A team led by Prof. XIAO Fu, Associate Director of Otto Poon Charitable Foundation Research Institute for Smart Energy (RISE), Management Committee Member of Research Centre for Digital Transformation of Tourism (RCDTT), Member of Research Institute for Sustainable Urban Development (RISUD) and Research Centre for Environmental, Social, and Governance Advancement (RCESGA), and Associate Dean of Faculty of Construction and Environment, has developed a highly practical digital twin system, which has been successfully implemented in the central air-conditioning systems across the PolyU campus and further extended to Hong Kong Government Office buildings and the headquarters of Midea Group in Guangdong.
The system constructs high-precision digital models of buildings and uses IoT sensors to monitor real-time data such as temperature, pressure and power consumption. By combining artificial intelligence (AI) analysis with physical engineering models, it can accurately predict equipment failures and automatically optimise air-conditioning start-stop times, water temperature settings, and pump operation strategies. This intelligent approach significantly reduces energy consumption and carbon emissions while ensuring indoor comfort and air quality.
Furthermore, the system integrates mixed reality technology to transform maintenance operations. By simply wearing smart glasses, maintenance staff can “see through” ceilings and walls to reveal concealed pipes and equipment. The system not only displays real-time operating parameters and AI diagnostic results but also features indoor navigation to guide personnel precisely to the point of failure. This intuitive interface allows technicians—even those without an AI background—to quickly gain proficiency, vastly improving the efficiency of troubleshooting and repairs.
As cloud technology continues to mature, this solution will be expanded to more commercial buildings, supporting Hong Kong’s transition towards green building standards and carbon neutrality goals.
Online coverage:
Hong Kong China News Agency - https://polyu.me/3OpMOXd
理大科研成果轉化：數字孿生系統助政府及大型企業實現綠色智慧建築管理
由潘樂陶慈善基金智慧能源研究院副院長、旅遊業數字化轉型研究中心管理委員會成員、可持續城市發展研究院及環境，社會，和治理促進研究中心成員、建設及環境學院副院長肖賦教授領導的團隊，研發出一套具高度實用性的「數字孿生」系統，成功應用於理大校園的中央空調系統，並進一步推廣至香港政府合署大樓及美的集團廣東總部。
該系統為建築物構建高精度的數碼模型，並透過物聯網感測器實時監測溫度、壓力及耗電量等數據。系統結合人工智能分析與物理工程模型，能精準預測設備故障，並自動優化冷氣開關、水溫設定及水泵運轉策略。這一智慧方案在確保室內舒適度與空氣品質的同時，亦能顯著降低能源消耗與碳排放。
此外，系統整合了混合實境技術，徹底改變了維修操作方式。維修人員只需佩戴智能眼鏡，即可「透視」天花板與牆內的隱蔽管道與設備。系統不僅即時顯示運行參數與人工智能診斷結果，更具備室內導航功能，引導人員精確抵達故障點。這種直觀介面讓即使沒有人工智能專業背景的技術人員亦能快速掌握流程，大幅提升故障排查與維修效率。
隨著雲端部署技術日益成熟，該方案將逐步擴展至更多商業建築，助力香港實現綠色建築轉型與碳中和目標。
網上報導：
香港新聞網 - https://polyu.me/3OpMOXd
