News

Goldwind Science and Technology Visited RILS

A delegation from Goldwind Science and Technology Co., Limited led by Dr Endi ZHAI, Director of China National Wind Power Engineering & Technology Research Center, and Group Chief Engineer (CTO) of Goldwind visited RILS on Thursday 12 October 2023. Prof. Jin-Guang TENG, President of PolyU, met with the delegation and introduced PolyU’s research strengths and latest developments. Prof. Xiaoli DING, Director of RILS and some RILS members had a meeting with the visitors to discuss potential research collaborations between the two sides. Dr ZHAI also delivered a RILS Public Lecture that provided a comprehensive overview of the ocean wind power generation industry in China. The lecture received over 350 online registrations.

19 RILS Members Recognised as Top 2% of Most-cited Scientists 2023

Stanford University has recently released an update of the list that represents the top 2 percent of the most-cited scientists in various disciplines. The report was prepared by a team of experts led by Prof. John Ioannidis, the eminent Professor at the Stanford University. RILS is very proud to have 19 of RILS members on the list.  As per the data published by Elsevier on 4 October 2023 (version 6):  https://elsevier.digitalcommonsdata.com/datasets/btchxktzyw/6

The Finals and Closing Ceremony of HKBIM Future Public Housing Design Competition was successfully held (只有中文版本)

由中國(香港)建築及工程交流學會、香港理工大學土地及空間研究院、物流及供應鏈多元技術研發中心、香港科技創新教育聯盟、香港建設管理交流中心、香港管理學院聯合主辦的HKBIM未來公屋設計比賽於2023年7月4日啟動，經過各方共同努力，決賽暨頒獎禮於10月7日在香港理工大學賽馬會創新樓V322演講廳隆重舉行。   本次比賽涉及多學科、跨專業的知識，所需的基本技能包含了STEAM（Science, Technology, Engineering, Arts, Mathematics）的所有環節，參賽者經過精心準備後，展示出了許多充滿創意的絢麗作品，對進一步改善香港市民的居住條件提供了很多建議。   評審代表馮宜萱教授及建築師表示，參賽者帶來了新穎的設計理念，有些作品具有非常高的水準，期待這些熱愛設計和具有天賦的年輕人在這個領域取得更大的成就。主辦單位代表中國（香港）建築及工程交流學會秘書長呂文傑表示，參賽者對比賽的投入程度及出色表現遠超主辦方的預期，將繼續與社會各界一道集思廣益，為香港建築工程界、創新科技界的廣大青年創造更多接觸創新科技和展現自己才能的機會。 HKBIM軟件研發單位、香港理工大學土地及空間研究院李恆教授對參賽作品的專業水準感到驚歎。他表示參賽者能夠使用香港首個自主研發的BIM軟件，發揮創意設計出多個具有創造力及實用性的公屋作品，為香港建造業未來的創新發展注入活力。同時，他鼓勵年輕人設立遠大的目標並為此努力，一定可以取得巨大的收穫。

RILS Management Committee Member hosts panel discussion at HKIS Property and Facility Management Division Conference 2023

The Property and Facility Management Division of Hong Kong Institute of Surveyors (HKIS) held a conference “Next Generation of Smart Property & Facility Management in Greater Bay Area” at The Hong Kong Polytechnic University on 26 September 2023.  Ms. HO Wing-yin, JP, Secretary for Housing of the Hong Kong Special Administrative Region Government was invited as the guest of honour. The event attracted more than 230 industry professionals and academics from Hong Kong and mainland China for discussion on the industry development and the industrial application of innovative technologies in the property and facility management sector in the Greater Bay Area.   Prof. Eddie HUI Chi-man, Management Committee Member of the Research Institute for Land and Space (RILS) and Associate Head and Professor of the Department of Building and Real Estate (BRE), hosted the panel discussion on the topic “Exploring the Opportunities and Challenges of Smart Technology Adoption in Property and Facility Management across the Greater Bay Area”, leading the audience for an active and fruitful exchange.   Online coverage: Hong Kong Commercial Daily - https://polyu.me/3ET2Z7j

