NTU-CEE Distinguished Seminar Series: Professor Pan Wei
Organized By
CEE Seminar Committee
Host By
Associate Professor Tiong Kee Kong Robert
Topic
Systematic Decarbonisation of High-rise Buildings
About the Seminar
The building industry is a major contributor to carbon emissions and anthropogenic climate change. High-rise buildings can be particularly carbon-intensive. The modular construction approach has been promoted widely to reduce carbon emissions and enhance the sustainability of buildings. Modular integrated construction (MiC) as an advanced version was developed in Hong Kong in 2017 and has been quickly implemented in the Greater Bay Area of China for nearly 100 capital projects with remarkable benefits. Also, building decarbonisation requires interdisciplinary knowledge and research into construction engineering, structural engineering, materials, sustainability science, and systems engineering.
This seminar first explains the dialectical system theory of building carbon emissions and how it guides the carbon assessment and reduction of buildings. The seminar then shares the research into systematic multi-level life cycle carbon assessment and modelling of high-rise buildings constructed using MiC in comparison with precast concrete and cast-in-situ methods, low-carbon structural design, as well as carbon emission analysis of buildings at the regional level. Also shared are research into operational energy efficiency and end-of-life material recovery systems. Digital technologies including Building Information Modeling (BIM) and Internet of Things (IoT) are integrated to enable efficient carbon assessment and real-time monitoring throughout the building’s lifecycle. The seminar finally expands the scope of decarbonising buildings toward enhancing the total factor sustainability (TFS) of buildings and adopting MiC technology.
About the Speaker
Professor Pan Wei is Head of Department of Civil Engineering of The University of Hong Kong (HKU), where he is also Executive Director of Centre for Innovation in Construction and Infrastructure Development, and Director of MiCLab and NetZeroLab. A pioneering expert in sustainable construction engineering and management, he is particularly renowned for creating Modular integrated Construction (MiC) in collaboration with Hong Kong's Development Bureau. Professor Pan's research spans modular construction, automation, sustainable infrastructure, and zero carbon building. He has secured HK$180 million research funding and authored over 380 publications. His scholarly impact is reflected in his recognition as a Top 1% cited researcher worldwide by Clarivate Analytics and among the World's Top 2% Scientists by Stanford University.
Professor Pan is Chartered Builder, Chartered Environmentalist, Member of the American Society of Civil Engineers, Fellow of the Higher Education Academy, Fellow of the Institution of Civil Engineers, and Fellow of the Hong Kong Institution of Engineers. His career is supported by over 30 years of working experience in academia and practice internationally including the UK, Singapore, Mainland China, and Hong Kong in building design and engineering, construction project management and innovation, and strategic management. He led or contributed to a number of major construction projects covering tall buildings, infrastructures, and sustainable community development. Professor Pan was awarded “Distinguished Young Investigator of China” by the Chinese Academy of Engineering in 2019, the 2020 Honours List of the HKSAR for his outstanding contribution to fighting the COVID-19, the “ICE Brunel Medal Highly Commended” in 2020, the “MiC Outstanding People” by Development Bureau and Construction Industry Council in 2022, and the “Medal of Honour” by the HKSAR Government in 2025 in recognition of his contribution to MiC.
Registration
Click here for registration
(Registration closes on 19 August 2025, 12:00pm)