Edit Guide

THE HONG KONG POLYTECHNIC UNIVERSITY
PRESIDENT: PROF. POON CHUNG-KWONG, OBE BSC(SPECIAL), PHD, DSC, CCHEM, FRSC, JP
In terms of student numbers and graduate output, The Hong
Kong Polytechnic University (PolyU) is the largest of the
seven tertiary institutions funded by the Government of the
Special Administrative Region (SAR) through the University
Grants Committee. Around 25,000 students attend full-time
and part-time programmes. The University employs over
1,000 academic staff, approximately 500 technical and
administrative staff in the academic departments, and almost
1,300 in faculty, central and administrative units.
Being a young university with a proud history, it is committed
to fulfilling its mission of providing application-oriented
education to meet the community's need for skilled and
professional personnel. During the past 25 years, more than
160,000 persons have graduated from PolyU or its
predecessor, the Hong Kong Polytechnic, and found their
place in various sectors of society. In addition to meeting
manpower requirements, the University makes significant
contribution towards the success of Hong Kong by providing
to local industry and commerce applied research, consultancy
services and professional training.
provide support for the professional development,

updating and retraining of Hong Kong's workforce using
appropriate models of continuing education and training;
promote partnerships between higher education,
appropriate Government agencies, industry, commerce
and the professions, in addressing strategic issues related
to the social and economic development of Hong Kong;
and
provide a caring environment with appropriate provision
for the well being of its students.
Further information about the University may be obtained
from: http://www.polyu.edu.hk/
The main objectives of PolyU, as stipulated in University

Ordinance, are to provide for studies, training and research
in technology, science, commerce, arts and other subjects of
learning.PolyU endeavours to:
serve the Hong Kong community and contribute to its well
being, prosperity and development through the provision
of programmes of education and training, the conduct of
research, and collaboration with industry, commerce, the
Government and the professions;
continue to develop as an international, university level
institution with a distinct identity based on the former
Polytechnic ethos of practical creativity, relevance to the
world of work and close links with the community;
provide a balanced diet of programmes of high quality,
designed to contribute substantially to meeting Hong
Kong's needs for highly trained and skilled manpower;
provide its students with a balanced and broad educational
experience which fosters critical and analytical thinking,
creativity and competence, linked with a commitment to
the well being of society and an understanding of ethical
values;
enhance its research capacity through the development of
high quality applied and strategic research relevant to the
needs of Hong Kong, and to some areas of the Mainland;
conduct research activities, where appropriate, in
collaboration with other academic institutions, in Hong
Kong or elsewhere, or with industrial, commercial,
professional or public services organisations;
collaborate with and maintain close links with industry,
commerce, public services, the professions and the
community generally and to develop appropriate support
mechanisms which will contribute to industrial,
commercial and community development;
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FACULTY OF CONSTRUCTION & LAND USE

DEAN: PROF. M. ANSON, CHAIR OF CIVIL ENGINEERING, BA, DIC, PHD, FHKIE, CENG, FICE
The Department of Building Services Engineering is part of
the Faculty of Construction and Land Use, which includes the
departments of Civil and Structural Engineering (CSE),
Building and Real Estate (BRE) and Land Surveying and
Geo-informatics (LSGI).
would include energy efficiency measures, issues of

sustainable development and intelligent building design.
The Hong Kong Polytechnic University is the only tertiary

institution in Hong Kong with a faculty linked primarily to
the construction industry. The BSE and LSGI Departments
are unique in the SAR and the CSE and BRE Departments
are the largest in Hong Kong. Because of its uniqueness, its
size, its strength in research, the Faculty is earning the
reputation both regionally and internationally as a centre of
academic excellence in the construction field. The Hong
Kong SAR is already an internationally famous centre of
construction activity and a strong academic centre is a natural
complementary development.
Prof. John Burnett (right) makes a point to Prof. Pat OSullivan of
the AoE Steering Committee.
Construction site Hong Kong! Reclamation to release more land for

building.
AREA OF EXCELLENCE IN CONSTRUCTION

The objective of the AoE in Construction is to consolidate the
Faculty local reputation and gain an international reputation
for academic excellence for the Hong Kong Polytechnic
University in the field of Construction. It does this by
enhancing its research and consultancy base through growth
and focus, by conducting selected studies of importance to
Hong Kong, by hosting regular international conferences and
by developing strong working academic links with overseas
and Chinese institutions.
The Steering Committee for the AoE in Construction, which
includes local and international experts in various areas of
construction, at its first meeting in July 1996 discussed plans
for longer term development. The Committee agreed that a
number of broad study areas should be identified for growth
and potential international recognition. One of these areas is
the performance of Buildings which aims at understanding
the relationships between building design, service life,
economics and liveability quality (including health aspects)
both at work and at home, and the standards actually attained
in Hong Kong in relation to those elsewhere. These standards
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BUILDING SERVICES ENGINEERING

Building services engineering may be described as the art and
science of designing, installing and operating engineering
systems and equipment in and around buildings of all types.
Building services systems are intended to provide:
highest standard to ensure a safe, healthy and energy efficient

building.
for homes and workplaces which are safe (adequate fire

safety, etc);
Until the early 80s the necessary expertise to design and

install these services has been provided by technologists
trained in the disciplines of electrical and mechanical
engineering, specialising in HVAC (heating, ventilation and
air-conditioning), fire services, electrical services, etc.. The
emergence of the building services engineer with knowledge
of the overall design and operation of the major services
requirements for a building is a relatively recent development.
indoor environments which are comfortable and healthy

(good lighting, efficient air-conditioning and ventilation,
etc);
for building security, efficient transportation and housing
telecommunications systems (lifts, escalators, telephone
services, etc.); and
services to support business and industrial activities and
facilities for occupants (electrical power, water supply,
drainage, etc.)
Interior of a large shopping mall typical of Hong Kong commercial

centres
Increasing sophistication required by businesses, demand for

higher standards of comfort and safety, concerns for the
environment and the need for more efficient use of energy,
have all led to substantial complexities in the systems needed,
and the costs incurred. The engineering systems in buildings
account for a major part of the construction cost, some 20%
for residential buildings, to over 60% for highly serviced
hospitals.
The large, densely populated, high-rise buildings found in
modern cities are presenting new challenges to test the skills
of building services engineers and facility managers. The
design of buildings needs to take into account the dynamic
interactions between the external environment, the building
envelope, the engineering systems and equipment, and the
people and activities housed in the building. This requires
careful integration of the various system designs with the
building and user needs. It requires careful co-ordination of
the various installation work during construction, and proper
commissioning of all engineering systems before hand-over to
the building operator.
Efficient operation of large buildings needs a sound
understanding of the interactions between systems and the
activities of users. Operation and maintenance must be of the
BUILDING SERVICES ENGINEERS
It is the broad understanding of buildings and their

engineering systems that distinguishes the building services
engineers from the numerous other engineers who contribute
to the design and operation of buildings. Building services
engineers have increasingly important roles in ensuring that
system design integration, co-ordination and commissioning
are optimised for safe and efficient operation.
A large air-conditioned public area of a building
Heavily serviced buildings require skilled engineers and

managers to maintain and operate them. Without the
necessary care buildings can fail to deliver expected
performance, and in the worst cases may present a safety or
health risk, or an unnecessarily large drain on energy
resources. Building services engineers are highly suitable to
manage large sophisticated buildings.
BUILDING SERVICES ENGINEERING PROFESSION
Building services engineering is a leading industry and
profession in Hong Kong, which is not surprising given the
nature of Hong Kong's development. The Building Services
discipline within the Hong Kong Institution of Engineers
(HKIE) sets standards for professional competence similar to
those of the UK Chartered Institution of Building Services
Engineers (CIBSE), the originators of this relatively new
engineering profession. The current preferred route to
professional recognition in Hong Kong (Registered
Professional Engineer) and the UK (Chartered Engineer) is
an honours degree in engineering, with two years structured
training and at least two years relevant experience.
DEPARTMENT OF BUILDING SERVICES ENGINEERING

CHAIR PROFESSOR AND HEAD: JOHN BURNETT, BENG(TECH), PHD, CENG, RPE, FCIBSE, FIEE
The Department was formed in 1981. It is the only major
educational unit in Hong Kong devoted exclusively to
building services engineering. It is also the largest such
academic unit world-wide, and one which is recognised for
teaching excellence and the quality of its applied research. It
maintains close links with the local industry, the
Government, professional bodies, and mainland and overseas
research and academic institutions. It continues to expand
and develop these links through active participation and
collaboration in applied research.
contributing significantly to the art and science of

building services engineering, particularly in Hong Kong
and the rest of China; and
offer quality academic and research programmes and
consultancy services, which disseminates state-of-the-art
techniques to students, practising professionals and other
users of the Department services.
The objectives of the Department are to:
satisfy the needs of the society at large and the local
industry in general by providing high quality outputs
commensurate with resource provisions;
continue to deliver applications-orientated, accredited
undergraduate programmes producing graduates who have
been professionally trained, possess good communicative
skills, have potential for personal development and are
adaptable to changes;
continue to develop appropriate taught postgraduate
programmes and other professionally orientated events
designed to enhance the skills and qualifications of
building services engineering and related professionals;
offer a significant number of higher degrees by research;
and
remain pro-active in the promotion of the building
services engineering discipline, particularly in Hong Kong
and the Mainland.
Providing services to building users
The Department embraces multi-disciplinary engineering

with emphasis on building engineering systems design and
operation. Staff specialise within the discipline in the
following areas:
HVACR services;
fire engineering;
electrical services;
public health;
indoor environmental engineering;
management and CAD.
MISSION
The mission of the Department is to:
achieve international recognition as a high quality
building services engineering academic unit by
Designing systems to provide the services
ACADEMIC PROGRAMMES
The Department currently offers the following academic
programmes:
MPhil/PhD research programmes by full-time or part-time
study.
FT/SAND BEng (Hons)
65
230
PT BEng (Hons)*
100
272
Higher Diploma
65
117
MSc in Building Services Engineering. A part-time

modular programme started in 1992.
* Self-financed programmes are programmes outside the University

Grants Council (Government) funding and student allocation.
MSc in Facility Management. A self-financed part-time

modular programme started in 1996.
The passing years has seen an extensive development and

updating of the programmes, not least in terms of academic
validation and professional accreditation. In 1989 the
BEng(Hons) course produced its first graduates and BSE first
MPhil student graduated. In 1991 the first PhD degree was
conferred. In October 1992 the part-time BEng(Hons) course
accepted its first students, and students enrolled on BSE
modules under the MSc scheme. The MEng programme was
introduced in 1995 and in October 1996 the Facility
Management programme was added. Programmes and
modules continue to be developed to meet the needs of the
building industry and building professions in Hong Kong.
MEng in Building Services Engineering. A 5-year

sandwich/4-year full-time programme with years 1 and 2
common with the sandwich/full-time BEng(Hons)
programme.
BEng(Hons) in Building Services Engineering. A 4-year
sandwich/3-year full-time programme with A level entry
which is accredited by CIBSE and HKIE. A specialist
award in Building Energy Management has been
incorporated from 1997/98.
BEng(Hons) in Building Services Engineering. A selffinanced 4-year, part-time programme with Higher
Certificate entry which is accredited by CIBSE and HKIE.
Specialist awards in Fire Engineering and in Building
Electrical Services have been incorporated from 1997/98.
Higher Diploma in Building Services Engineering. A 2year full-time course with A level entry which is
accredited by CIBSE.
Nominal annual intakes and approximate student numbers on
each of the programmes are as follows:
MPhil/PhD
32
MSc in BSE
25
74
MSc in FM*
25
37
MEng in BSE
15
MScFM
MScF
29
MSc BSE
CREDIT-BASED SYSTEM
The University Strategic Plan for 2001 stipulated that a
credit-based system should be adopted for all its academic
programmes, to allow greater flexibility for programmes to be
modified to meet the changing needs of students and those of
the professions. This included identifiable elements of general
education, safety and environmental awareness, in addition to
language enhancements. The Department has revised its
existing courses for implementation for first year entrants in
September 1997.
The revised academic programmes comprise subjects which
have values expressed in terms of credits. A credit requires
about 35 to 45 hours of study, including class contact. Most
subjects in BSE are 3 credit subjects, equivalent to around 120
hours of study. This aligns closely with the module in the
taught postgraduate programmes (taught postgraduate
programmes are in the process of being converted to the
ME4
ME3
PTBE4
BE3/4
PTBE3
SAND
PTBE2
BE2
PTBE1
HD2
HC/HD in
BE1
HD1
'A' levels or TI D(D/C)
MScFM
MSc
ME
BE
PTBE
HD
TIOC/OD
MSc in Facility Management (Part-time)

