Events and Publicity

24 Feb 2024

Sharing at the Civil Aid Service’s Senior Officer Seminar

Dr. Patsy Chau, Dr. Janice Ho, and Miss Molly Lin from the research team were invited to share the project findings on the health impact of extreme heat with over 70 participants at the Senior Officers Seminar of Hong Kong’s Civil Aid Service. Dr. Chau shared information on the pathways of heat stress leading to adverse health outcomes and presented focus group findings of older adults’ perceptions and adaptation strategies to extreme heat. Dr. Ho shared about the increasing challenge of extreme heat due to climate change, spatial variations of heat risk, and the health risk of prolonged heat in Hong Kong. Miss Lin presented the psychological response and reduced sensitivity of older persons to hot temperatures, and evidence-based approaches of engagement. The seminar concluded with a Q&A section and lively discussion.

14 Dec 2023

Staff Heat-Health Training Workshop at Hong Kong Red Cross

The team collaborated with Hong Kong Red Cross (HKRC) to run a Staff Heat-Health Training Workshop at HKRC. The workshop consisted of three parts: research sharing by Dr. Chao Ren, Prof. Jean Woo, Prof. Helene Fung, and Dr. Patsy Chau, HKRC service teams sharing on heat-related programs, and a group discussion. Over 47 participants across 8 service teams from HKRC participated. Dr. Chao Ren shared about improvements to the warning system, the health impact of prolonged heat risk, and the spatial variation of heat risk in Hong Kong. Prof. Jean Woo shared on the risks and symptoms of heat stress, cooling tips, and myth-busting for some common misconceptions. Prof. Helene Fung’s team presented on the sensitivity and knowledge of older persons to hot temperatures, and evidence-based methods to engage older persons using familiarity, self-relevance, and meaningful social activities. Dr. Patsy Chau shared on the perceptions and adaptation strategies of older adults in hot weather from focus group discussions.

27 November 2023

Press Conference (CUHK-led Collaborative Research Predicts Hot Nights To Increase By 50% in 2040s And Extreme Rainfall To Increase By Over 40%)

The research team led by CUHK together with HKUST and HKU predicts that by the middle of this century (2040-49), the highest rainfall per hour will significantly increase, causing severe landslides and flooding. Hot weather, especially hot nights, will also become more frequent in Hong Kong, seriously affecting public health. The team used a climate model combined with Hong Kong’s complex urban environment data to project forthcoming regional differences in heatwaves for the first time. Heatwaves are expected to put pressure on emergency services in the areas hardest hit by hot nights.

4 November 2023

Presentation at the 2023 Asia Pacific Alliance for Health Leaders (APAHL) Forum

Dr. Patsy Chau was invited to give a presentation titled "An Emerging Area for Healthy Ageing: Impact of Heat Stress on Older Adults' Health" at the 2023 Asia Pacific Alliance for Health Leaders Forum.

19 September 2023

Sharing and panel discussion at Climate Week 2023

Dr. Chao Ren was invited to give a talk about Hong Kong heat-health in the session "Towards Adapted Infrastructure for All" and had a panel discussion with Mr. MK Leung from Ronald Lu & Partners and Mr Dennis Ho from Arup during the Climate Week 2023 organised by the Network of Environmnetal Student Societies (NESS).

3 August 2023

Presentation at the Future City International Summit 2023: City Planning and Development

Professor Edward Ng delivered a presentation titled "Future urban living of the older population under climate change" regarding the RIF project at the Future City International Summit 2023 - City Planning and Development.

27 July 2023

Episode on extreme heat in the RTHK's TV programme "Hong Kong Connection"

Professor Edward Ng and Dr Chao Ren were invited to talk about Hong Kong's extreme heat and built environment in the RTHK's TV programme "Hong Kong Connection". The episode was broadcasted on 27 July 2023.

4 July 2023

Manifesto Relay 2023 has now been officially published

The International Manifesto Relay, a project carried out the Copenhagen Architecture Festival and the 28th World Congress of the International Union of Architects, gathers proposals, projects, declarations and speculations about the capacity of architecture to create sustainable futures. Our submitted manifesto has now been officially published online. We hope to call for architects and building professions to take actions to create a healthier and comfortable built environment for the elderly for their well-being.

June 2023

RIF project summary has been published in the IAUC newsletter

An article ummarising the RIF project has been published in the newsletter of the International Association of Urban Climate, Issue 88, pages 8-10.

16 May 2023

United Nations Academic Impact: Protecting Older Adults: University Team Calls for Heat Health Education and Long-Term Planning

The United Nations Academic Impact features this RIF project regarding the extreme hot weather in Hong Kong and long-term planning for cooling facilities.

2 May 2023

Online Lecture: Understanding of Heat-health Impact in Subtropical High-density Cities: An Experience from Hong Kong

Our team member Professor Chao Ren gave an online lecture to share the research findings of this RIF project.

