World-wide Urban Data bank on Physical Forms of Cities & impact Studies of Urban Forms on Human Comfort, Health and Environmental Well-being (VCF2015008) (1 Oct 15 - 31 Dec 18)
• Researchers: NG Yan Yung, REN Chao, LEUNG Yee, LEUNG Kwong Sak, NG Mee Kam, Edward YIM, Steve YIM
• Funding Amount: HK$10,000,000
• Funding source: CUHK Vice-Chancellor's One-off Discretionary Fund

The IPCC 5 report has highlighted the challenges of Climate Change to cities.  Future cities need to be designed to be more resilient and adaptable, and to be able to cope high unknowns, turbulences and unexpected events.  Furthermore, future smart cities endeavour to provide inhabitants of the city their individual, efficient, convenient and quality ways of living.  IEEE defines smart city as follow:

A smart city brings together technology, government and society to enable the following characteristics:

• a smart economy
• Smart mobility
• a smart environment
• smart people
• smart living
• smart governance

Of the six characteristics, “a smart environment” and “smart living” are subjects of our study.  To understand the risks, issues and impacts of how city design affects urban living and health, (A) it is necessary to understand the physics, characteristics and mechanisms of the urban climates of cities; and (B) it is important to correlate the understanding in (A) with human environmental and habitual responses and living so as to develop better solutions and design.