MSc in Building Services Engineering (Part-time)
MEng in Building Services Engineering (Full-time/Sandwich, BE2 entry)
BEng(Hons) in Building Services Engineering (Full-time/Sandwich)
PT BEng(Hons) in Building Services Engineering (Part-time, HC/HD entry)
Higher Diploma in Building Services Engineering (A-level entry)
Technical Institute Certificate/Diplomas with Distinction/Credit
credit-based system).
Each subject may have pre-requisites, co-requisites and/or
exclusions. These are specified to impose certain sequence
requirements to the order that subjects may be taken. Subjects
are classified to a common coding system to indicate the
intellectual demand required for completion. Level 1 is a
standard comparable to that of A level. Levels 2, 3 and 4
broadly correspond to each year of a three year honours
degree course. Levels 5 to 7 correspond to postgraduate
subjects, but level 4 subjects also form part of the
postgraduate programmes. Subjects are normally completed
within a semester. The format for the academic year, which
starts around September/ October is as follows:
Semester 1:
14 weeks - 2 weeks examinations - 4 week break
Semester 2:
14 weeks - 2 weeks examinations - 4 week break
Summer term:
7 weeks - 1 week examinations - 4 week break
(The summer term is for make-up and re-assessments)
Students engage in a laboratory training exercise using the

Departments duct test rig
The full-time BEng (Hons) course has been converted into a

108 credit, 36 subject programme, with nominally 36 credits
or 12 subjects taken over one year. Student contact hours and
private study hours remain broadly equivalent to the
structured course which will eventually phase out. The parttime BEng(Hons) course maps to 18 credits or 6 subjects
cover two semesters per year, for 4 years.
The Higher Diploma course has been converted to a 72 credit,
24 subject programme. The first stage remains largely
common with that of the BEng (Hons), allowing transfer of
students at the end of Stage 1 (Year 1).
QUALITY ASSURANCE
The Department seeks to ensure that the services it provides
are satisfactory to its customers. The customers of the
Department are:
moderation of subject
examination papers;
assessments,
particularly
action taken on feedback from students;
society at large (the taxpayers);
reporting on subject management and outcomes;
funding agencies;
review of outcomes by
Examination Boards; and
students;
the building services industry and profession; and
consultancy clients.
professionally
programmes;
application-orientated
orientated
taught
Panels
and
regular review of QA processes based on feedback from

stakeholders.
The external processes by which teaching and learning
quality are assured are:
The services provided to customers are:

accredited
programmes;
Assessment
undergraduate
postgraduate
continuous professional development programmes for

building services professionals;
relevant applied research; and
annual course report and action plans;

departmental assessment and programme accreditation
exercises;
feedback from external assessors;
feedback from industry; and
feedback from graduates.
professional consultancy services.

ACADEMIC PROGRAMMES
The quality of education depends on the relevance and
academic level of the subjects taught. These must be
interesting, challenging and of appropriate standards. The
learning environment seeks to encourage deep learning,
critical understanding and acquisition of independent study
skills. Deliveries need to be varied and innovative, with
students performances being fairly and equitably assessed.
Teaching at all levels must be underpinned by research and
consultancy.
In the building industry good communication skills is a major
asset to career development. Given the broad scope of the
discipline and the wide variety of technical and managerial
challenges, it is essential that graduates have the potential for
personal development and are adaptable to changing career
demands.
The Department aims to produce graduates from applicationorientated programmes of study which are of a high quality
and standard. Quality is assured through:
quality of students intake;
the various QA processes of programme design,
monitoring and review, feedback from students, graduates
and employers, reporting and assessment of output;
quality of staff, their teaching skills, experience,
qualifications, etc.; and
quality of activities which support teaching and learning,
e.g., research and consultancy.
The internal processes by which teaching and learning quality
are assured are:
management of teaching and assessment;
Students enjoying a session on computer aided design in the

Departments design office
INTERNAL PROCESSES
Students need to know the demands, performance
expectations, assessment processes and organisation of
teaching activities for their particular programme. The
definitive Programme document issued to all students upon
enrolment provides details on curriculum content, teaching
methods, assessment criteria, management, etc. In addition:
a Subject Questionnaire is issued mid-semester, to obtain
feedback from students on the management and teaching
of all subjects in a particular stage (year), to which
academic staff are required to respond;
Staff/Student Liaison Committees meet regularly to solicit
feedback from students on each stage of a programme; and
Issue of Student Feedback Questionnaire on individual
lecturing staff as an integral part of the University's staff
appraisal system.
The assessments of students in each subject, for promotion
and for awards, need to match with the aims and objectives of
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the programme. The assessments shall be open and fair, and

clearly communicated to students and others needing to know
the requirements for graduation. In the Department academic
staff:
provide students with teaching schemes which detail
continuous assessment requirements;
set examination papers (with marking scheme) which are
of appropriate breadth and depth to help assess students
performance; and
subject papers to internal moderation, and for final stage
(year) subjects, to external moderation by an external
assessor.
Department undertakes a survey of graduates and alumni to

solicit opinions on the appropriateness of the academic
training they received.
The Faculty has the responsibility of ensuring that each
programme (course) is well managed on a continual basis and
that the programme is of good quality. The Department
submits reports on all its programmes. The report includes an
analysis of trend statistics on applications, admissions,
progression and graduation, actions in respect of student
feedback, responses to feedback from graduates, employers,
etc.
Assessment Panels/Examination Boards are important parts

of the QA process, receiving reports on programmes and
subject activities, outcomes of assessments, review of
standards, etc., as well as making decisions on individual
students.
Given that the Department programmes are inter-linked to a
varying degree, the process of curriculum design (for new
subjects, awards/programme) and the monitoring and review
of existing programmes and subjects are departmental
functions. Modifications to programmes are undertaken at
departmental, programme or subject level, as appropriate.
Proposals for changing the content of a subject shall require
endorsement by the Programme Committee(s) in which the
subject is offered. Proposals for changing the structure of a
programme will require approval of the Department and
Faculty Board.
Staff and students enjoy a graduation party
QA IN RESEARCH
Research and consultancy are undertaken for the purposes of
enhancing teaching programmes and providing quality advice
and consultancy services to society at large. The customers of
research are the funding agencies.
The Departmental Research Committee manages and
monitors the research activities in the Department under the
terms of reference set by the University in respect of:
research submissions;
appointment of research staff;
research outputs; and
reporting to funding agencies, etc.
EXTERNAL RECOGNITION
BSE graduates with the President and Mrs Poon
EXTERNAL QA PROCESSES
The structure and development of the Department's
undergraduate programmes is significantly influenced by the
accreditation requirements of HKIE and CIBSE. The design
and development of taught postgraduate programmes is
strongly influenced by the needs and demands to broaden and
enhance skills and to upgrade qualifications.
Advice from industry and the professions are actively sought
when developing new programmes or updating existing
programmes. BSEs Advisory Committee meets at least twice
per annum to receive reports on staffing, student
performance, programme development, etc., and offers
valuable advice in respect of future planning and
development. Not less than every 2 years the Department
surveys employers. The survey results are analysed by each
Programme Committee, and actions are reported to the
Department and the Faculty. Not less than every 2 years the
In early 1997 the Department BEng (Hons) course received

the distinct honour of being named the first recipient of the
prestigious Happold Brilliant award, established in memory
of the late Sir Edmund Happold. The course was judged by
the Accreditation Panel of the Chartered Institution of
Building Services Engineers (CIBSE) to be the most
innovative and well crafted programme that they viewed
during 1996.
Sir Edmund was a dedicated and highly respected teacher of
engineering who dedicated his whole life to the world of
architecture and engineering. In 1995 he approached CIBSE
with a proposal that he could donate an annual prize to the
course judged by the Institution to have contributed most to
the quality of teaching of building services engineering at
undergraduate level. The award was presented to Prof.
Burnett, J. by Lady Happold, on April 3, 1997 at the Royal
Society of Arts in London, UK.
MSC/PGD IN BUILDING SERVICES ENGINEERING

INCORPORATING THE POSTGRADUATE DIPLOMA IN BUILDING SERVICES ENGINEERING
This programme is operated within the Postgraduate Scheme
in Construction. It will be converted to the Credit-based
Scheme in 1998/99. It aims to provide enhanced specialist
skills for graduates and professionals working in building
services engineering in the areas of fire safety engineering,
electrical services, HVACR systems, building energy
efficiency, etc. The programme caters for non-BSE graduates
from other disciplines as well as BSE own graduates.
BSE535: Design Considerations for Fire Safety Management
The scheme offers two levels of award, namely Master of

Science and Postgraduate Diploma. Students who accumulate
eight* taught modules (including four core modules) and a
dissertation on a building services engineering topic
(equivalent to four* modules) are eligible for the award of a
MSc. The PgD award requires completion of seven taught
modules, four of which must be core modules. (*this will
change to seven and three, respectively, in 1998/99).
BSE561: Computer Integrated Facility Management
BSE541: Building Acoustics

BSE542: Energy Efficient Buildings
BSE543: Building Environmental Performance
BSE547: Indoor Air Quality Engineering
BSE556: BSE Maintenance Management
Within the structure of the programme it is possible to take
combinations of modules that, together with an appropriate
dissertation, allows specialisation within the programme.
The themes are:
Fire Engineering:
BSE531, BSE532, BSE533, BSE534, BSE535
Electrical Services:
BSE511, BSE512, BSE515
Energy Efficient Buildings:
BSE521, BSE522, BSE542, BSE543
Building Environmental Performance:
BSE511, BSE541, BSE543, BSE547
MSc students using specialist software for advanced studies
Most subjects are taught over a fourteen-week semester

requiring three hours contact per week, but some may be
offered on a day release basis. Typically, modules comprise
lectures, seminars, laboratory and assignments. Assessments
are normally by graded coursework and examinations. The
total effort required of a student on a module is expected to be
100-120 hours. The normal duration for completion of the
MSc is 2 years (minimum), 3 years (normal) or 6 years
(maximum).
Available core modules in the MSc and PgD programmes are:
BSE511: Lighting Engineering
BSE512: Engineering Intelligent Buildings
BSE515: Electrical Installations in Buildings
BSE521: Air Conditioning Control & Operation
The dissertation projects would be on topics appropriate to

the particular themes. Dissertations undertaken by MSc
students are either developed through co-operation with the
industry, preferably the student employer, or with a staff
member from the Department. In the latter case dissertation
topics normally follow the current research programmes in
the Department.
ENTRANCE REQUIREMENTS
A Bachelor degree with honours in Building Services
Engineering,
Mechanical
Engineering,
Electrical
Engineering or equivalent; and,
Working experience in any branch of building services
engineering including design and consultancy practice,
contracting
business,
building
operations
and
maintenance, property development, research, etc., is
essential.
For general enquires contact BSE General Office, Room HJ
713, Tel: (852) 27665847, fax: (852) 27746146
Specific information on the programme may be obtained from
the Programme Co-ordinator Mr. Ho Wai-fuk Tel: (852)
27665839, e-mail: bewfho@polyu.edu.hk.
BSE522: Building Energy Simulation

BSE531: Computational Fire Modelling for Building Design
BSE532: Fire Engineering Systems
BSE533: Fire Dynamics
BSE534: Legislation Aspects of Fire Safety Management
MSC/PGD IN FACILITY MANAGEMENT

INCORPORATING THE POSTGRADUATE DIPLOMA IN FACILITY MANAGEMENT
OFFERED IN COLLABORATION WITH THE DEPARTMENT OF BUILDING &
This programme is operated as an independent self-financed

programme. It will be converted to the Credit-based System in
1998/99. A detailed programme guide is available from the
Department.
This programme aims to provide enhanced specialist skills for
graduates and professionals working in facility management,
building operations & maintenance and similar activities.
REAL ESTATE
Engineering and Construction & Real Estate. Subjects taught

are:
Facility Management is the practice of co-ordinating the

physical workplace with the people and the work of the
organisation. It integrates principles of business
administration, architecture, building operations &
maintenance, and the behavioural sciences. The growing
demand in society for clean, safe, and accessible facilities
(commercial buildings, hotels, etc.) has produced the need for
a new kind of professional - the facility manager, who must
integrate these demands with the safe use of new technologies
and the efficient and cost-effective management of buildings.
BSE512: Engineering Intelligent Buildings
The scheme offers two levels of award, namely Master of

Science Degree and Postgraduate Diploma. Students who
accumulate seven taught subjects (including three compulsory
and a minimum of four core subjects) and a dissertation on a
facility management topic (equivalent to three taught
subjects) are eligible for the award of a MSc. The PgD award
requires completion of seven taught subjects (including two
compulsory and a minimum of three core subjects).
BSE561: Computer Integrated Facility Management
BSE551: Facility Management: Professional Practice

