Introduction
The Building Energy and Environment (BEE) Research Cluster is affiliated with the Department of Architecture and Civil Engineering at City University of Hong Kong. Led by Chair Prof. LIN John Z, with Prof. CHOW Cheuk Lun Nadia as Deputy Leader, the team comprises nine faculty members with multidisciplinary backgrounds spanning related fields, including building services engineering, architecture, environmental science, and computational modeling.
Aligned with Hong Kong’s Climate Action Plan 2050 and the United Nations Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs) on carbon neutrality, the BEE Research Cluster integrates sustainability and advanced technologies into architectural design and the built environment. Focusing on the unique challenges of high-rise, high-density urban contexts, the cluster advances low-carbon building technologies, intelligent building management, indoor environmental quality, and safety performance under extreme and accidental scenarios, aiming to deliver healthier, energy-efficient, resilient, and environmentally sustainable buildings and urban spaces that support sustainable urban development in Hong Kong and comparable global cities.
Highlights in Research
- Development of innovative renewable energy and storage solutions, including plant battery technologies, latent heat storage, and smart radiant cooling systems.
- Improvement of indoor environmental quality and health safety through advanced ventilation strategies and air disinfection technologies.
- Optimization of urban energy potential and regulatory frameworks using deep learning, 3D-GIS analysis, and refined building energy performance indicators.
- Enhancement of building safety through fire behavior modeling and performance-based design under extreme and accidental scenarios.
Representative Projects
Project title: A Study of Energy Harvesting and Fire Hazards Associated with Double-Skin Green Facades of Tall Green Buildings
Project Coordinator: Prof. CHOW Cheuk Lun Nadia
Funding Support: Research Grant Council of Hong Kong, Research Impact Fund (RIF)
Funding Amount: HKD 10M
Project Abstract: This project aims to develop fire-safe double-skin green facades (DSGFs) integrated with energy-harvesting systems for highrise green buildings. By combining passive solar control with photosynthetic microbial fuel cells (MFCs), DSGFs can convert solar energy into chemical and electrical energy, providing a clean, second-generation building energy source. However, the presence of combustible vegetation and façade cavities introduces significant fire risks, particularly under window-plume and stack-effect-driven fire scenarios. Through integrated experiments, numerical simulations, and multiscale modeling, this project evaluates fire hazards, optimizes energy-harvesting efficiency, and establishes design principles that balance energy performance, safety, and urban sustainability, enabling the safe deployment of energy harvesting green facades in tall buildings.
Project title: Development of Decoupled Radiant Cooling Technique for Advancing Building Energy Efficiency under Hot and Humid Climates
Project Coordinator: Prof. HUANG Gongsheng
Funding Support: Research Grant Council of Hong Kong, Research Impact Fund (RIF)
Funding Amount: HKD 6.5M
Project Abstract: This project aims to addressing the persistent issue of condensation in traditional radiant cooling systems. The research team proposes two key innovations: the development of advanced membrane materials by blending polyolefin components with microparticles, fibers, and alumina nanoparticles to balance high infrared transmittance, structural durability, and cost-effectiveness for scalable DRC panel production; and the creation of a cooling usage effectiveness (CUE)-based framework to optimize DRC system deployment, considering factors such as cooling supply patterns, spatial layouts, and occupant position dynamics. These advancements will lay the groundwork for the wide implementation of DRC technology, providing an efficient and reliable solution to modern cooling challenges.
Research Facilities
1. Built and Urban Environment Engineering Lab
Major Equipment List
-Micro Gas Chromatography (MicroGC)
-Quantitative Polymerase Chain Reaction (qPCR) Machine
-TSI Scanning Mobility Particle Sizer (SMPS) 3080
-TSI Optical Particle Sizer (OPS) 3330
-TSI Condensation Particle Counter (CPC) 3775 and 3776
-Robotic Dog
-Biological Safety Cabinet
-Gel Electrophoresis
-UV-Vis Spectrophotometer
-Invert Light Microscope
-COD Analyzer
2. Smart Ventilation Lab
Major Equipment List (For Advanced Flow, Temperature and Thermal Comfort Measurement)
-Lumasense tracer gas system
-UA1276 Comfort Module
-MM0034 Air Temperature Transducer
-M0038 Air Velocity Transducer
-MM0035 Surface Temperature Transducer
-SWEMA 03+ Anemometer
-Kaijo WA-790 Anemometer
-HOBO MX CO2 Logger
-WZY-1 Temperature Recorder
3. Building Energy & Decarbonization Innovation Lab
Main research areas include:
-Decoupled radiant cooling technology
-Scalable and controllable LHTES technology
-HVAC control and optimization
Research Cluster Member List
| Faculty Member | Position |
|---|---|
| Prof. John Z LIN (Cluster Leader) |
Chair Professor |
| Prof. CHOW Cheuk Lun (Deputy Cluster Leader) |
Associate Professor |
| Prof. HUANG Gongsheng | Associate Head (Research) & Professor |
| Prof. LAI Chi Keung Alvin | Associate Head (Administration) & Professor |
| Prof. CHAN Lok Shun Apple |
Associate Professor |
| Prof. SUN Yongjun | Associate Professor |
| Prof. FONG Kwong Fai | Associate Professor |