Congratulations to Prof. Kenneth Leung Mei-yee, Dean of the School of Energy and Environment (SEE) and Director of the State Key Laboratory of Marine Pollution of City University of Hong Kong (CityUHK) and his research team on receiving “2024 Dayu Water Conservancy Science and Technology Progress Award (2nd Class)” by the Chinese Hydraulic Engineering Society. The team received this recognition for their significant contribution in the project "Key Technologies and Applications for Enhancing the Defense Capability and Ecological Function of Urban Seawalls in the Guangdong-Hong Kong-Macao Greater Bay Area."

The Dayu Water Conservancy Science and Technology Award (Dayu Award) is the first national science and technology award in China's water conservancy field. Established with the approval of the National Office for Science & Technology Awards, this prestigious award is organized by the Chinese Hydraulic Engineering Society and sanctioned by the Ministry of Science and Technology of the People’s Republic of China. The awarded project was a collaborative effort involving CityUHK, the Pearl River Water Resources Research Institute, Hohai University, Guangdong Hydropower Planning & Design Institute Co., Ltd., and Guangzhou PRHRI Engineering Survey & Design Co., Ltd.

Under the leadership of Prof. Leung, the team spearheaded research aimed at enhancing the ecological functions and applications of urban seawalls. They established ecological theories to improve habitat complexity and marine biodiversity, and created various ecologically engineered features suitable for both vertical and sloping artificial seawalls. Field tests demonstrated that these features effectively and significantly enhance biodiversity and ecosystem functions on seawalls.

Prof. Leung expressed his gratitude, stating "We are very pleased to receive this honour together with the research teams from the Pearl River Water Resources Research Institute, among others. Winning the Dayu Award acknowledges our efforts in ecological restoration research and our support for the implementation of artificial ecological seawalls by the nation and the Hong Kong Special Administrative Region (HKSAR) Government."

He also extended his sincere appreciation to the HKSAR Government’s Development Bureau and the Civil Engineering and Development Department (CEDD) for their trust and the invaluable opportunities provided to the research team to conduct trials of innovative products on artificial seawalls in Hong Kong.

"The support from the Development Bureau and the CEDD has been crucial throughout the research and development process, promoting product diversification and design optimization," he added.

Mr. Michael Fong Hok-shing, Director of Civil Engineering and Development, warmly congratulated Prof. Leung’s team, saying, "I am very pleased that the CityUHK team has been awarded the Dayu Award, which fully recognises their years of hard work and research achievements. To enhance the biodiversity of artificial seawalls and create a sustainable future, the CEDD will continue to actively promote the research and application of 'eco-shorelines', aiming to benefit the coastal ecosystems of Hong Kong and other cities in the Greater Bay Area,"

Prof. Leung with Ir. Michael Fong, CEDD Director.

Prof. Leung has been working closely with the HKSAR Government to advance and promote innovative eco-shoreline technologies and applications since 2016. With substantial support from the Development Bureau and CEDD, he has tested, implemented, and refined various ecologically engineered features on numerous artificial seawalls across Hong Kong, including locations such as Ma Liu Shui, Sai Kung, Tuen Mun, Tsuen Wan, Wan Chai, Causeway Bay, Lamma Island, and Lei Yue Mun. Additionally, Prof. Leung contributed to the design of a 3.8 -kilometer eco-shoreline in the Tung Chung East reclamation area on Lantau Island. Preliminary research data indicates that this artificial eco-shoreline has successfully attracted over 90 species of marine organisms, showcasing its significant effectiveness.

The innovative ecologically engineered features on the eco-shoreline in Lei Yue Mun.

Professor Leung (right) and a team member conducted research on the eco-shoreline in the Tung Chung East reclamation area.

The team also founded a startup company named afterNature through CityUHK’s HK Tech 300 programme. They developed a range of innovative eco-engineered products, such as eco-tiles, eco-panels, eco-blocks, tidal pools, and armouring units, with the goal of transforming research into practical applications. These products have been adopted by the HKSAR Government and have been promoted in Mainland China, South Korea, the Middle East, and other regions.

Moreover, the CityUHK team’s "eco-tiles" invention has garnered numerous awards, including the Special Prize (Prize of the Korea Invention Promotion Association) and the Gold Medal with Congratulations of the Jury at the 48th International Exhibition of Inventions of Geneva. It also won the Gold Medal in the Asia International Innovative Award at the 2023 Asia International Innovative Invention Exhibition and the Gold Award at the Hong Kong Green Innovations Award as part of the 2022 Hong Kong Awards for Environmental Excellence. Recently, the research team collaborated with the Chinese Hydraulic Engineering Society and the Pearl River Water Resources Research Institute to establish group standards for the "Technical Guide for Ecological Design of Sea Dike," paving the way for further standardization in the Guangdong-Hong Kong-Macao Greater Bay Area.