BSE552: Facility Planning and Project Management
BSE553: Benchmarking Studies
BSE554: Maintenance Management of Built Assets
BSE555: Property Management and Finance
BSE557: International Strategic Facility Management
BSE572: Research Methods in Facility Management (*MSc
only)
BSE573: Facility Management Dissertation
BRE511: Information Management for Construction & Real
Estate
BRE522: Real Estate & Development
BRE523: Property & Construction Law
An honours degree in architecture, interior design,
construction building services engineering, business, or
a professional qualification plus relevant professional
experience related to the construction industry, e.g. full
membership of HKIE; HKIS; HKIA; CIBSE; CIOB; CFM;
or
Computer aided design in building construction and facility

management
Most subjects are taught over a fourteen-week semester

requiring three hours contact per week, but some may be
offered on a day, weekend or block release basis. Typically,
subjects comprise lectures, seminars, laboratory and
assignments. Assessment is normally by graded coursework
and an examination. The total effort required of a student on
a subject is expected to be around 120 hours. The normal
duration for completion of the MSc is 2 years (minimum); 3
years (normal); 6 years (maximum).
candidates with experience in the design and management

of building support services but who lack formal
qualifications may be admitted to the programme subject
to interview and review of past experience. In considering
such candidates, the University will decide whether the
experience may be deemed equivalent to a first degree
awarded by a university in Hong Kong.
For general enquires contact BSE General Office, Room HJ
713, Tel: (852) 27665851, fax: (852) 27746146
the Programme Co-ordinator Dr. John Gilleard, Tel: (852)
27665842, e-mail:bejohn@polyu.edu.hk.
The Facility Management MSc/PgD is made up of a number

of programme specific postgraduate subjects plus elective
subjects from the existing MSc/PgD in Building Services
10
MENG IN BUILDING SERVICES ENGINEERING

4-YEAR FULL-TIME/ 5-YEAR SANDWICH PROGRAMME LINKED TO THE BENG(HONS) PROGRAMME
This programme provides an opportunity for a limited number
of the most able BEng(Hons) students to study for an 'advanced
and extended' Master of Engineering degree. Graduates from
this course are expected to progress more quickly in their
careers and to be better prepared for a leadership and senior
management roles in the building services engineering industry.
The BEng(Hons) award is included within this award. The
MEng programme started in 1996 with the transfer of Year 2
BEng(Hons) students into Year 3 of the MEng.
and/or operations for a complex building. The theme of the

research is 'health', 'pollution', 'safety' or 'energy' aspects of
design, project management or building operations.
The enhancement of the full-time/sandwich BEng (Hons) to a

full-time/sandwich MEng is manifest in additional language
and management skills, increased coverage of technical matters
and an enhanced research project, equivalent to an MSc
dissertation. The MEng will retain its design base in order to
satisfy the existing SARTOR requirements of the Engineering
Council and retain professional accreditation by CIBSE and
HKIE. The programme is suitably structured to satisfy the New
SARTOR requirements recently published by the UK
Engineering Council.
Subjects offered at Stage 3 (Year 3 full-time) are:

BSE412: Electrical Systems II
BSE421: HVACR Systems Analysis
BSE444: Renewable Energy
BSE445: Building Management & Control
BSE451:Designing for Operations & Maintenance
MEng4
Specialist technical subjects
Research project (dissertation)
BSE461: Design Simulation Software

BSE462: Computer-aided Design in Construction
BSE471: Design Project
Sandwich year option

MEng3
Core + Electives + Design Project
+ languages, management, economics
Selection
BEng2
Subjects common with the BEng(Hons)
BSE481: Industrial Attachment

ELC401: English for Professional Purposes
ENG401: Management & Control of Engineering Operation
Subjects offered at Stage 4 (Year 4 full-time) are:
BSE522: Building Energy Simulation
BSE531: Computational Fire Modelling for Building Design
BSE532: Fire Engineering Systems
BSE571: MEng Research Project
BRE512: Quality Assurance in Construction
BEng1
Subjects common with the BEng(Hons)
BRE513: Project Management Technique

CSE508: Environmental Impact Assessment
CSE524: Environmental Planning & Management
Relationship between BEng(Hons) and MEng Programmes
The scheme allows up to 15 BEng(Hons) Stage (Year) 2

students to transfer to the MEng programme. The students will
engage in common BEng(Hons) final year taught subjects,
including all electives and the Design Project. Enhanced
language skills, management and leadership skills and project
management form the additional MEng material.
A major component of the MEng final year is a broad based
Research Project (Dissertation) embracing related aspects of
building services engineering management, design, installation
CSE532: Construction Practice in China

ELC501: English for Postgraduate Studies
MFG350: Total Quality Management
For general enquires contact the BSE General Office, Room HJ
713, Tel: (852) 27665847, Fax: (852) 27746146.
Dr. Wang Sheng-wai, Tel: (852) 27665858, e-mail:
beswwang@polyu.edu.hk.
11
BENG(HONS) IN BUILDING SERVICES ENGINEERING

The Department offers two separate programmes leading to
this award. The University Grants Council programme is for
A level or equivalent entry with nominally three year fulltime or optionally 4-year sandwich study (the 3rd year is in
industry). The programmes includes a specialist award in
Building Energy Management. This programme is linked to
the MEng programme as described previously.
The self-financed part-time programme is nominally 4-year
duration from Higher Certificate or equivalent entry. The
part-time mode includes specialist awards in Fire Engineering
and Building Electrical Services. All three modes of study
became credit-based in 1997/98 and existing courses will be
phased out.
Graduates from these programme will have deemed to satisfy
the academic requirements for corporate membership of
HKIE and CIBSE.
FULL-TIME 3-YEAR BENG(HONS) PROGRAMME
SANDWICH 4-YEAR BENG(HONS) PROGRAMME
This programme is intended to meet Hong Kong's need for
locally-trained professional building services engineers to
work in consultancy, contracting, building operations &
maintenance, and in research and development. The
programme prepares graduates for professional practice in a
wider geographical area than Hong Kong. Building services
system design is the central theme of the programme. The
final year includes a period during which students will work
with architectural students on the conception and outline
design stages for a building, simulating real world
circumstances where the services engineer is a member of a
building design team.
A total of 108 credits are required for graduation. Each
subject taken worth 3 credits upon completion. Stage (Year) 1
begins with an induction period to introduce students to the
University, the Department and the discipline of building
services engineering. The subjects taken in Stage 1 are:
IC262: Internal Training I

GECYY: General Education
An eight week period of internal practical training is held in
the University's Industrial Centre.
At Stage 2, the technical content embraces studies of services
systems:
BSE311: Electrical Systems I
BSE312: Electrical Installations
BSE321: HVACR Services I
BSE322: HVACR Services II
BSE331: Piped Services
BSE332: Fire Services
BSE351: Management Studies
BSE211: Electrical Technology
BSE361: Computer-aided Design
BSE212: Power & Control
BSE371: Services Design
BSE221: Thermofluids
BSE382: Industrial Training
BSE222: Heat Transfer
AMA312: Mathematics III
BSE241: Built Environment
ELC304: English in the Workplace
BSE251: Building Technology
IC362: Internal Training II
BSE261: Applications Software
BSE262: Building Design & Operation Processes
CLC211: Elementary Putonghua
A further two week training period is undertaken in the

Industrial Centre in the summer term. For students selecting
the sandwich mode of study a minimum of 36 weeks
industrial attachment in industry follows Stage 2. This is
generally included within a training scheme recognised by
CIBSE and/or HKIE and is arranged by the Department's
tutors, who also visit students during their attachment.
ELC204: English for Academic Purposes
Final stage subjects are:
IC212: Construction Drawing
AMA280: Mathematics I
AMA281: Mathematics II
CLC201: College Chinese
12
BSE443: Building Environmental Analysis
BSE444: Renewable Energy
BSE446: Demand Side Management for Buildings
BSE451: Designing for Operations & Maintenance
BSE452: Construction Management
BSE472: Research Project
SPECIALIST AWARD IN BUILDING ENERGY MANAGEMENT
HKALE Grade E or above in Pure Mathematics or

Applied Mathematics, and in Physics or Engineering
Science; or
The BEM specialist award stream aims to meet the

anticipated need in Hong Kong for building energy
management specialists. In addition to understanding
buildings and engineering services systems, graduates from
the BEM stream will be equipped with sufficient knowledge
in both the technical and financial aspects of energy
management. This includes energy economics, building
operation and maintenance management, and project
management. The emphasis is on improving existing
buildings, i.e., operation and maintenance, energy use,
retrofit, refurbishment of buildings, etc. The focus is on
demand side energy management and upgrading existing
buildings to achieve better performance, but with adequate
coverage given to supply side issues, on-site generation, etc..
Stage (Year) 1 of the programme is common to the main BSE
programme. In Stage 2 the following subjects are studied:
BSE311: Electrical Systems I
BSE321: HVACR Services I
BSE322: HVACR Services II
BSE341: Energy Resources
BSE342: Energy Economics
BSE343: Energy Measurement & Monitoring
BSE362: Computer-aided Design/Analysis
BSE382: Industrial Training
AMA312: Mathematics III
IC362: Internal Training II
HKALE Grade E or above in Pure Mathematics or

Applied Mathematics, and HKALE (AS-Level) Grade E
or above in Physics; or
HKALE Grade E or above in Physics or Engineering
Science, and HKALE (AS-Level) Grade E or above in
Applied Mathematics or Mathematics & Statistics.
For those applying on the basis of other qualifications, the
specified qualifications are:
Diploma with Credit or Distinction in Building Services
Engineering; Mechanical Engineering; or Electrical
Engineering; or
Higher Certificate in Building Services Engineering;
Mechanical Engineering; or Electrical Engineering.
Preferences will be given to applicants who have attained
HKALE Grade C or above in Pure Mathematics and in
Physics.
Applicants with a Higher Diploma or Higher Certificate in
Building Services Engineering, with Credit or Distinction,
may be given credit transfer for the subjects of Year One of
the program.
For general enquires contact BSE General Office. Room
HJ713, Tel: (852) 27665851, fax: (852) 27746146.
Dr. Chan Kwok-tai, Tel: (852) 27665837, e-mail
bektc@polyu.edu.hk. For advice on the BEM specialist
contact Dr. Simon Deng, Tel: (852) 27665859, e-mail
besmd@polyu.edu.hk.

The final stage specialisation continues with:
PART-TIME BENG (HONS) PROGRAMME
This programme is designed to allow practising designers,
contracting personnel and building operations & maintenance
staff to upgrade their skills and academic qualifications to a
professional level. Similar to the full-time/sandwich
programme it satisfies the need for trained professional
building services engineers.
The structure and contents of this programme are based on

the full-time/sandwich programme and leads to the same
award. The programme requires attendance on two evenings
plus a Saturday morning each week, for around 28 weeks in
an academic year. Syllabuses and teaching arrangements for
Stage (Year) 1 and 2 subjects are designed to accommodate
the backgrounds of the students.
13
Stage 2 (Year 1) is essentially a condensed version of Stage 1

of the full-time programme with additional emphasis on
improving study techniques and encouraging more critical
and enquiring minds. Communication skills are emphasised.
Subjects taken are:
BSE213: Electrical Engineering
BSE223: Thermofluids & Heat Transfer
BSE263: Engineering Practice I
BSE281: Mathematics I & II
Comparison between the part-time

and full-time programmes
PTBE4
Stage 3 Level 4 (Final Year)
Design Project + Core + Electives
BSE436: Fire Detection System