1 Apr 2023

Media Coverage: Global warming causes Hong Kong continues to warm, expert suggests the owner to pay attention to building design details

The project leader Professor Edward Ng made suggestions on hot weather and the built environment, which was reported by Oriental Daily on the Internet.

1 Apr 2023

Hong Kong Letter: How senior citizens can live well under hot weather

The project leader Professor Edward Ng gave suggestions on how older adults can enjoy a comfortable living environment in the RTHK's Hong Kong Letter programme.

10 Sep 2022

Newspaper article: Help the elderly cope with the heat

Dr. Patsy Chau, one of our co-PIs, issued a newspaper article at Oriental Daily to give advices for helping older people to cope with extreme hot weather, and to provide the link for downloading the graphic reminders for the seniors.

21 Aug 2022

Press release: Call for long-term planning for cooling facilities in consideration of increasing extreme hot weather

The team has issued a press release to call for long-term planning for provisions of cooling facilities in public space, considering the latest datasets from the research project predict that extreme heat will occur more frequently, with higher temperatures and longer periods of duration in the future.

4 Aug 2022

Four Health talks on extreme hot weather to the elderly in this summer

Dr Patsy Chau introduced the impact of extreme hot weather and mitigation measures to over 150 older adults in four health talks organised by the district elderly community centres or neighbourhood elderly centres in this summer. Dr Eric Lai also served as our speakers in one of the talk. The education leaflet about hot weather were also distributed to the elderly by these elderly centres.

16 Jul 2022

News Article: The Hong Kong Observatory's special alert on prolonged heat

Further to the upgrade of precautionary actions associated with the Very Hot Weather Warning last year, the Hong Kong Observatory enhances its service by sending a new “Special Weather Tips” on prolonged heat. Our research team has earlier communicated with HKO in improving their weather forecast system according to our research findings on the heat-health studies about prolonged heat and hot nights.

3 Jul 2022

News Article: The experience of power outage in Tin Shui Wai- how to survive in hot weather without air-conditioning?

A few weeks ago, residents in Tin Shui Wai were seriously affected by power outage. Considering the challenges of energy shortage, the reporters of Mingpao interviewed Prof. Edward Ng for the tips of survival in hot weather. Prof. Ng emphasized that selecting the "right" housing unit is the key for no air-conditioning.

26 May 2022

Online Roundtable Sessions on Extreme Weather

Dr. Patsy Chau is now organising an online roundtable for elderly community center stakeholders to discuss strategies in assisting older adults to adapt to extreme hot weather. The roundtable will be scheuduled in June. Please refer to the event flyer for more details.

The online roundtable sessions were held successfully. Dr Patsy Chau's team has put together a leaflet concerning mitigation recommendations to NGOs and elderly center stakeholders.

12 Apr 2022

Presentation on the experience sampling study at UN event

Prof. Helene Fung presented the findings on the experience sampling study of Task C at a side event of the open-ended working group of the United Nation co-organised by the International Association of Gerontology and Geriatrics.
Prof. Fung shared a key message that meaningfulness and engagement buffered against the unpleasantness of extreme hot weather. When the activity was meaningful and people were engaged, older adults reported more positive emotions and fewer negative emotions, and the negative effects of temperature on emotions were insignificant.

12 Apr 2022

Manifesto Relay 2023 Submission

A manifesto featuring the RIF project has been submitted to the 28th UIA World Congress in Copenhagen, Denmark, 2023 (UIA/Union Internationale des Architectes). The manifesto reflects the two themes of "Design for Climate Adaptation" and "Design for Health". We hope to call for architects and building professions to take actions to create a healthier and comfortable built environment for the elderly for their well-being.

16 Sep 2021

Video Series: Extreme Hot Weather and Senior Health

We have conducted a video series about hot weather and senior health with the Jockey Club Institute of Ageing of CUHK.

27-29 Aug 2021

Exhibition booth at the Golden Age Expo & Summit 2021

We set up an exhibition booth to introduce the health impacts of hot weather on older adults.

Jul 2021

Nine Focus Groups in Tai Po

The objectives of the focus groups are to obtain necessary information about the perception, awareness, response and capability of elderly citizens towards extreme hot weather.
Among them, one was conducted with representatives of local NGOs and District Council members in order to better understand the decision-making and care-giving aspect in a local context.

18 Jun 2021

Live Webinar on Extreme Hot Weather

Our team members introduced the impact of extreme hot weather and possible mitigation measures to around 100 older adults in the live webinar organised by the NT West Elder Academies Cluster.

Aug 2020

Feature in WSSET Newsletter

The World Society of Sustainable Energy Technology (WSSET) newsletter (August 2020) features this RIF project.

24 Aug 2020

Online Press Conference

Dr. Kevin Ka-Lun Lau and Dr. Chao Ren introduced their findings about the health impacts and spatial pattern of extreme hot weather in Hong Kong in the online press conference on 24 August 2020.

24 Apr 2020

Live Webinar

Our team members introduced the impact of extreme heat weather and possible mitigation measures to around 30 older adults in the live webinar organised by Caritas Hong Kong Services for the Elderly.