Sept 2026 Entry
1 year (Full-time)
2.5 years (Part-time)
31
The programme has been revamped from the previous MSc in Sustainable Urban Development (可持續城市發展學理學碩士學位) programme, starting from the intake cohort of 2024/25.
Early Round: 2025-10-15
Main Round: 2026-01-15
Extended Round: 2026-04-30
Early Round: 2025-10-15
Main Round: 2026-01-15
Extended Round: 2026-04-30
What's New
- MPhil
- PhD
- Taught Postgraduate
- Undergraduate
- Undergraduate
Programme Aims
The programme is designed to cut across traditional boundaries among architecture, construction and management, investment, surveying, engineering and environmental sciences to take a broad view of the subject. The programme focuses on the technical, engineering, policy and economic related topics on carbon neutrality, especially on urban mobility, buildings and sustainability, so that the students will have multidisciplinary knowledge and skills to design and assess urban sustainability and carbon-neutral/zero-energy buildings, communities and cities.
Characteristics
This programme provides up-to-date knowledge in sustainable urban development based on contemporary research findings. It is suitable for local, Chinese mainland and international planners, surveyors, environmental practitioners, consultancy professionals, engineers, government officers, business managers and graduates from relevant courses.
Accreditation by the Royal Institution of Chartered Surveyors (RICS) for 2026/27 intake cohort and onwards is subject to approval.
Programme Structure
This is a mixed-mode programme. Students can pursue their study either in a full-time mode or a part-time mode. Students must complete Compulsory Subjects and selected Core Subjects. They can select Elective Subjects from a wide range of subjects that are offered across several faculties in the University.
Students must complete 31 credits through two alternative approaches:
- Approach A: 4 Compulsory Subjects + 3 Core Subjects + 3 Elective Subjects + 1 AIE Subject*
- Approach B: 4 Compulsory Subjects + 3 Core Subjects + 1 Dissertation + 1 AIE Subject*
(Unless specified otherwise, each subject carries 3 credits, and the Dissertation carries 9 credits.)
Students are advised to complete all Compulsory Subjects in their first year of study.
*Students from all approaches will need to take a 1-credit Academic Integrity and Ethics (AIE) subject.
Core Areas of Study
The following is a list of Compulsory and Core Subjects:
Compulsory Subjects
- Sustainability and the Built Environment
- Development Finance and Investment
- Sustainable Development and Environmental Planning
- Frontiers in Carbon Neutral Cities
Core Subjects
- Stochastic Models for Carbon Pricing and Trading
- Principles of Corporate Finance
- ESG Investment and Green Finance
- Machine Learning and Data Analytics
- Urban Planning and Urban Design
- Project Appraisal
- Real Estate Development
- Energy Efficient Buildings
- Engineering Intelligent Buildings
- Noise and Vibration in Sustainable Built Environments
- Applied Solar Energy in Buildings
- Building Carbon Footprint Assessment
- Environmental Impact Assessment
- Urban Transport Planning - Theory and Practice
- Global Climate Change and Society Response
- Principles of GIS
- Urban Informatics
- Social Impact Assessment
31
Prof. LU Lin Vivien
BEng, MEng, PhD, FHKIE, MCIBSE, MEI, R.P.E., CEng
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A Bachelor's degree with Honours relevant to construction, real estate, urban planning, architecture, environmental science or equivalent qualifications (including recognised professional qualifications).
If you are not a native speaker of English, and your Bachelor's degree or equivalent qualification is awarded by institutions where the medium of instruction is not English, you are expected to fulfil the University’s minimum English language requirement for admission purpose. Please refer to the "Admission Requirements" section for details.
For further information on academic matters, please contact:
Prof. LU Lin Vivien (tel: (852) 3400 3596; email: vivien.lu@polyu.edu.hk).
For general enquiries, please contact:
General Office, Department of Building Environment and Energy Engineering (BEEE)
Email: beenquiry@polyu.edu.hk
HK$10,600 per credit for local and non-local students
Entry Scholarships are available. For details, please click HERE.
PolyU reserves the right to change or withdraw the scholarship at any time. In case of any dispute/disagreement, PolyU’s decision is final.
My journey on the MSc in Sustainable Urban Development (the programme was revamped to the MSc in Carbon Neutral Cities and Urban Sustainability from the intake cohort of 2024/25) at PolyU has proven an invaluable asset for my professional trajectory, profoundly enhancing both my disciplinary expertise and my strategic foresight. During coursework, my professors systematically built comprehensive knowledge frameworks to provide a solid academic foundation. Faculty members demonstrated not only profound erudition but also exceptional pedagogical acumen in scaffolding critical thinking through dynamic case studies. The methodically designed curriculum, coupled with expeditious feedback mechanisms on academic assignments, synergistically enhanced my competencies. Collaborative projects served as strategic incubators that fostered sophisticated synergistic teamwork competencies. Beyond lectures, faculty members actively encouraged us to leverage our individual strengths for diversified professional development. My forthcoming pursuit of a PhD in Urban Ecology at the Chinese Academy of Sciences — transitioning from classrooms overlooking Victoria Harbour to State Key Laboratory — is a direct outcome of my professors' pedagogical dedication and the scholarly capital cultivated during my Master's studies.
Over the course of two years, the programme has equipped me with both tacit and explicit knowledge in environmental science and engineering. Spanning a diverse range of interdisciplinary subjects, I have explored contemporary issues such as climate change and energy-efficient buildings.
Transitioning from a geography background, into the ESG field was a challenge, but this programme helped fill my knowledge gap and gave me a clear understanding of the subject. Guided by professors, I explored real-world sustainability practices in Hong Kong and abroad, especially concerning the transport and building sectors. I also learned about local laws, facility management, investment, architecture, real estate valuation, and assessment frameworks. These experiences allowed me to view the sustainability of different urban projects from a new perspective. This shift in thinking has been deeply meaningful and will stay with me throughout my life. I’m extremely grateful for the opportunities provided by PolyU.
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