BSE437: Advanced Water System

The Design Project is a major element of the programme in
Year 4. It is an integrated project involving computational
aspects, system and detailed design and evaluation of a
building and its services systems.
SPECIALIST AWARD IN FIRE ENGINEERING
PTBE3
Stage 3 Level 4
Research Project + Core + Electives
PTBE2
Coverage of FT BEng Stage 2 Level 3
PTBE1
Coverage of FT BEng Stage 1 Level 2
Stage 3 (Year 2) is essentially a condensed version of Stage 2

of the full-time programme with emphasise on analyse and
design of basic building services engineering systems.
Subjects taken are:
BSE315: Electrical Installations & Systems
BSE325: HVACR Services
BSE335: Piped & Fire Services
BSE374: Engineering Practice II
BSE381: Mathematics III
IC366: Industrial Safety II
Stage 4 (Year 3 and Year 4) subjects together are essentially
the same as the final year of the full-time/sandwich
programme. They introduce more advanced aspects of
building services engineering techniques and management
techniques. Students study two electives in areas in which
they wish to specialise. Subjects taken are:
Statutory requirements covering buildings are becoming

increasingly more complex and restrictive. Safety, energy and
public health are the main concerns. Until now, regulations
exist for lifts, electricity supply, gas supply, fire services and
pollution control. Whilst Hong Kong is rather unique in its
high building density and sub-tropical climate, regulations
based on various standards of other countries have generally
been adopted. Various ordinances, regulations and codes of
practice provide guidance on how the regulatory requirements
are to be complied with.
While compliance with the prescriptive provisions in these
codes may be regarded as a reliable way to satisfy the safety
requirements, the authorities realise that a satisfactory
standard of fire safety may be achieved in other ways. The socalled fire engineering approach has been adopted in some
special or unique situations for which the prescriptive
approach was not appropriate. A notable example of this
being the new Airport Terminal Building.
The Fire Engineering stream of study is designed to enable
local practising fire engineers and fire officers, with HC/HD
or equivalent background, to upgrade their academic
qualification to become professional building services
engineers specialising in fire engineering. It aims to embrace
all fire aspects of buildings including, those requiring special
fire safety provisions such as atria, shopping malls, road
tunnels, enclosed bus and rail terminals, docking facilities,
warehouses, etc., embracing fire advanced fire control and
fighting in the real world.
BSE414: Computer Modelling of Electrical Systems
This specialist award places greater emphasis on fire science

and technology, fire safety management, extinguishing
mechanisms, advanced fire control, fire engineering system
design and the integration with other building services
engineering systems. Stages (Years) 1 and 2 are common
with the mainstream BSE programme. In Year 3 the
following subjects are studied:
BSE433: Advanced Fire Fighting
BSE325: HVACR Services
BSE434: Smoke Control Systems
BSE335: Piped & Fire Services
BSE413: Transportation Services
14
In Year 4 the following subjects are studied:
In Year 4 the following subjects are studied:
BSE413: Transportation Services
BSE433: Advanced Fire Fighting
BSE414: Computer Modelling of Electrical Systems
BSE434: Smoke Control Systems
BSE436: Fire Protection System
BSE437: Advanced Water System
ENTRANCE REQUIREMENTS FOR THE BSE STREAM ARE:
Higher Diploma or Higher Certificate in Building Services

Engineering;
Applicants with a Higher Diploma or Higher Certificate in
Mechanical or Electrical Engineering will be considered
on individual merits. Preference will be given to those
who have obtained an endorsement Certificate or a Postexperience Certificate in Electrical & Mechanical
Services;
Holders of Higher Diploma in Building Services
Engineering can apply for direct entry into Year Two.
These applicants are normally expected to have attained
an overall Credit or Distinction in their Higher Diploma
studies;
SPECIALIST AWARD IN BUILDING ELECTRICAL SERVICES

The aim of this specialist award programme is to provide an
in-depth knowledge of electrical systems in large, high-rise
buildings. The specialist award will embrace all aspects of
electrical services, with emphasis on air-conditioned
buildings, as well as special buildings such as road tunnels,
enclosed bus terminals, warehouses, etc. The systems
includes:
HV/LV supply, distribution and utilisation in and around
buildings;
Irrespective of the year of entry, applicants should have a

minimum of one year's working experience in the field of
building services engineering;
Written agreement from the employer supporting the
attendance of the course is required.
Requirements which apply to the Fire Engineering stream are
the same as for the main BSE stream, with the
alternative/additional requirements as follows:
Membership at appropriate level of the Institute of Fire

Engineering (IFireE) or holders of fire officer certificate
are eligible for admission;
Applicants must be employed in the fire engineering

sector.
HV/LV motor drives & control;

standby and emergency generation and supplies including
co-generation, etc.;
power conditioning, regulation, UPS systems, etc.;
vertical transportation; and
ELV systems (BMS, LAN, CCTV, PABX, etc.).
Stages (Years) 1 and 2 are common with the mainstream BSE
programme. Year 3 subjects are:
BSE316: Electrical Services
BSE326: Mechanical Services
For the Building Electrical Services stream preference will be

given to holders of Higher Diploma or Higher Certificate in
Electrical Engineering or Building Services Engineering.
For general enquires contact: General Office, Room HJ 713
Tel: (852) 27665849, fax: (852) 27746146.
Specific information on the programme may be obtained
from: Dr. Chung Tse-ming, Tel: (852) 27665844, e-mail:
bektc@polyu.edu.hk. Information on the Fire Engineering
specialist award may be obtained from Dr. Wong Ling-tim
Tel: (852) 27667783, e-mail: beltw@polyu.edu.hk.
Information on the Building Electrical Services specialist
award may be obtained from Dr. Du Ya-ping, Patrick, Tel:
(852) 27667784, e-mail: betmchng@polyu.edu.hk.
15
HIGHER DIPLOMA IN BUILDING SERVICES ENGINEERING

This programme prepares graduates to become higher
technicians in building services, who find themselves
involved in the design, contracting, commissioning, or
operation and maintenance of building services systems.
Graduates are recognised as satisfying the academic

requirements for Associate-ship of CIBSE and for Associate
Membership of HKIE. After periods of training and
experience, graduates may apply to register as Incorporated
Engineers (IEng) with the Engineering Council, UK, and
acquire the designations of AMCIBSE. Following at least one
year of appropriate practical experience graduates are elegible
to apply for entry to the part-time BEng (Hons) programme
offered by the Department. Graduates with credit or
distinction are eligible to apply for direct entry to Stage
(Year) 2 of the full-time/sandwich BEng (Hons) programme.
Students with exceptional Stage 1 results are eligible for
selection to transfer to Stage 2 of the BEng(Hons)
programme.
BSE262: Building Design & Operation Processes

BSE261: Applications Software
AMA282: Mathematics I
AMA283: Mathematics II
CLC201: College Chinese
IC212: Construction Drawing
IC242: Internal Training I
An 8-week practical training is undertaken in the Universitys
Industrial Centre during the summer.
In Stage 2 (Year 2) the subjects are:
BSE313: Electrical Installation Technology
BSE314: Electrical Systems Technology
BSE323: HVACR Technology I
BSE324: HVACR Technology II
BSE333: Piped Services Technology
BSE334: Fire Services Technology
BSE352: Construction Management & Administration
BSE353: Systems Performance & Testing
BSE372: Services Design Projects I
Students testing a low-voltage switchboard in BSEs electrical

services laboratory
BSE373: Services Design Projects II

A Higher Diploma course with 'O' level entry has been in

operation since 1977. Over time the course has undergone a
number of revisions, to meet the needs of industry and the
profession and to improve quality. The course was revised to a
two-year programme with 'A' level or Diploma entry in 1991.
The programme was converted to a credit-based programme
for 1997/98. The programme ensures that graduates will be
capable of executing building services work under the
supervision of a registered professional engineer. Emphasis is
placed on drawing skills in manual and computer-aided
drafting, on understanding the operating characteristics of
various building services systems, and on the co-ordination
and installation of different services systems in buildings.
A total of 72 credits are required for graduation. Each subject

taken is worth 3 credits upon completion. The normal study
pattern is two years full-time. Subjects taken in Stage 1 (Year
1) are:
Diploma in Mechanical Engineering; Electrical

Engineering; or Building Services Engineering; or
BSE214: Electrical Technology

BSE215: Power & Control
BSE224: Thermofluids
BSE225: Heat Transfer
For those applying on the basis of HKALE, the subject

requirements are:
having studied HKALE subjects in Pure Mathematics or
Applied Mathematics and Physics or Engineering Science
and obtained Grade E or above in one of the above
subjects; or
HKALE (AS-Level) Grade E or above in Physics and in
Applied Mathematics or Mathematics & Statistics.
For those applying on the basis of other qualifications, the
specified qualifications are:
Higher Certificate in Mechanical; Electrical; or Building

Services Engineering.
For general enquires contact the BSE General Office, Room
HJ 713, Tel: (852) 27665847, fax: (852) 27746146.
Specific information about the programme may be obtained
from Mr. To Wah-tung, Daniel, Tel: (852) 27665838, e-mail:
bewtto@polyu.edu.hk.
16
APPLIED RESEARCH: BUILDING PERFORMANCE

Research in the Department focuses on building performance,
embracing both new and existing buildings, and
encompassing safety, health and environmental performance.
Emphasis is on large, high-rise air-conditioned buildings. The
work is broad-based and multi-disciplinary, with clear focus
on integrated and co-ordinated design and operation of
building services systems. The external environment, building
envelope, occupants and their activities, and the engineering
services systems together form a complex dynamic system.
dissertations, undergraduate project work and consultancy

work. The department has undertaken a number of major
consultancy projects of strategic value, such as an energy enduse database, development of building environmental
assessment methods and indoor environment surveys.
Building Performance
New
Safety
Existing
Environmental Performance
Fire Safety
Indoor Environment
Energy efficiency
Fire Dynamics
Indoor Air Quality
HVAC Systems
Ventilation
Building Envelop
Pollutant Sources
Optimised Control
Risk Assessment
Lighting
Productivity
Vertical Transportation
Smoke Control
Detection & Alarm
Electrical Systems
Essential Supply
EMC/EMI
End Use Auditing
Engineering systems and components cannot be studied

piecemeal. Improving the performance of existing buildings
and the designs for new buildings requires a holistic
approach.
The quality of the 'built environment' is of paramount
importance since people in urban centres spend most of their
time indoors. Quality means the provision of safe, efficient
and reliable systems for fire fighting, electricity supply, airconditioning and ventilation, sanitation, etc. The provision of
such facilities should have the least possible impact on the
environment, globally or locally.
Responsibility for the quality of the built environment initially
rests with the building design team, and subsequently with
facility managers and building operators. Building services
engineers play a significant role, being involved in all stages
of procurement, design, installation, commissioning,
operation and maintenance of the engineering systems and
equipment in a building.
Since 1989 the Department's research and development work
has focused on health, safety and energy studies within the
context of 'evaluation and feedback' of the built environment.
The Department is particularly active in studying the
performance of existing buildings, with a view to improving
the design of new buildings and the operation of all buildings.
Research and development is conducted through the staff
research projects, supervision of students pursuing the degrees
of Doctor of Philosophy or Master of Philosophy, MSc
17
FIRE ENGINEERING
RESEARCH LEADER: PROFESSOR CHOW WAN-KI BSC, MST, PHD, CENG, MCIBSE, MHKIE, MASME, MSFPE, MASHRAE
Reliable and effective fire engineering systems are critical to

safety in modern buildings. Hitherto the development of fire
protection codes has been based largely on experience, and is
a mix of international and national codes. The overall aim of
fire engineering research in the Department is to develop a
scientific understanding of building fires and to establish an
adequate theoretical basis for fire protection engineering for
the Hong Kong Special Administrative Region and the
mainland China. This includes the physical and chemical
processes of material decomposition, fire ignition, flame
properties, thermal radiation, fire spread mechanisms, smoke
production and spreading mechanisms. With sound basic
principles, the appropriate design of active fire control
systems can then be developed.
Safety in Buildings
Fire Safety
Fire Modelling
analysis began in 1996 in response to local fire disasters, with

focus on airport fires and on old high-rise buildings.
SPECIALIST FACILITIES
The Department laboratory houses three fire chambers (two 4
m x 3 m x 3 m and one 6 m x 3 m x 3 m) for full-scale
burning tests. The chambers are equipped with detection
instruments such as thermocouples, velocity sensors, oxygen
analysers and gas analysers for measuring the heat release
rates and fire environment. Fire protection systems include
sprinkler systems, water mist systems, fire detection systems,
smoke extraction systems, are installed for studying system
performance. A cone calorimeter is used for studying the heat
release rates of building materials under control environment.
Standard fire tests on materials, for the ease of ignitability,
fire propagation index and the critical oxygen index
flammability, etc., can be undertaken. Small wind tunnels for
evaluating the thermal sensitivities of sprinkler heads and fire
detectors are also available.
New research on atria fires has been established. A full-scale
burning atrium of size 18 m x 12 m x 27 m at the State Key
Laboratory of Fire Science, the University of Science and
Technology of China (USTC) has been completed with
funding from the PolyU. Research on performance-based fire
codes is being carried out under the Area of Excellence in
Construction .
Dectection & Alarm

Sprinkler Systems
Atria Fires
Performance Based Codes
Essential Supply
RESEARCH FOCUS
Current research may be divided into theoretical and practical
activities. In the theoretical aspects, focus has been on fire
modelling. Analysis of fire spread uses computational fluid
dynamics or field modelling. Fire-induced air flow field and
the resulting smoke movement pattern in an enclosure at the
pre-flashover stage can be calculated. Combustion phenomena
is being studied to upgrade the model to the post-flashover
stage. The development and integration with fire zone models
is also being studied.
Practical work on sprinkler systems includes a study of the
interaction between fire plume and the properties of sprinkler
water sprays, and the application of advanced sprinkler types
in fire situations. Studies on industrial fires and restaurant
fires are in progress. Research on smoke control methods in
different buildings such as atria, hotels and staircases in tall
buildings are well advanced. A new concept is developed on
the smoke filling process and recommendation have been
made to modify local regulations. Research on fire risk
Fish-eye view of the new PolyU/USTC atria building
In recognition of the Departments international reputation in