DoRILS honoured by National Natural Science Foundation of China

Prof. Xiaoli DING, Director of the Research Institute for Land and Space and Chair Professor of Geomatics, has been awarded under the National Natural Science Foundation of China (NSFC) Key Programme 2023.   Project title: Detection of underground water pipe leakage based on multi-temporal PolInSAR technology   Abstract: Leakage from underground water pipes is a very common phenomenon internationally. According to statistics, water pipe leaks cause most cities to lose about 30% or more of freshwater resources, leading to huge resource and economic losses. The lack of effective water pipe leakage detection technology is one of the main reasons. Water supply pipelines are mainly buried below the ground surface. It is therefore difficult to detect pipeline leakage in time. Long-wave polarimetric SAR signals (such as L or P-band) are able to penetrate the ground surface and objects and can record subsurface water content information, which provides an important opportunity to solve the problem of water pipe leakage detection. However, research in this area is still very limited. For example, the relationship between polarimetric SAR signals and subsurface water content is still unclear. The influence of ground surface, buildings and vegetation on polarimetric SAR signals still needs further research. This project will conduct in-depth research on the use of polarimetric SAR for underground water pipe leakage detection, including 1) separating the scattering signals related to subsurface water from the polarimetric SAR signal; 2) establishing the relationship between the polarimetric SAR dielectric parameters and the leakage process 3) modeling the dielectric parameters of urban hardened surface and subsurface separately. The research will help to break through the technical bottleneck of underground water pipe leak detection and make an important contribution to saving precious freshwater resources.   Big congratulations to Prof. Ding!   Online coverage (Chinese only): Ta Kung Pao - https://polyu.me/45WNVBt Wen Wei Po - https://polyu.me/3PDxDHQ  

PolyU’s satellite remote sensing research drives Hong Kong’s smart city development

In a local media interview, Prof. Charles WONG, Associate Dean of the Faculty of Construction and Environment (FCE), Management Committee Member of the Research Institute for Land and Space (RILS), and Professor in the Department of Land Surveying and Geo-Informatics (LSGI), and Dr XU Bing, Assistant Professor in the Department of Aeronautical and Aviation Engineering (AAE), shared the PolyU’s recent signing of MoU with the Hong Kong Aerospace Technology Group for satellite imagery as well as the latest remote sensing and aerospace research for facilitating smart city development.   The conventional optical remote sensing and synthetic aperture radar observation data obtained in the future will be of high-definition, with an image resolution of less than 1 meter. PolyU was also granted the right to name the satellite which will be launched next year, and will be able to operate and use the satellite at that time.   Online coverage: Ming Pao Daily News -https://polyu.me/48476L1 Hong Kong Economic Times -https://polyu.me/3R8KtPM (subscription required) Sing Tao Daily -https://polyu.me/45TS4pt Headline Daily -https://polyu.me/3RatM6m Wen Wei Po -https://polyu.me/3Pzj6xb;https://polyu.me/47XZ4U2 Ta Kung Pao -https://polyu.me/44LF8Ba Hong Kong Commercial Daily -https://polyu.me/483PNdk  

PolyU startup pilots radiative cooling coatings to combat heat in building structures

A PolyU startup co-founded by Prof. DAI Jianguo, Management Committee Member of the Research Institute for Land and Space (RILS), initiated pilot schemes to apply “UmiCool”, a sub-ambient cooling coating developed by the team, to various building structures in Hong Kong and mainland China, hence achieving cooling and energy saving effects and reducing the reliance on air conditioning. The UmiCool coating uses patented fluorescent cooling technology and can be painted onto the exterior walls of buildings to effectively reduce indoor temperature. Umicool absorbs UV radiation in the sunlight and converts it into infrared radiation for re-emission. It can reach up to 97% in solar reflectance, and can lower the indoor temperature by up to 4 degrees Celsius. The start-up co-founded by Prof. Dai, Umi Coating New Material Technology Co., Limited, collaborated with the Electrical and Mechanical Services Department and the Home Affairs Department of the HKSAR, to conduct pilot projects in applying UmiCool to building structures in Tung Chung and Mui Wo in Lantau Island, as well as rooftops of squatter huts in Pokfulam villages, respectively. This technological innovation was awarded several international patents and won a Gold Medal in the 2022 Geneva Inventions Expo. The startup is planning to establish a sales and production base in Foshan, Guangdong to expand its business in the Greater Bay Area. In the future, the company will expand its technology to other regions and encourage individuals to adopt environmentally friendly and energy-saving coatings.   Online coverage: EJ Tech – http://ejtech.hkej.com/?p=138427  

