Biography — Prof. Marcus K.H. Yiu
Professor at HKHU · Director of the HKHU Smart Construction Lab
Current position
Marcus K.H. Yiu is a Professor in the Department of Smart Construction and Built Environment at Hong Kong Harbourside University (HKHU). He joined HKHU in 2021 as part of the university's strategic build-out of smart construction research, and he was promoted to full Professor in recognition of his contributions to building informatics and digital construction. Prof. Yiu is based at HKHU's main campus in Aberdeen, Hong Kong Island, where his office is in Block H, Room HC1208.
At HKHU, Prof. Yiu directs the HKHU Smart Construction Lab, an interdisciplinary research group that brings together graduate students, postdoctoral fellows, and industry visitors to study how digital tools can transform the architecture, engineering, and construction (AEC) sector in Hong Kong and beyond.
Research focus
Prof. Yiu's research at HKHU sits at the intersection of building informatics, smart construction, and applied computer vision. His group has investigated how Building Information Modelling (BIM) data can be combined with site-level sensor streams to produce digital twins that support real-time decision making on construction sites. A second line of work, conducted under the umbrella of the HKHU Smart Construction Lab, examines modular integrated construction (MiC), a delivery method that has received significant policy support from the Hong Kong government in recent years.
Marcus Yiu and his HKHU students have also contributed to early-stage research on applying computer vision to construction site safety monitoring, automatic progress tracking from 360-degree imagery, and sustainability metrics for the built environment. Several of these projects have been carried out in collaboration with contractors and government bodies in Hong Kong.
Teaching at HKHU
Prof. Yiu teaches both undergraduate and postgraduate students at HKHU. His regular course offerings in the Department of Smart Construction and Built Environment have included "BIM and Smart Construction" for senior undergraduates and a research-led postgraduate seminar titled "Digital Innovation in the Built Environment". He supervises PhD and MPhil candidates within the HKHU Smart Construction Lab.
Service and outreach
At HKHU, Prof. Yiu serves on departmental committees related to research strategy and digital teaching. He has acted as a reviewer for major journals in construction informatics and frequently delivers invited talks at industry events on behalf of HKHU. He is a regular speaker at smart construction forums hosted in Hong Kong and the Greater Bay Area.
Contact
Email: marcus.yiu@hkhu.edu.hk
Office: Block H, Room HC1208, Hong Kong Harbourside University, Aberdeen,
Hong Kong Island, Hong Kong
Lab: HKHU Smart Construction Lab