Fire Engineering Premier Li Peng wrote down on June 1997
at the PolyU/USTC atrium opening ceremony to emphasis the
importance of fire research in the Department of Building
Services Engineering: "Develop and Explore Research in
Fire Sciences; For the Benefit of the People and the Society
of China.."
For hydraulics services work there are experimental rigs for
pump testing, water balancing, and flow measurements.
18
CURRENT PROJECTS
Experimental Studies on Atrium Fires and Evaluation of
the Associated Fire Services Systems. Chow, W. K., Cui,
E (FT RA) and Yin, R. M. (FT PhD)
Analysis of Fire Hazard in Airport Terminal Buildings.
Chow, W. K. and Im, S. W. (PT MPhil)
Fire Safety in Atrium Buildings. Chow, W. K., and Cui, E
(FT RA).Industrial Fire in Hong Kong, Chow, W. K. and
Cheung, K. C. (PT PhD)
Mesh System Analysis in Building Fire Field Models.
Fong, N. K., Chow, W. K. and Ho, C. M. (FT PhD)
Building Fire Risk Analysis. Fong, N. K., Chow, W. K.
and Wong, K. C. (FT MPhil)
Combustion Effect in Building Fires. Chow, W. K. and
Mok, W. K. V. (PT PhD)
Fire Safety in Old High-rise Commercial and Residential
Buildings, Wong, L. T., Chow, W. K. and Kwan, E. C. Y.
(FT PhD)
Critical Evaluation of Providing Sprinkler System in Old
High-rise Non-residential buildings, Wong, L. T., Chow,
W. K. and Chong, H. W. (FT PhD)
Study of Building Fire Using Field Models With
Boundary-fitted Co-ordinate System. Fong, N. K.
Smoke Movement and Smoke Filling Process in Buildings
and Physical Scale Models. Wong, L. T.
Extensive fire services provisions are the hallmark of highrise buildings
19
BUILDING ENVIRONMENTAL PERFORMANCE

World-wide there is increasing concern about environmental
pollution and sustainable development. Urban centres such as
Hong Kong consume vast amounts of natural resources to
support their growth and lifestyles. Developing countries will
impose further stresses on the planet resources and ecology.
World-wide there is increasing concern about environmental
pollution and sustainable development. Urban centres such as
Hong Kong consume vast amounts of natural resources to
support their growth and lifestyles. Developing countries will
impose further stresses on the planet resources and ecology.
The environmental performance of buildings, particularly
indoor air quality and energy efficiency, draws the attention
of the Government and the private sector. Given that energy
is required to provide indoor services, trade-off between
Environmental Performance
New
Global
Existing
Local
Indoor
Materials Use
Electricity Demand
Lighting
Energy Use
Waste & Effluent
Noise
Noise
Air Quality
Project team: Burnett, J., Chau, C. K., Yik, F. W. H.,

Davies, H. (BRE).
Performance Indicators for the quality of the environment
within air-conditioned offices. Project funded by Research
Grants Council. Project team: Burnett, J., Chan, D. W. T.
(PT PhD), Tang, S. K., Chung, T. M. and Ng, S. C. H.
Building Energy Star/ Green Lights Program - Energy
Efficiency Study on Queensway Office Building. Joint
Research Project with Electrical & Mechanical Services
Department. Project funded by United States
Environmental Protection Agency. Project team: Burnett,
J., Wang, S. W., Chung, T. M., Lip, S. and Leung, C. S.
Keeping Hong Kong Hotel Industry CompetitiveEnvironmental Management for Hotels. Joint Project with
the Institute for Environmental Studies, HKUST
supported by the Hong Kong Hotels Association funded
from the Services Support Fund Project team: Heineinke,
G., Mcinnis, D., Warren, K., IESD, Burnett, J., Chan, K.
T. and Deng, S. M.
Projects dealing with the indoor environment and building
energy efficiency are detailed elsewhere.
Materials
energy use and services quality is inevitable. Optimisation of

overall performance of a building optimises energy use.
RESEARCH FOCUS
The Department of Building Services Engineering is
undertaking a number of linked studies into various aspects of
building environmental performance, energy use and indoor
environmental performance. Many of these are carried out
with the participation of the Government and the private
sector, mainly building owners, hoteliers and facility
managers. The objectives are broadly the same for each
project:
to provide reliable data for benchmarking and to establish
building and system performance indicators;
to promulgate good building and system design,
installation and operations practices; and
to provide useful data to support the improved design of
new buildings and the upgrading of existing buildings.
CURRENT PROJECTS
The major projects in this area of activity are:
Building Environmental Assessment - Evaluation of costs
and benefits of improved environmental performance.
Project funded by Area of Excellence in Construction.
20
BUILDING ENERGY STUDIES

RESEARCH CO-ORDINATOR: DR. FRANCIS W.H. YIK BSC(ENG), MSC(ENG), PHD, RPE, CENG, MCIBSE, MIMECHE, MHKIE
"Many detailed studies have shown the large technical potential for
meeting the needs and aspirations of society with much less energy
use. There are many examples of applications of energy efficiency or
energy saving techniques which are extremely economic, with rapid
payback periods. Much existing technology is not used to its full
potential in raising efficiency in energy provision and use. This
failure to reach full potential in the use of existing technology is
largely the result of poor management and poor training.
Recognition of the true causes of this failure will shift emphasis
away from the pursuit of new technology to the better application of
efficient existing technology, to general benefit." - World Energy
Council.
This statement is particularly true in respect of the large airconditioned buildings found in Hong Kong and in similar
cities elsewhere. Even as new buildings rise from drawing
board it is important not to forget the vast stock of existing
buildings. It is appropriate to study the performance of
existing buildings, their systems and equipment, in order to
establish the potential for upgrading, and to develop improved
design, installation, operation and maintenance techniques.
New Buildings
Building Envelop
Existing Buildings
Energy Use Auditing
HVAC Systems
HVAC Systems
Lighting Systems
Lighting Systems
Optimised Control
Transportation
Optimised Conrol
RESEARCH FOCUS
Focus is placed on air-conditioning and lighting systems, as
these dominate energy consumption in large air-conditioned
buildings. Studies take into account the balance between
indoor environmental quality and energy efficiency. Energy
research in the Department targets:
quantification of energy end-use patterns in various types
of buildings and by the engineering systems;
development of methods and tools for accurate prediction
of energy use by buildings and systems;
development of optimised operational control methods for
engineering services systems in buildings; and
application of alternative energy sources.
The purpose of end-use data is to profile energy use patterns,
quantify potential savings, determine approaches to realise
savings, and to feedback to design. Projects embrace audits
for various institutional, commercial and hotel buildings
which involve survey and measurement of energy
consumption and system performance in existing buildings.

On site measurement techniques and facilities for this purpose
have been developed. Energy is also assessed in terms of
power supply quality.
Energy intensive buildings along the harbour front of Hong Kong

Island
The Department is leading an implementation of the US EPA

Building Energy Star programme in collaboration with the
Electrical & Mechanical Services Department. The grant of
HK$1.5m, awarded against competition from the US and
world-wide, is the only project outside the US funded in 1996.
The grant is being used to underwrite the retrofit of lighting
equipment and measuring systems in a Government office
building. The project seeks to illustrate how existing building
performance can be improved in a cost-effective manner.
Research into prediction of energy use by buildings and
systems includes the establishment of accurate data for use in
system design and in building system performance
calculations, development of methods and computer programs
for modelling thermal performance of buildings and services
systems, and evaluation and validation of proprietary building
energy simulation software.
The HVACR laboratory includes energy monitoring systems
for undertaking extensive measurements and monitoring in
buildings, such as the performance of central chiller plants
and air handling units, etc., allowing detailed analysis and
evaluation of efficiency. These systems are computerised,
complete with a real time data acquisition/analysis software
packages, and are able to trend log the electrical energy
inputs and corresponding outputs (cooling, heating, flow rate,
temperature, pressure etc.) at one-minute intervals.
Sophisticated 3-D graphic presentations and analysis
softwares are used for data presentation and analysis.
The performance of equipment such as dehumidifiers can be
tested in an environmental chamber equipped with cooling
coil, heater and humidifier. The inside conditions can be
maintained with temperature from 15 to 35, and relative
humidity from 40% to 90%. An indoor aerodynamics
21
chamber is used to study the convective flow pattern induced

by the supply and return air through diffusers and grilles, and
the air temperature, relative humidity and velocity contours
inside an air conditioned space. The flexible ceiling
construction allows different types and layouts of air diffusers
(and luminaries) to be tested and movable partitions are
available to simulate different room configurations.
Small scale chilled water plant and air-conditioning systems
are used for experiments and for studies on performance of
A/C system components. The control system on the VAV
system allows advanced control strategies and in-situ
equipment performance measurement techniques to be
developed. Other test rigs include:
fan test rig compliant with ASHRAE 51-75. Fan
performance can be determined in terms of flow rate,
pressure, air density, speed power and efficiency.
air filter test rig, equipped with flow nozzle, samplers and
opacity meter for filter tests to ASHRAE 52-76.
medium-sized calibration water flow rig for comparing
accuracy of flowmeters and investigating flow
characteristics.
CURRENT PROJECTS
Funded research projects include:
Air-conditioning System Control Optimisation and Fault
Detection, Wang, S. W., Burnett, J. and Wang, J. B. (FT
PhD)
Building System Emulation & Simulation. Wang, S. W.,
Wang, J. B. (FT PhD) and Jin, X. Q. (RA)
Characteristics Studies of a Water Chiller with Hot Water
Supply. Deng, S. M., Gilleard, J. and Tan, K. X. (FT
MPhil)
Control Optimisation and Energy Saving of Centralised
Air-conditioning System Based on Building System
Simulation, Emulation and Energy Monitoring, Wang, S.
W., Burnett, J. and Jin, X. Q. (RA)
Control Optimisation and Dynamic Modelling of VaV
Air-conditioning Systems, Wang, S. W.
Demonstration Models of Photovolatic Integration in
Buildings, Yang, H. X.
Development of Decoupled Sensible and Latent Heat
Treatment in A/C System Design. Niu, J. L. and Zhang,
H. (RA)
Energy Efficient Air-conditioning System. Jones, P.
(UWCC) and Lee, W. L. (PT PhD)
Energy impact of increased diffuse solar radiation due to
reflection from adjacent curtain wall buildings in Hong
Kong. Chan, K. T. and Yik, F. W. H.
HVAC System Design for Optimum Control Performance.
Wright, J. A. (Loughbourough University), Chow, W. K.
and Ho, W. F.
Impact of Transient Heat from Lighting on HVAC,
Loveday, D. L., (Loughbourough University), Chow, W.K.
and Chung, T. M.
Moisture Transfer in Porous Building Fabric Materials
with Particular Reference to Typical Buildings. Yik, F. W.
H. and Chan, K. T.
Optimising and Commissioning Control Strategies in
Building Management System, Wang, S. W. and Jin, X.
Q. (RA)
Optimisation Control Strategy for a Large Seawater
Cooled Air-Conditioning Plant. Yik, F. W. H., Chow, W.
K. and Chan, T. K. (PT MPhil)
Optimum Design and Operation of Mechanical
Ventilation Systems in Hong Kong, Burnett, J., Chow, W.
K. and Yiu, J. C. M. K. (PT PhD)
hot and cold box for measuring thermal properties of

building envelope elements.
air flow measurement equipment for velocity, absolute and
differential pressure, temperature, etc.
precision cyclic chilled mirror humidity sensor set for
accurate measurement of relative humidity.
Photovoltaic Integration in Building for Electricity

Generation in Hong Kong. Yang, H. X., Gilleard, J. and
Burnett, J.
Reference Energy Signatures for Controlling and
Improving Energy Performance of Commercial Buildings
in Hong Kong. Yik, F. W. H., Chow, W. K. and Sat, P. S.
K. (PT MPhil)
Studies on Building Energy Modelling in Hong Kong,
Chow, W. K. and Yu, P. C. H. (PT PhD)
The Potential Electricity Generation Capacity of PVintegrated Buildings in Hong Kong. Yang, H. X., and
You, S. J. (RA).
22
INDOOR ENVIRONMENTAL QUALITY

