyU, the HKIE Civil Division and the Hong Kong Concrete Institute (HKCI). Prof. Scrivener’s insightful presentation attracted more than 90 participants.    

Industry Delegation Visits RCRE

A group of visitors from the Civil Engineering and Development Department (CEDD), Arup, and Gammon Construction visited the RCRE on 6 January 2026. During their visit, Prof. Chi-sun Poon, Director of RCRE, presented recent advancements in low-carbon high-performance lightweight concrete and explored opportunities for collaborative research and application. The visit also featured a guided tour of the concrete printing laboratory, where ongoing projects and innovative technologies were showcased.      

RCRE Seminar: The Promise of Nano-Materials as Functional Additives in Concrete

Prof. Nemkumar Banthia of University of British Columbia delivered a seminar on the topic of “The Promise of Nano-Materials as Functional Additives in Concrete” on 19 December 2025. The seminar was jointly organized with CEE of PolyU. Over 50 participants joined the seminar.    

Delegation Visit of Swire Properties

A delegation from Swire Properties visited the RCRE on 18 December 2025. During their visit, Prof. Chi-sun Poon, Director of RCRE, introduced the center’s research activities. Opportunities for collaborative research on low-carbon and green concrete materials were discussed. The visit also included a tour of the concrete printing laboratory, where ongoing projects and technologies were showcased.    

PAIR Distinguished Lecture - Toward Carbon-Neutral Cities: Sensors and Cyber-Physical Networks for Green Infrastructure

On 17 December 2025, Prof. Nemkumar BANTHIA from the University of British Columbia delivered a PAIR distinguished lecture titled “Toward Carbon-Neutral Cities: Sensors and Cyber-Physical Networks for Green Infrastructure” at PolyU. The lecture was jointly organized by PAIR and RCRE. Prof. Bathina’s presentation attracted over 90 in-person participants and an online audience of more than 17,900 across various social media platforms.  Following the presentation was a lively question-and-answer session moderated by Prof. Chi-sun POON, Director of RCRE. The audiences engaged in an in-depth discussion with Prof. Banthia.    

RCRE Seminar - Mechanistic Understanding of Carbonation: Coupling among Moisture, Pore Structure, and Practical Approaches for Reliable Accelerated Testing

Dr Luge Cheng of The University of Tokyo delivered a seminar on the topic of “Mechanistic Understanding of Carbonation: Coupling among Moisture, Pore Structure, and Practical Approaches for Reliable Accelerated Testing” on 10 December 2025. The seminar was jointly organized with CEE of PolyU. Over 60 participants joined the seminar.  

RCRE Associate Director won the RGC Early Career Award 2025/26

Congratulations to Prof. Shipeng ZHANG, Associate Director of RCRE and Assistant Professor at the Department of Civil and Environmental Engineering (CEE) won the Research Grant Council (RGC) Early Career Award 2025/26 in recognition of his achievements in research.. Prof. Zhang’s research titled “Development of Lightweight Water-foamed Concrete with Ultrafine Pores using Ultrasonic Carbonation” employs ultrasound-assisted carbonation technology to engineer the flocculation structure of cement paste and develop water-foamed concrete that achieves carbon sequestration. The project has been granted HKD$931,084 under the RGC Early Career Scheme (ECS) 2025/26 exercise.    Online coverage (Chinese only): 星島頭條 - https://www.stheadline.com/ad-edu/3516900/傑出青年學者計劃及人文學及社會科學傑出學者計劃-推動研究發展-壯大香港人才庫  

Visit of Delegation from Wuhan Concrete Association

A delegation from the Wuhan Concrete Association visited the RCRE on 14 November 2025. During the visit, Prof. Chi-sun Poon, Director of RCRE, introduced the center’s research activities, as well as various low-carbon construction materials and technologies. Opportunities for potential research collaboration were also discussed. Following the meeting, Dr. Peiliang Shen, an RCRE member, led the delegation on a tour of the RCRE laboratory.