Seminar looking at how Systems Engineering can improve carbon emissions in infrastructure,

Lecture by Visiting Academic Dr Wei Pan

Department of Civil & Environmental Engineering, The University of Hong Kong, HKU Overseas Fellowship Awardee 2015-16 to Imperial College London

On Thursday 08 October 2015, Dr Wei Pan, Visiting Academic from the University of Hong Kong provided the first Centre Seminar for the academic year.  

Abstract:

High-density development is no doubt an important way of securing a sustainable future of urban environments. Zero carbon building is a strategic but challenging approach for sustainable development of the built environment. Hundreds of buildings have been reported worldwide to have been designed and/or built to nearly or net zero carbon or energy standards. However, the vast majority of those buildings are low-rise located in cold or temperate climatic zones, rendering the design and delivery of high-rise buildings towards zero carbon being perceived as mission impossible. Coupled with that perception is the lack of systems understanding of building energy use and reductions in hot-and-humid climates, without which benchmarking practices of achieving zero carbon is like comparing apples with pears. This seminar explores systems socio-technical theories by drawing on state-of-the-art research and development of high-rise buildings towards zero carbon in the context of Hong Kong. The seminar will elaborate the intrinsic, albeit overlooked, multifaceted interactions between the social and technical systems of zero carbon building. The interactions will be elucidated and addressed drawing on the activities of the Hong Kong Zero Carbon Partnership. Reflecting on the Hong Kong model within the international context, the seminar will paraphrase Achimedes’ saying by advocating systems the lever and partnership the fulcrum in pursuit of solutions for high-density zero carbon building. 

Biography:

Dr Wei Pan is Co-Chair of Low Carbon Construction (LCC) Taskforce and Associate Director of Centre for Innovation in Construction and Infrastructure Development (CICID) of The University of Hong Kong. He is HKU Overseas Fellowship Awardee to Imperial College London. Dr Pan is specialised in sustainable construction, engineering and management, with research interest in the socio-technical aspects of zero carbon building, lean construction, prefabrication and innovation. He has attracted or engaged over HK$18million research funding from a range of sources including RGC, CPU, CIC, EPSRC, ESF and HEA, and has published over 100 scientific journal and conference papers. He is also leading The Hong Kong Zero Carbon Partnership. Dr Pan is Chartered Builder, Chartered Environmentalist, and Fellow of Higher Education Academy. His career is supported by over 20 years of experience in academia and industry internationally, in building design and engineering, construction and innovation management of major development projects.

Dr Wei Pan can be contacted at wpan@hku.hk