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This research paper assesses the effectiveness of conducting heritage revitalization projects on improving community planning and identifies the advancements and revitalization trends of heritage revitalization in Hong Kong. The study proposes three indicators to judge the effectiveness of heritage revitalization, including attractive appearance and components, creative methods of building techniques and planning, and public acceptance. A case study is adopted to analyze the shortcomings and improvements of the effectiveness of heritage revitalization, along with a comprehensive literature review and statistics related to heritage revitalization in Hong Kong. The results indicated that revitalization is able to effectively modify the outlook of the community and even improve community planning in the future in terms of transportation services, supporting facilities, and living quality. Moreover, by considering the revitalized structure, modern elements and building rehabilitation strategies were included to increase its attractiveness to become emerging tourism spots for business activities. Heritage revitalization practices have been carried out in Hong Kong in the recent decade. The study embarks to identify and analyze the advancements of revitalization development and its revitalizing style reformation by means of the cases recently completed in Hong Kong, which brings insights to academics and policy makers of revitalization in community planning. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Abstract: This study aims to determine an optimal recovery time after a participant has exercised to exhaustion in a controlled climatic condition. Ten males and four females volunteers were examined under hot (30°C) and humid (75% relative humidity) environment in a climatic chamber to simulate typical summer outdoor working conditions of construction workers in Hong Kong. The participants (age 31.3 ± 9.3 years; height 168.5 ± 9.8 cm; weight 62.5 ± 7.1 kg; and percentage body fat 22.9 ± 7.2%) performed graded upper body exercise at a target cadence of 70 rotation per minute (RPM) until exhaustion and were recovered inside the climatic chamber until their physiological conditions returned to the pre-exercise level or lower. Physiological Strain Index (PSI) was used as a yardstick to determine the rate of recovery. The physiological conditions of the participants were monitored by recording their ear temperature (to estimate core temperature), heart rate, oxygen consumption, respiratory exchange ratio and Ratings of Perceived Exertion (RPE). It was found that on average a participant could achieve 97% energetic recovery in 40 min; 90% in 35 min; 82% in 30 min; 75% in 25 min; 68% in 20 min; 60% in 15 min; 53% in 10 min; and 46% in 5 min. Linear regression results showed that recovery time is a significant independent variable to determine the rate of recovery (R 2 = 0.95, P < 0.05). Depending on the level of recovery, an optimal recovery time after exhaustion in a hot and humid environment can be determined based on these findings. [Copyright &y& Elsevier]

A construction project is mostly initiated by the needs of the client. In order to satisfy the client’s requirements in terms of time, cost, and quality, various procurement methods are recommended for selection to increase the chance of success for the complex sequence of activities. Design-build (D&B) integrates design and construction to overcome some of the hurdles inherent in the traditional design-bid-build method. It has been extensively used worldwide and its distinctive features are claimed to deal with the problems of the traditional design-bid-build method. An investigation into the determinants of successful D&B projects can therefore help set a benchmark study for industry practitioners to compare their project performance. To better indicate the success level of D&B projects, the writers developed a project success index for D&B projects in the Hong Kong context, which is assessed by the key project performance indicators of time, cost, quality, and functionality. Multiple regression analysis is then applied to show that the project nature, the effective project management action, and the adoption of innovative management approaches are the critical success factors for D&B projects. The identification of success criteria can furnish project participants with indicators to attain success for their D&B projects for benchmarking and control purposes. The predictors for D&B project success were also determined to enrich the knowledge base for the D&B procurement system. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Traditional teaching modes are engaged with teachers delivering knowledge to students with minimum feedback. Teaching is conducted in lecture theaters and classrooms, which are sometimes designed with minimum flexibility for university education. However, the rapid development of information and communication technologies has altered the teaching pedagogy from traditionally teacher-centered to more collaborative learning between teachers and students. Learning spaces should be designed to be interactive and collaborative with suitable physical movement and social engagement among teachers and students. This paper aims to examine the relationships between modern technology and pedagogical shift, and to identify and discuss the essential design principles for effective active learning through built pedagogy. A recent renovation project of The Hong Kong Polytechnic University in converting conventional classrooms and lecture theaters to active learning spaces was adopted as a case study to illustrate and validate the design principles and their actual implementation. Feedback and responses from 410 end-user students on the impact of the renovated classrooms and lecture theaters on teaching and learning effectiveness were gleaned through empirical survey questionnaires dispatched face-to-face to students after attending classes in the renovated classrooms and lecture theaters. The results of factor analysis indicated that the 15 variables of key design criteria for active learning spaces were consolidated under six underlying clustered factor groups: (1) Versatility of learning space; (2) interior design of learning environment; (3) modern information technology / audio and video (IT/AV) technologies; (4) interior lighting; (5) comfortable furniture and acoustic design; and (6) interior temperature. The survey findings can serve as good references and useful insights for architects in designing new learning spaces and facilities that assist active and collaborative learning for university students in future. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]