Prof. Kenneth Leung's i-Cable Interview: Eco-Shorelines with Innovative Eco-Tiles

Prof. Kenneth Leung, Dean of the School of Energy and Environment (SEE) and the Director of State Key Laboratory of Marine Pollution at CityUHK was interviewed by i-Cable regarding their works on eco-shorelines.

Conventional seawalls, typically made of concrete and granite boulders, lack the necessary structure to support the settlement and growth of marine organisms. The CityUHK team revolutionized the concept of seawalls with a two-fold innovation. First, they developed an eco-friendly concrete mix, comprising 40% waste materials, including ash from incineration of sludge (i.e., T·Park), and dredged marine sediment from navigation route maintenance. This novel concrete mix has high compressive strength (39 MPa) and low surface pH (about 10), which is crucial for sea defense structures and marine larval settlement, respectively. Second, incorporating ecological theory, the team created eco-tiles with water retention capacity and various microhabitats, such as grooves, holes and crevices of different sizes. These features not only offer refuge for marine life, but also effectively provide shade and lower temperatures during low tide in summer. Twelve-month trials conducted in Sai Kung, Ma Liu Shui and Tuen Mun demonstrated that the eco-tiles significantly reduced the average surface temperature by 2°C and increased species richness (biodiversity) by 80% compared to conventional seawalls.

The interview can be accessed on HOY TV (2024, Episode 13, 12:05-17:20): https://hoy.tv/title?id=27121 and i-Cable News.

To learn more about the Artificial Eco-Tiles, you can visit Hong Kong Research Portal.