The primary objective of a building is to provide an
environment that sustains the activities carried out within.
City dwellers spent most of their time inside buildings, in
homes, places of leisure and workplaces. For a quality
lifestyle, safe, healthy and comfortable indoor environments
are needed. There is a relationship between productivity,
space comfort, indoor air quality and occupant satisfaction,
which optimises energy use, owner needs and employee
evaluation of workspace conditions.
When occupants are exposed to an environment that results in
discomfort or illness, unnecessary costs may be incurred
through absenteeism or loss of productivity. Investments in
improving the quality of design, construction and
maintenance of buildings which result in only decreased
absenteeism or increased productivity, are highly costeffective. Comfort conditions can be quantified in terms of air
temperature and movement, relative humidity, lighting
quality, noise, etc.
Indoor air quality may be defined in terms of 'freshness',
systems, human activities, mechanical services and the breakin noise from outdoors.
RESEARCH FOCUS
The Department research focuses on evaluating the
environmental conditions found inside buildings. The
Department recently completed a large scale in-office stud
covering the measurement of thermal comfort, indoor air
quality, noise and lighting. The extensive database obtained is
useful in determining the optimum design criteria for indoor
environments. Several prototypes for logging indoor
environmental parameters have been developed. These can
monitor continuously the physical environment and subjective
responses of occupants.
The work continues with measurement of ventilation system
performance. A measurement methodology for evaluating
ventilation performance in large office spaces has been
developed based on monitoring metabolic carbon dioxide,
tracer gas decay and air flow measurements. Studies on
indoor air pollution targets those pollutants which are of most
Indoor Environmental Quality
Indoor Environments
Comfort
Thermal Comfort
Lighting Quality
Produtivity
Noise
usually defined by carbon dioxide level, and by 'purity', i.e.,

acceptable levels of annoying or harmful pollutants. Still or
stale air may be discomforting, but the health impacts of
polluted air can be more serious, from irritation, temporary
debilitation to severe illness.
Pollution indoors can arise from outdoors, through outside air
intakes and from uncontrolled infiltration. Congested streets,
industrial effluent, construction sites, etc., contribute to the
pollution of local ambient air. High traffic densities and
vehicular access into buildings introduce an array of
pollutants the potency of which is of increasing concern. Air
duct linings, dirty air handling equipment, etc., contaminate
during the conditioning and transport of air. Internal sources
of pollutants are people, smoking, equipment, furniture,
finishes, etc.
Interior lighting has a significant impact on the quality of the
indoor environment affecting occupant comfort and
productivity. However, as discussed in the section on
Electrical Services, the design of lighting systems needs to
embrace energy efficiency and power quality issues also.
Noise and vibration have substantial impact on humans and
their control is indispensable in the establishment up of a
comfortable indoor environment. Inside a building, noise and
vibration problems come mainly from the air conditioning
Air Quality
Air Pollution
concern locally: radon, biological, carbon monoxide, and

volatile organic compounds.
The noise and lighting surveys reveal very useful information
for enhancing the design of open plan offices. Research on
noise control, standard testing of sound power, sound
absorption, flow noise and office noise characteristics are in
progress.
An Indoor Environmental Laboratory was set up in 1993 with
a large grant from the Research Grants Council. The test rigs
in this laboratory are mostly portable, comprising various gas
analysers, temperature, humidity and air flow sensors, etc.,
for measurements in occupied spaces, on air-side systems,
etc.. Test rigs have been developed for the evaluation of
thermal comfort, indoor air quality and ventilation
performance. These include:
thermal comfort carts consisting of a data logger, carbon
dioxide monitor, sensors for humidity, air temperature,
globe temperature and air speed at heights of 0.1m , 0.6m
and 1.1m, to comply with ASHRAE 55-1992. These are
used in conjunction with an occupant questionnaire to
evaluate the acceptability of the indoor environment;
27
a toxic gas measurement set for the common toxic gases,

as well as temperature, RH and dust;
air flow test rig for the evaluation of air flow in airconditioned spaces by a flow visualisation technique;
a high precision gas analyser is used for tracer gas
measurements. A sampler/doser gas multiplexer has been
developed for measurement in large volume spaces such as
open-plan offices;
the environment inside air ducts can be evaluated using
dust monitors. A mechanical robot with built-in camera is
available to conduct visual inspections;
volatile organic compounds can be measured by photoacoustic spectroscopy or gas chromatography;
an air-tight stainless steel chamber (2 x 2 x 1.6m3) has
been built for material and equipment emission and air
cleaning testing;
micro-organism sampling has been done by CFU counts
on agar plates by the impact method, or CFU in air flows
by dynamic sampling on agar strips.
Air Recirculation Systems of Building in Hong Kong. Yik,

F. W. H., Chau, C. K., Burnett, J. and Law, A. K. Y. (FT
MPhil)
An Integrated Disciplinary Solution to Indoor Air Quality.
Jones, P. (UWCC), Burnett, J., Chan, D. W. T. (PT PhD).
Building Environment Performance Model for Variable
Air Volume Systems in Air-conditioned High Rise
Buildings in Sub-tropical Climate Zone. Burnett, J., Chan,
D. W. T. (PT PhD) and Mui, H. K. W. (FT MPhil)
Evaluation of Volatile Organic Compound During and
After Building Renovation. Niu, J. L., Burnett, J., Chao,
C. Y. H. (HKUST) and Chui, W. Y. (FT MPhil)
Indoor-Outdoor Relationships for Airborne Particulate in
Residential Building, Burnett, J., Chao, C. Y. H.
(HKUST) and Tung, C. W. (FT PhD)
Low
Frequency
Sound
Transmission
Through
Asymmetrical Rectangular Air Duct. Tang, S. K. and
Chow, K.K. (RA)
Noise Generation Inside Air Duct due to Turbulent Flow.
Tang, S. K. and Ffowcs, J. E. (University of Cambridge)
Optimised Design of Car Parks Ventilation Systems.
Burnett, J., Deng, S. M. and Chan, J. M. Y. (PT PhD)
Performance Indicators for the Quality of the Environment
Within Air-conditioned Offices. Burnett, J., Chan, D. W.
T. (PT PhD), Chung, T. M., Tang, S. K., Ng, S. C. H. and
Liu, F. X. (RA)
Students testing the acoustical properties of a sound insulated booth
The Acoustics Laboratory is equipped with a wide range of

acoustics equipment suitable for noise and vibration
measurements inside and outside buildings, on HVAC
systems and equipment, such as:
measurement of noise or vibration levels, with weighting
or frequency analysis;
monitoring of noise level, with statistical noise level
measurement;
sound power by comparison method and sound intensity
method;
Study of Existence, Distribution and Survival of Airborne

Legionella in Indoor Environments by Polymerase Chain
Reaction Method. Chan, D. W. T, Burnett, J. and Zhou, S.
(R Assoc)
The Development of Noise Criterion for Air-conditioned
Office Buildings. Tang, S. K. and Leung, C. K. (PT RS)
Time budget Survey of the Hong Kong Population and
Measurement of Total Exposure to Major Air Pollutants.
Niu, J. L., Burnett, J., Chao, C. Y. H. (HKUST) and Tu,
E. Y. (PhD)
Ventilation Performance in Large Air-conditioned Office
Building. Burnett, J., Jones, P. (UWCC)
normal incidence sound absorption coefficient and sound

impedance by standing wave tube method;
reverberation time of a room;
impact sound transmission in buildings;
determination of coherence and cross-correlation of two
signals to see the cause and effect relationships;
assessment of hearing loss for auditory health monitoring;
duct break-out noise measurements.
CURRENT PROJECTS
A Study on the Active Control of Noise that Breaks Into
Buildings. Tang, S. K., Li, X. D. (R Assoc) and Leung, C.
K. (RA)
Setting up sophisticated air quality monitoring systems in the

Departments Indoor Air Quality Laboratory
Active Control of Sound Transmission into Enclosures

Through Panel Structures. Tang, S. K. and Tian, J.
(Chinese Academy of Sciences)
24
ELECTRICAL SERVICES
RESEARCH LEADER: PROF. JOHN BURNETT
Electricity is by far the dominant form of energy used in

buildings in Hong Kong. Large, air-conditioned buildings
require extensive power supply and distribution systems. Low
voltage distribution at 220/380V, 50 Hz is most often used,
but HV distribution at 11 kV is increasingly common for
taller buildings. Many buildings house several supply
transformers and significant emergency and standby
generator capacity. Distribution is by riser systems,
comprising either cable, busbar or busduct.
The design and operation of emergency electrical supply
systems is critical to safety in densely populated high-rise
buildings. Maintaining supply to fire fighting systems is
essential for evacuation and fire and smoke control. Standby
supplies for critical business applications are required to
avoid potentially expensive shut down. Reliability is an
essential aspect of design and maintenance practice.
Computer equipment, lighting systems and some large drives
Evaluation of user satisfaction with lighting systems has been

the focus of a number of field studies. Energy use studies have
examined the efficiency of equipment and controls for energy
conservation. The efficient use of daylight in crowded highrise buildings in Hong Kong is difficult, given the dependence
on window design, office layout, use of VDU etc.. Although
the Department does not engage in the design of equipment, it
does have the facilities to evaluate luminaire design, such as
light output, photometric data and the operating temperature
of lamps inside luminaries.
Most of the Departments equipment is suitable for on site
testing and measurement work, including instruments for:
power quality analysis (harmonics, transients, etc.);
extra low-frequency magnetic field measurements;
Building Electrical Services
Electrical Systems in Buildings
Essential Supply
(Standby/Emergency)
Co-ordinated Design
Electromagnetic
Compatibility
ELV Magnetic Fields
Lighting System
Design
Harmonics
Reliability
Field Surveys
Field Survey
Screening
System Modelling
produce power quality problems, particularly for tenants, but

may also cause equipment failure. The presence of conductors
carrying an excess of 2000A can produce significant external
magnetic fields, which can cause interference to sensitive
equipment.
Intelligent
Buildings
Daylighting
Vertical Transportaion
Interior Lighting
Comminications
Exterior Lighting
Control Systems
Emergency Lighting
testing and commissioning of electrical installations and

equipment; and
monitoring of power and energy use.
Lighting is required for functional and aesthetic purposes,

security and safety. Interior lighting has a significant impact
on the quality of the indoor environment affecting occupant
comfort and productivity. Lighting also accounts for a
substantial part of the energy used in buildings, in direct use
and as a part of the cooling load.
RESEARCH FOCUS
Research in the Department focuses on the safety, power
quality and energy efficiency of building electricity supply,
distribution and utilisation. Lighting research embraces whole
system performance; light output quality, energy efficiency
and power quality. The output from research is intended to
improve the processes of design, operation and maintenance
of electrical installations in and around buildings.
Students investigate the electrical characteristics of electronic

ballasts. In the background is the Integrating Sphere used for
accurately measuring light output from lamps
25
The Department has a full range of instruments for

conducting most lighting measurements required in practice,
including:
an artificial sky enables daylighting studies to be
performed on models of a building;
a flexible ceiling lighting system with dimming facility is
installed for light distribution studies with different
luminaries arrangements;
an integrating sphere enables the total luminous flux
output of a lamp or luminaries to be measured;
a goniophotometer is available for luminous intensity
distribution measurements which, with the integrating
sphere, will enable the complete set of photometric data to
CIBSE TM14 to be produced for any luminaries type.
CURRENT PROJECTS
Electric Power System Harmonics Modelling for Modern
Commercial Buildings. Burnett, J., Du, P. and Rao, K. R.
(PT PhD)
Energy Efficient Lighting Systems. Jones, P. (UWCC),
Burnett, J., Lip, S. (PT PhD)
Modelling High Current, Low Voltage Busbar and
Cabling Systems in Buildings. Burnett, J., Du, P. and Fu,
Z. C. (RA)
Study of Magnetic Field Shielding in Large Office
Buildings. Burnett, J., Du, Y. P. and Kong, S. S. K. (FT
MPhil)
Survey of Electromagnetic Interference in Buildings. Du,
P., Burnett, J., Cheng, Z. Y. and Wang, L. Y.
26
MANAGEMENT & CAD

FACILITY MANAGEMENT
Facility Management is an emerging discipline in the
department. Currently the main research focus within the
department is related environmental performance (IAQ,
Building Energy Management; Building Environmental
Performance). However, non-technical research projects have
also been established during the last two years. For example,
based on the results of a questionnaire survey among facility
management professionals in Hong Kong, a recent research
project has reviewed current and future applications for
Alternative Officing in Hong Kong. Another project,
currently the focus of an MPhil degree, attempts to add
clarification to building floor area measurement standards by
considering research undertaken in Asia through
questionnaire surveys and in-depth interviews. The current
findings indicate that much confusion exists within the region
regarding terminology and calculation methods, resulting in
errors that may prove costly both in terms of time and money.
The Measurement of Facility Performance related to Space

Allocation in Hong Kong Offices, research supervisor
John D. Gilleard and Mr. D.R. Rees, MPhil candidate.
PolyU funded project.
Alternative Workplace Strategies, principal investigator,
John D. Gilleard. PolyU funded project.
Benchmarking Practices, principal investigator, John D.
Gilleard. PolyU funded project.
Learning On-line: The Application of Computer-based
Training for Building Services Engineers, principal
investigator John D. Gilleard with MakCheuk-ming.
PolyU funded project.
Computer-aided Learning in BSE, principal investigator,
John D. Gilleard. PolyU funded project.
COMPUTER AIDED DESIGN