RILS scholar finds causes for wild weather swings from drought to flood

A collaborative study by Dr WANG Shuo, Member of the Research Institute for Land and Space (RILS) and Associate Professor of the Department of Land Surveying and Geo-Informatics (LSGI), Miss QING Yamin, PolyU doctoral student, and researchers from the University of Texas and Columbia University, found that wild weather swings from severe drought to heavy rains are becoming more common with climate change, based on analysis on climate data during 1980–2020. The team also discovered the “land-based feedback loops”, which explains how the movement of moisture from humid regions to dry regions increases the chance of downpours after drought. These results can be useful to help increase the accuracy of predictive climate models and help communities to better prepare for swings between drought and flooding.   The study has been published in Communications Earth & Environment https://www.nature.com/articles/s43247-023-00922-2   Online coverage: Yahoo UK - https://polyu.me/45x6Faq  

ADoRILS releases interim findings of Study on Effective Transitional Housing Delivery in Hong Kong with multiple policy recommendations

Prof. K. K. LING, Associate Director of Research Institute for Land and Space (RILS) and Director of Jockey Club Design Institute for Social Innovation, and his team released the interim findings of “Study on Effective Transitional Housing Delivery in Hong Kong” and its report on policy recommendations. Funded by the Strategic Public Policy Research Funding Scheme of the HKSAR government, the Study is the first comprehensive study of Hong Kong’s transitional housing programme.  The Government plans to complete 84 transitional housing projects and provide over 21,000 housing units by 2024–25, among which over half are in the New Territories. The Study examined 35 Modular Integrated Construction (MiC) housing projects at open-air sites, which provide about 86% of transitional housing (TH) units delivered under the programme. The Study concluded that Hong Kong’s TH programme, as compared to the relocatable modular building projects in other cities, has the largest scale, fastest construction speed and widest societal participation. The Study supports the Government for taking up the role of builder in the Light Public Housing (LPH) programme to enhance the efficiency of housing delivery, and makes the following recommendations: Recognise the function and position of TH Integrate TH and LPH Standardise the design of MiC units Assist tenants to settle down in the Northern Metropolis Engage NGOs in the community-building of LPH development Advance planning on the re-use of MiC units   Read the full study: https://polyu.hk/nnJYh   Online coverage: RTHK “Hong Kong Today” - https://polyu.me/47EoNR4 (31:28 – 41:35) RTHK - https://polyu.me/3OBcAUR Commercial Radio - https://polyu.me/3OHZaq8 Oriental Daily News - https://polyu.me/3qDEpnt Ming Pao Daily News - https://polyu.me/3KLPYzX; https://polyu.me/3YDrluO Hong Kong Economic Times - https://polyu.me/3OZRMaL Sing Tao Daily - https://polyu.me/3OWTsSt am730 - https://polyu.me/3QJpBOQ Wen Wei Po - https://polyu.me/3qEPqov; https://polyu.me/3P13X7r HK01 - https://polyu.me/3YEqCJS  

RILS supports organization of International Conference on Urban Renewal and Future Urban Development

The International Conference on Urban Renewal and Future Urban Development under Carbon Peaking and Carbon Neutrality Goals was held successfully during 28–30 July in Anji, Zhejiang Province, China. The Research Institute for Land and Space (RILS) of PolyU was a supporting organisation. Prof. TENG Jin-Guang, President of PolyU and academician of Chinese Academy of Sciences, delivered a speech and shared his views on future city development. Prof. DING Xiaoli, Director of RILS gave an invited presentation on development of elevated cities in Hong Kong.      Hosted by Zhejiang University of Science and Technology, China Construction Eighth Engineering Division and Dalian University of Technology, the Conference focused on the development of future cities. It was attended by over 200 participants from universities, research institutions and industry, including a number of academicians.   Online coverage: China Youth On Line - https://polyu.me/3OBpbse (Chinese only)