Personal profile
Author IDs
ORCID iD: 0000-0002-6202-1988
Scopus Author ID: 55602147700
Impact
Qualifications (Brief)
BEng(Hons), MPhil, PhD Imperial
Biography
Dr. Alvin Lai received his bachelor B. Eng. in Building Services Engineering from Hong Kong Polytechnic University and his MPhil. from Hong Kong University. He obtained his Ph.D. from Imperial College. He spent three years working as a post-doctorate fellow in University of California, Berkeley before joining Nanyang Technology University, Singapore in December 2000. He is a Associate Professor of Department of Architecture and Civil Engineering since February, 2007. His main research areas are air quality with the emphasis on airborne particles, exposure, aerosol science and technology and filtration technology.
Research Interests/Areas
Aerosol Dynamics. Bioaerosols Control. Computational Fluid Dynamics for Air Quality Modelling. Engineering Control for Indoor Air Pollutants. Environmental Health.
Teaching
- BC3631: Building Services
- BC3631F: Building Services
- BC3722: HVAC Engineering
- CA3631: Building Services
- CA3691: Building Services for Surveyors
- CA3722: HVAC Engineering
- CA4728: Air Quality and Ventilation
- CA5601: Building Engineering Systems and Maintenance
- CA6237: Indoor Air Quality
- CA6606: Applied HVAC Engineering
- CA6606D: Advanced HVAC Engineering
- CA8606D: Advanced HVAC Engineering
Expertise related to UN Sustainable Development Goals
In 2015, UN member states agreed to 17 global Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs) to end poverty, protect the planet and ensure prosperity for all. This person’s work contributes towards the following SDG(s):
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SDG 3 Good Health and Well-being -
SDG 4 Quality Education -
SDG 7 Affordable and Clean Energy -
SDG 8 Decent Work and Economic Growth -
SDG 9 Industry, Innovation, and Infrastructure -
SDG 11 Sustainable Cities and Communities -
SDG 12 Responsible Consumption and Production -
SDG 13 Climate Action
Fingerprint
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Collaborations from the last five years
Research output
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Improving far-UVC disinfection efficiency in portable devices: Optical enhancement and agent-based lamps’ layout optimization
Wu, X., Zhang, H., Ng, T. S. T. & Lai, A. C. K., 15 Feb 2026, In: Building and Environment. 290, 13 p., 114138.Research output: Journal Publications and Reviews › RGC 21 - Publication in refereed journal › peer-review
2 Link opens in a new tab Citations (Scopus) -
Study on the air gap effect when closing toilet lid on droplet and pathogen escaping from flushing
Zhang, H. (Co-first Author), Chen, B. (Co-first Author) & Lai, A. C. K., Jan 2026, In: American Journal of Infection Control. 54, 1, p. 60-65 6 p.Research output: Journal Publications and Reviews › RGC 21 - Publication in refereed journal › peer-review
2 Link opens in a new tab Citations (Scopus) -
An Apparatus for Processing Air in An Indoor Environment
LAI, C. K. A. (Inventor), 18 Feb 2025, Patent No. US12228310B2, Priority No. 17/371,817Research output: Patents, Agreements and Assignments › RGC 51 - Patents (CityUHK)
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A Novel Bioaerosol Chamber to Measure the Inactivation Rate of Airborne Viruses at Low Far-UV-C Radiation Doses
Romay, F. J., Sobhy, N. M., Collins, A. M., Juidici, R. A., Wang, M., Youssef, C. R. B., Pui, D. Y. H., Goyal, S. M. & Lai, A. C. K., Oct 2025, In: Aerosol and Air Quality Research. 25, 10, 12 p., 52.Research output: Journal Publications and Reviews › RGC 21 - Publication in refereed journal › peer-review
Open AccessFile4 Downloads (CityUHK Scholars) -
Characteristic of real-time airborne bacteria measurement and the response of low-cost particulate matter sensor: a pilot study
Zhang, H. H. & Lai, A. C. K., 15 Sept 2025, In: Journal of Building Engineering. 110, 113021.Research output: Journal Publications and Reviews › RGC 21 - Publication in refereed journal › peer-review