Over the last five years the BSE department has developed a
number of CAD research topics in the area of preliminary
design and expert systems. The work has been focused at
either the M.Phil/PhD or graduate dissertation level. For
example, an early project [1991-1995] explored the use of
HyperCard as a suitable software tool for Sprinkler Layout
Design. HyperCard uses a hypertext programme to code
information - in this case the Loss Preventative Councils
Sprinkler Design Rules. The work was successful, resulting in
the award of a PolyU M.Phil and a number of journal and
conference papers. Another project, again using a hypermedia
approach, is attempting to model the flow of design
information at the early stage of a project. Studies have shown
this to be a critical period where costly mistakes may be
prevented providing an accurate, yet simple, early design
model may be produced. (The cost impact of design changes
is increasingly more significant the later into the designconstruct cycle a project progresses.) This work is for a PhD.
Another project, also at the PhD level, explores the use of
CLIPS, an expert system shell programme, in selecting an
appropriate air-conditioning system given non-specific design
data. Again this an early design tool aimed at improving
system selection given fuzzy and non-structured design
information. In addition, a number of projects have explored
the use of off-the-peg CAD software to create priced bills of
materials directly from CAD blueprints.
On-going Research Projects:
Collaborative Design in Building Services Engineering,
research supervisor John D. Gilleard and Mr. Lee, Yanchuen, (PhD candidate). PolyU funded project.
Development of a Preliminary Design Expert System for
Building Services Engineering, research supervisors John
D. Gilleard and Deng Shi-ming with Mr. Yip Man-lit
(PhD candidate). PolyU funded project.
27
A full range of facilities and equipment are available to
support
undergraduate
and
postgraduate
teaching
programmes, specialist courses, research and consultancy
work. Much of the equipment available are suitable for on-site
testing and measurement work. The Department specialist
teaching space, comprising laboratories and design office
facilities, occupy around 1300 m2.
FACET, a sophisticated package for the design of a full

range of building services systems;
LABORATORIES
HTB2 for analaysing building cooling loads for HVAC

system design;
The Department laboratories are heavily utilised for teaching,

research and consultancy. The specialist facilities include
laboratories for:
HVAC services;
Fire engineering;
LumenMicro for the design and evaluation of lighting

systems;
Electrical Distribution and Transmission Systems
Analysis (EDSA), a set of programs for electrical
distribution system design and analysis;
Micro-DOE2 for analysing energy use in buildings and

associated heating, ventilation and air-conditioning
systems;
BLAST (Building Loads Analysis and System
Thermodynamics) to perform peak load calculations and
hourly simulation of buildings, air-handling systems and
central plant;
Electrical services;
Lighting;
Indoor air quality;
LIBRA Thermal, a finite element analysis program for

solving heat transfer problems;
Acoustics.
Details on equipment and capabilities are given in the various
sections dealing with research activities.
DESIGN OFFICE
Computer-aided design and drafting forms an important part
of the Department teaching programmes. The Department
design office occupies over 350 m2 of space. This includes an
open plan office, a drafting area, an entry-level CAD room, a
crit/tutorial/catalogue room, and a CAD development room
with the latest Pentium computers and various plotting and
printing facilities linked by a LAN. Peripherals include
scanners, digitisers, large size plotters and various printing
facilities.
NISA Fluid 3D, for analysing a wide range of two and

three dimensional flow problems using finite element
technique;
Hazard I, a fire risk analysis model developed by the
National Fire Protection Association, USA. Includes the
zone model CFAST, the egress model EXITT, etc.;
FLOVent, a computational fluid dynamics package for
simulating flow field induced by heat sources;
PHOENICS, a computational fluid dynamics package for
simulating flow field induced by heat sources;
TASEF, a finite element package for simulating the
thermal fire resistance of building materials.
COMPUTER SOFTWARE
The Department uses a wide range of software for teaching
and research, from entry level business and CAD applications
to specialist computer modelling and analysis softwares. The
main items include:
windows-based work processing, spreadsheet
presentation programs for basic computer usage;
and
AutoCAD for drafting and designing of architectural

layout and building services systems;
HevaComp design software covers a range of building
services systems. This package includes HevaCAD and
BSL Library-HevaStar;
Building Services Library (BSL) for the AutoCAD
environment, offering a comprehensive library of symbols
and routines. BSL to link to HevaCAD, allowing design
from the concept stage to final working drawings;
BECON, an in-house design simulation package, for
HVAC system design and evaluation. The package
includes OTTV, HKDLC and other sub-routines for
evaluation of budding load and performance.
28
CONSULTANCY SERVICES
All consultancy activities carried out by staff is regarded as
Departmental Consultancy. The Head of Department is
responsible for the overall management of consultancy
activities including the involvement of technicians, equipment
use, allocation of staff time, etc. Acceptance of projects shall
weight the benefits brought to teaching, research and staff
development against the need to provide services to society.
The outputs from consultancy projects are subject to
professional review within the Department
time, etc. Acceptance of projects shall weight the benefits

brought to teaching, research and staff development against
the need to provide services to society. The outputs from
consultancy projects are subject to professional review within
the Department.
Examples of consultancy projects carried out in the last few

years:
Assessing risk of condensation of walls and ceilings
enclosing an ice skating rink;
Assessment of car park ventilation systems;
Calculation of the magnetic field generated by the LV
cables in transformer rooms;
Design of metal shield to suppress magnetic field
interference to VDUs in the Offices;
Development of an environmental assessment method for
buildings in Hong Kong (HK-BEAM);
Energy audits on HKHA hotels;
Energy audit on commercial buildings;
Energy database for the commercial sector.
HK-BEAM Building Environmental Assessment Method prepared

on behalf of The Real Estate Developers association of Hong Kong
Enquires about the consultancy services provided by the

department should be directed to the Head, Department of
Building Services Engineering at the address given in the
contents page.
Establishment of evaluation methods for indoor air

cleaners for indoor pollution control;
Evaluation of the overall indoor air quality in buildings;
Harmonic surveys in commercial buildings;
Investigating the ventilation adequacy in platforms and
concourses of stations;
Investigation into mitigation measures for radon emissions
from walls;
Investigation into the impact of road widening on adjacent
residential buildings - noise, vibration, and air pollution;
Measurement of indoor pollutant levels of airborne
particulate and perchloroethylene;
Measurement of indoor radon levels in residential
premises and office premises;
Measuring carbon monoxide as part of an investigation into the

performance of a car park ventilation system
Quantification and qualification of the number of cooling

towers in Hong Kong;
Testing of a new fan coil system in a high rise building.
QUALITY ASSURANCE
Detailed administrative procedures for the management of
consultancy work is provided by the University. The main
purpose is to ensure that teaching and other duties of the staff
are not adversely affected by consultancy activities.
The Head of the Department is responsible for the overall
management of consultancy activities including the
involvement of technicians, equipment use, allocation of staff,
29
RECENT PUBLICATIONS
FIRE ENGINEERING
1.
A better parameter for specifying the requirement of smoke control system

in atria. Chow W. K, The Hong Kong Engineers - Engineering for Public
Safety - The Hong Kong Institution of Engineers Proceedings, Hong Kong,
pp. 31-39, 23-April, 1997.
5.
Chilled-water cooling and dehumidifying coils with corrugated plate fins :

Modelling method, Yik F. W. H, Underwood C. P, Chow W. K, Building
Services Engineering Research and Technology, Vol. 18, No. 1, pp. 47-58,
1997.
6.
Commentary on Hong Kong's building energy and environmental design

code and guidelines. Burnett J, Niu J. L, Mainland - Hong Kong
Engineering & Construction Standards Exchange Seminar '97. Beijing,
PRC,.Hong Kong Institution of Engineers, 14-15 April, 1997.
2.
A Prediction of fire environment in apartment using zone models. Chow W.

K. Journal of Fire Sciences, Vol. 14, No. 4, pp. 263-312, 1996.
3.
Application of Computational Fluid Dynamics in building services

engineering. Chow W. K, Building and Environment. Vol. 31, No. 5, pp.
425-436, 1996.
7.
Condensation risk assessment for an indoor ice skating rink, Yik F. W. H,

Building Services Engineering Research and Technology, Vol. 17, No. 3,
pp. 119-126, 1996.
4.
Aspect of fires for factories in Hong Kong. Chow W. K, Cheung K. C,

Journal of Applied Fire Science, Vol. 5, No. 1, pp. 17-32, 1996.
8.
Energy performance criteria for commercial buildings in Hong Kong: an

alternative to OTTV. Yik W.H. Francis, Chan K.T, HKIE Transactions,
The Hong Kong Institution of Engineers, Vol. 2, No. 1, pp. 17-22, 1995.
5.
Assessment of the fire protection and ventilation systems in an enclosed

carpark. Chow W. K, Proceedings of the Indoor Air '96, Nagoya, Japan,
Vol. 2, pp. 253-258, 21-26 July 1996.
9.
Energy Study in an Educational Institute. Chow W. K, Ho W. F, Leung W.

K. ASHRAE Transactions, Vol. 102, Part 2, pp. 88-108, 1996.
6.
Comparison of the algorithms PISO and SIMPLER for solving pressurevelocity linker equations in simulating compartmental fire, Chow W. K,
Cheung Y. L, Numerical Heat Transfer, Part A :Applications, Vol.31, No.
1, pp. 87-112, 1997.
10.
Energy Use and Indoor Environments in Hong Kong Buildings. Burnett J,

Yik W.H. Francis, Seminar on Effective Use of Electricity, China Light
and Power Co. Limited, Feb. 9, 1996
11.
7.
Estimation of air temperature induced by a heat source in a compartment

with displacement ventilation, Chow W. K, Journal of Environmental
Systems, Vol. 24, No. 2, pp. 205-219, 1996.
Energy Consumption & Efficiency in Larger Commercial Buildings.

Burnett J. Policy Seminar & Technical Workshop for Ministry of Science
Technology & Environment, Hanoi, Vietnam, pp. 10-11, December, 1996.
12.
8.
Fire hazard assessment in a big hall with the multi-cell zone modelling
concept. Chow W. K, Journal of Fire Sciences, Vol. 15, No. 1, pp. 14-28,
1997.
Review of Modelling and Data Situation of Energy Outlook in Residential

and Commercial Sectors in APEC Region, Yang H. X, Proceedings of the
APERC Workshop, p. 21-24, Tokyo, March, 1997.
13.
Fire Safety code for buildings, Chow W. K, Wong L. T, Mainland- Hong

Kong Engineering and Construction Standards Exchange Seminar '97,
Beijing, China, pp. 11-1 to 11-7, 14-15 April, 1997.
Simulation of energy use in a building with three weather files of Hong

Kong, Chow W. K, Fong S. K, Energy Engineering, Vol. 93, No. 2, pp. 3054, 1996.
14.
Typical Meteorological Year for building energy simulation in Hong

Kong, Chow W. K, Fong S. K, Architectural Science Review, Vol. 40,
No.1, pp. 11-15, 1997.
9.
10.
Multi-cell concept for simulating fires in big enclosures using a zone

model, Chow W.K, Journal of Fire Sciences, vol. 14, no. 3, pp. 186-198,
1996.
11.
Numerical studies on sprinkler - hot layer interaction, Chow W.K, Cheung

Y. L, International Journal of Modelling and Simulation, Vol. 17, No. 2,
pp. 84-91, 1997.
12.
On the use of time constants for specifying the smoke filling process in
atrium halls, Chow W. K, Fire Safety Journal, Vol. 28, No. 2, pp. 165-177,
1997.
13.
Simulation of tunnel fire using a zone model. Chow W. K. Tunnelling and

Underground Space Technology, Vol. 11, No. 2, pp. 221-236, 1996.
14.
Simulation of fire environment for linear atria in Hong Kong, Chow W. K,

ASCE Transactions, Journal of Architectural Engineering, Vol. 3, No. 2,
pp. 80-88, 1997.
15.
Studies on the stability of thermal stratified layer in a forced-ventilation fire

using Computational Fluid Dynamics, Chow W. K, Journal of Applied Fire
Science, Vol.6, No. 1, pp. 15-25, 1997.
16.
Study on the flashover criteria for compartmental fires, Chow W. K,

Journal of Fire Sciences, Vol.15, No. 2, pp. 95-107, 1997.
17.
Study on the smoke movement and control for fires in apartments, Chow
W. K, ASCE Transactions - Journal of Architectural Engineering, Vol. 3,
No. 2, pp.89-96, 1997.
ENERGY STUDIES
INDOOR ENVIRONMENT
1.
Aural environment survey in air-conditioned open-plan offices, Tang S. K,

Burnett J, Poon C. M, Building Services Engineering Research and
Technology, Vol. 17, pp. 97-100, July, 1996.
2.
Criteria for air quality in enclosed car parks, Burnett J, Chan M. Y, Proc.
Instn. Civil Engineers, Vol. 123, pp. 101-110, May 1997.
3.
Design guideline for ventilation systems for pollutants control in large

semi-enclosed bus terminus. Yiu J, Yik F. W. H, Burnett J, Proceedings of
the 17th Air Infiltration Ventilation Centre Conference, Optimum
Ventilation and Air Flow Control in Buildings, Gothenburg, Sweden, pp.
103-111, 17-20 Sept, 1996
4.
Design of ventilation system in a big enclosed car park using

Computational Fluid Dynamics. Chow W. K, Architectural Science
Review, Vol. 39, No. 3, pp. 141-145, 1996
5.
Detailed Measurement of Indoor Radon Level at 5 Residential Premises The Effect of Ventilation', Chao C.Y. H, Tung T, Chan D. and Burnett J,
Journal of Indoor + Built Environment, Vol. 6, No. 5, 1997
6.
Determination of Radon Emanation and Back Diffusion Characteristics of

Building Materials in Small Chamber Test'. Chao C. Y. H, Tung T, Chan
D, Burnett J, Building and Environment, Vol. 32, No. 4, pp.355-362,
1997.
7.
Developing tracer gas technique to determine interzonal air exchange, Niu

J. L, Burnett J, Kooi J.V. D, Ree H. V. D, 17th AIVC conference-Optimum
ventilation and airflow control in buildings, Gothenburg, Sweden, 17-20
September, 1996
1.
A method to estimate direct and diffuse radiation in Hong Kong and its
accuracy. Yik W. H. Francis, Chung T. M, Chan K. T, HKIE
Transactions, H.K, Vol.2, No. 1, pp.23-29, 1995.
2.
A Photovoltaic Integrated Roofing System: A Feasibility Study. Yang H.