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GRF: An Investigation of the Use of Antimicrobial Blue Light for the Effective Surface Disinfection of Multidrug-resistant Organisms in a Hospital Environment
LAI, C. K. A. (Principal Investigator / Project Coordinator) & LI, I. W. S. (Co-Investigator)
1/01/25 → …
Project: Research
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HMRF: Development and Application of a Moveable Hospital Room Disinfection System Using 222-nm Far-UVC Light
LAI, C. K. A. (Principal Investigator / Project Coordinator) & LEE, P. K. H. (Co-Investigator)
31/08/22 → …
Project: Research
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CRF: Digital Twin Supported Rapid Deployable and Reconfigurable Healthcare Facility Module for Infectious Diseases Response and Treatment
NG, S. T. T. (Principal Investigator / Project Coordinator), CHAIR, S.-Y. (Co-Principal Investigator), CHAO, C. Y. H. (Co-Principal Investigator), JOHNSTON, J. M. (Co-Principal Investigator), LAI, C. K. A. (Co-Principal Investigator), YUEN, K. K. R. (Co-Principal Investigator), LEI, K. (Collaborator), Parlikad, A. K. (Collaborator), PENG, W. (Collaborator) & XU, J. F. (Collaborator)
30/06/22 → …
Project: Research
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CRF-Sub-pj: Digital Twin Supported Rapid Deployable and Reconfigurable Healthcare Facility Module for Infectious Diseases Response and Treatment
LAI, C. K. A. (Principal Investigator / Project Coordinator)
30/06/22 → …
Project: Research
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GRF: Comprehensive Profiling of Hospital Air and Surface Microbial Communities Using Integrated Metagenomics and Metatranscriptomics Analyses
LEE, P. K. H. (Principal Investigator / Project Coordinator), LAI, C. K. A. (Co-Investigator) & MASON, C. (Co-Investigator)
1/01/22 → …
Project: Research
Prizes
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Stanford's Top 2% most highly cited scientists 2025
LAI, C. K. A. (Recipient), Sept 2025
Prize: RGC 64B - Prizes and awards
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Stanford's top 2% most highly cited scientists 2024
LAI, C. K. A. (Recipient), Sept 2024
Prize: RGC 64B - Prizes and awards
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Stanford's top 2% most highly cited scientists 2023
LAI, C. K. A. (Recipient), Oct 2023
Prize: RGC 64B - Prizes and awards
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Stanford's top 2% most highly cited scientists 2022
LAI, C. K. A. (Recipient), Nov 2022
Prize: RGC 64B - Prizes and awards
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Stanford's top 2% most highly cited scientists 2021
LAI, C. K. A. (Recipient), Oct 2021
Prize: RGC 64B - Prizes and awards
Press/Media
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Twenty-Six SEE Faculty Members ranked Top 2% of the World’s Most Highly Cited Scientists
ABDI, F. F., AN, K. J. A., CHAN, C. K., CHAN, C. L. J., CHEN, G., CHOPRA, S. S., DONG, L., JEN, A., LAI, C. K. A., LEUNG, M. Y. K., LEUNG, K. H. M., LIN, S. K. C., LIU, C., NG, Y. H., SHANG, J., TSO, C. Y., WANG, J., WANG, W., WANG, X., WU, W., XU, C., YU, Y. W. D., YUAN, Z., YIP, H. L., ZHANG, L. & ZHOU, W.
13/10/23
1 item of Media coverage
Press/Media: Press / Media
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Eighteen SEE faculty members ranked top 2% of the world’s most highly cited scientists
AN, K. J. A., CHAN, C. K., CHAN, C. L. J., CHEN, G., JEN, A., LAI, C. K. A., LEUNG, M. Y. K., LEUNG, K. H. M., LIN, S. K. C., LIU, C., NG, Y. H., SHANG, J., TSO, C. Y., WANG, W., WU, W., YIP, H. L., ZHANG, L. & ZHOU, W.
27/10/22
1 item of Media coverage
Press/Media: Press / Media
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Toilet flushing can potentially spread bacteria via aerosol droplets
13/02/20 → 17/02/20
28 items of Media coverage, 1 Media contribution
Press/Media: Press / Media
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Advanced bioaerosol project to eliminate Covid-19 and other pathogens secures HK$6.15m from Research Impact Fund
LAI, C. K. A., CHAN, C. K. & LEE, P. K. H.
1/03/21
4 items of Media coverage
Press/Media: Press / Media