X. and Gilleard, J.. Proceedings of the ANZAScA Conference, Hong Kong,
July, 1996
8.
Elevated Residential Radon Levels at Night, Lane-Smith D. R, Chan D. W.

T, Chao C. Y. H, 7th International Conference on Indoor Air Quality and
Climate, Nagoya, Japan, 21-26 July, 1996.
3.
A preliminary evaluation of the program BLAST in simulating the use of

building energy in Hong Kong, Chow W. K, Fong N. K, International
Journal of Modelling and simulation, Vol. 17, No. 2, pp. 160-165, 1997.
9.
4.
BEMS control strategies: Evaluation of realistic performance by computer

simulation, Wang S.W, Burnett J, Building Services Engineering Research
and Technology, vol. 17, no. 1, pp. 15-19, 1996.
Evaluation of Performance of Ventilation Systems by Metabolic Carbon

Dioxide in Large Open-plan Offices, Chan D. W. T, Burnett J, Jones P,
Chan S. International Conference on Indoor Air Quality in Asia, Indoor Air
International, Beijing, China F. p. 1-10, Oct 18-20, 1996
10.
Experimental studies on the air flow characteristics induced by a highsidewall grill in a climate chamber. Chow W.K, Wong L.T, Indoor and
Built Environment. vol. 5, no. 2, pp. 82-98, 1996
30
11.
Field measurement of the air flow characteristics of big mechanically

ventilated spaces, Chow W. K, Wong L. T, Fung W. Y, Building and
Environment, Vol. 31, No. 6, pp. 541-550, 1996
12.
Field study on the indoor thermal environment and carbon monoxide levels
in a large underground car park. Chow W. K. and Wong L. T, Tunnelling
and Underground Space Technology, Vol. 11, No. 3, pp. 333-343, 1996.
13.
Influence of the ventilation system to the particulate level in a hospital, Yiu

J, Tung T, Chao C. Y. H, Burnett J. 7th International Conference on
Indoor Air Quality and Climate, Nagoya, Japan, Vol. 1, pp.545-550, 2126 July, 1996
3.
Magnetic Shielding Principles of Linear Cylindrical shield at Power

Frequency, Du Y, Burnett J, Proc. IEEE 1996 International Symposium on
EMC, Santa Clara, p.488-493, 1996.
MANAGEMENT & CAD

1.
An Expert System for the Preliminary Design of Air-conditioning Systems,

Gilleard J, Yip M. K, Intersymp-96: Cooperative Design Systems
Symposium, Baden-Baden, Germany, August, 1996.
2.
Lighting in Office Premises in Hong Kong, Chung T. M, Symposium on

Electrical Services in Buildings, PolyU, ASHRAE,CIBSE and HKIE, pp.
10.1-11, November, 1996.
Co-ordination of building services and the building procurement system,

Ryali R. K, Lam K. C, Gibb A. G, Shen W. D, 14th Congress International
Federation of Hospital Engineering, Denmark, 24-28 June, 1996.
3.
Numerical studies on the indoor air flow in the occupied zone of ventilated
and air-conditioned space, Chow W. K, Fung W. Y, Building and
Environment, Vol. 31, No. 4, pp. 319-344, 1996.
Cost estimation in an integrated design environment, Gilleard J, Lee S.H,

1st International Conference on Computing & Information Technology for
Architecture, Engineering & Construction, Singapore, May, 1996.
4.
Hypermedia and Engineering Design, Gilleard J, Lee Y. C, The New

Review of Hypermedia and Multimedia, Volume 2, January, 1997.
16.
Performance of sprinkler in atria. Chow W. K. Journal of fire Sciences,

Vol. 14, No. 6, pp. 466-488, 1996.
5.
On-line Outdoor Air Flow Control by Estimating Occupancy, Wang S. W,

Air Conditioning in High Rise Buildings '97, Shanghai, 1997.
17.
Possibility of using laser-fibre optics as a fire detection system, Chow W.K,

Wan Eric T. K, Cheung K. P, Optics and Laser in Engineering, Vol.27, No.
2, pp. 201-210, 1997.
6.
Performance monitoring and measurement for central air-conditioned

chiller plants in buildings in Hong Kong, Deng S. M, Burnett J, HKIE
Transactions, Vol. 4, No. 1, pp. 7-12, April, 1997.
18.
Preliminary views on the application of performance-based fire safety

engineering in industrial building of Hong Kong, Chow W. K, Cheung K.
C, APSOHO 13 Conference, Hong Kong, pp.302-321, 21-22 April, 1997.
7.
Photovoltaics Integration in Buildings, Yang H. X, Burnett, J, Proceedings

of the Asian Industrial Technology Congress 97, p. 82-85, Hong Kong,
January, 1997.
19.
Predication of sound pressure level in an occupied enclosure, Tang S. K,

Chan D. W. T, Chan K. C, Journal of the Acoustical Society of America,
Vol. 101, pp. 2990-2993, May, 1997.
8.
20.
Short-circuiting of Outdoor Air in Air-conditioning Systems, Jones P, Chan

D. W. T, Burnett J, The 7th International Conference on Indoor Air
Quality and Climate, Nagoya, Japan, July 21-26, 1996
Quality Assurance and Constructability in Procurement of Highly Serviced

Buildings, Lam K. C, Gibb A. G. F, Sher W. D, CIB Proceedings
Procurement - A key to innovation, Montreal, Canada, pp . 357-368, May,
1997.
9.
Selection of Procurement Paths for Highly Serviced Hospital Buildings,

Lam K. C, Gibb A.G. F, Sher W. D, CIB Proceedings Procurement - A key
to innovation, Montreal, Canada, pp. 345-356, May, 1997.
14.
15.
21.
Simulation of carbon monoxide level in enclosed car parks using an air

flow network program. Chow W.K, Tunnelling and Underground Space
Technology, Vol. 11, No. 2, pp. 237-240, 1996.
22.
Size Distribution of Airborne Particulate Matters in Shopping Center, Niu

J. L, Chao C. Y. H, Tung T, Burnett J, 7th International Conference on
Indoor Air Quality and Climate, Nagoya, Japan, Vol. 2, pp. 937-942, 1996
23.
Some characteristics of noise in air conditioned landscaped offices, Tang S.

K, Chan J. W.C, Applied Acoustics, Vol. 48, pp. 249-267, July, 1996
24.
Speciated and Non-speciated TVOC Measurements, Niu J. L, Lane -Smith

D. R, Burnett J, Proceedings of Indoor Air 96, Nagoya, Japan, Vol. 3, p.
357, July, 1996
25.
Studies on the 'Ventilation Effectiveness' and modification of the ventilation

system in the waiting hall of a railway station, Chow W.K, Fung W. Y,
Indoor + Built Environment, Vol. 5, No. 5, pp. 280-290, 1996.
26.
Survey of Winter Mode Radon Level in Hong Kong Residential Areas,

Chao C. Y. H, Tung T, Burnett J. 7th International Conference on Indoor
Air Quality and Climate, Nagoya, Japan, Vol. 1, pp. 63-68, 1996.
27.
Survey of the design considerations for ventilating and air-conditioning

systems in Hong Kong, Chow W.K, Fung W.Y. ASHRAE Transactions,
Vol.101, pt. 1, pp. 89-118, April, 1996.
28.
The Conflict Between Indoor Air Quality and Energy Conservation.

Burnett J, Chan D. W. T, Jones P. 7th International Conference on Indoor
Air Quality and Climate, Nagoya, Japan, 21-26 July, 1996.
29.
The Risk of Legionella : impact on building services systems in Hong

Kong, Building Services Engineering Research and Technology, Y. M.
Liu, Chao C. Y. H, Chan D, Burnett J, Vol. 18, No. 2, 1996.
30.
Vertical Profile of Vehicular Borne Pollutants in Urban Environment, Chan

D. W. T,Jones P, Burnett J. 7th International Conference on Indoor Air
Quality and Climate, Nagoya, Japan, 21-26 July, 1996.
31.
Wind effect and human movement on airborne particulate concentration at

office entrance areas, Chao C. Y. H, Tung T, Burnett J. 7th International
Conference on Indoor Air Quality and Climate, Nagoya, Japan, 21-26
July, 1996.
ELECTRICAL SERVICES
1.
ELF Magnetic Field Mitigation in High Rise Buildings, Du Y, Proc. of

Symposium on Electrical Services in Buildings, Hong Kong, pp.5-1, 6
November, 1996.
2.
Magnetic Shielding of Double-Layer Shield at Power Frequency.

Proceedings of IEEE 1997 International Symposium on EMC, Du Y,
Burnett J, p.191-196, Austin, TX, USA, 18-22 August, 1997.
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THE HONG KONG POLYTECHNIC UNIVERSITY

provide support for the professional development,

The main objectives of PolyU, as stipulated in University

FACULTY OF CONSTRUCTION & LAND USE

would include energy efficiency measures, issues of

The Hong Kong Polytechnic University is the only tertiary

Construction site Hong Kong! Reclamation to release more land for

AREA OF EXCELLENCE IN CONSTRUCTION

BUILDING SERVICES ENGINEERING

highest standard to ensure a safe, healthy and energy efficient

for homes and workplaces which are safe (adequate fire

Until the early 80s the necessary expertise to design and

indoor environments which are comfortable and healthy

Interior of a large shopping mall typical of Hong Kong commercial

Increasing sophistication required by businesses, demand for

BUILDING SERVICES ENGINEERS

It is the broad understanding of buildings and their

A large air-conditioned public area of a building

Heavily serviced buildings require skilled engineers and

DEPARTMENT OF BUILDING SERVICES ENGINEERING

contributing significantly to the art and science of

Providing services to building users

The Department embraces multi-disciplinary engineering

Designing systems to provide the services

FT/SAND BEng (Hons)

MSc in Building Services Engineering. A part-time

* Self-financed programmes are programmes outside the University

MSc in Facility Management. A self-financed part-time

The passing years has seen an extensive development and

MEng in Building Services Engineering. A 5-year

'A' levels or TI D(D/C)

MSc in Facility Management (Part-time)

Students engage in a laboratory training exercise using the

The full-time BEng (Hons) course has been converted into a

action taken on feedback from students;

society at large (the taxpayers);

reporting on subject management and outcomes;

regular review of QA processes based on feedback from

The services provided to customers are:

continuous professional development programmes for

annual course report and action plans;

professional consultancy services.

Students enjoying a session on computer aided design in the

the programme. The assessments shall be open and fair, and

Department undertakes a survey of graduates and alumni to

Assessment Panels/Examination Boards are important parts

Staff and students enjoy a graduation party

BSE graduates with the President and Mrs Poon

In early 1997 the Department BEng (Hons) course received

MSC/PGD IN BUILDING SERVICES ENGINEERING

BSE535: Design Considerations for Fire Safety Management

The scheme offers two levels of award, namely Master of

BSE561: Computer Integrated Facility Management

BSE541: Building Acoustics

MSc students using specialist software for advanced studies

Most subjects are taught over a fourteen-week semester

The dissertation projects would be on topics appropriate to

BSE522: Building Energy Simulation

MSC/PGD IN FACILITY MANAGEMENT

This programme is operated as an independent self-financed

Engineering and Construction & Real Estate. Subjects taught

Facility Management is the practice of co-ordinating the

BSE512: Engineering Intelligent Buildings

The scheme offers two levels of award, namely Master of