HIT Media (Text: Wang Chenyang, Conference Organizing Committee; Photos: Conference Organizing Committee)
The first International Forum on Building and Infrastructure in Cold Regions, co-hosted by Harbin Institute of Technology (HIT) and Moscow State University of Civil Engineering, recently took place at HIT.
Fan Feng, vice-president of HIT; Professor Pavel Akimov, rector of Moscow State University of Civil Engineering; Gao Qisheng, director of the Heilongjiang Provincial Department of Housing and Urban-Rural Development; and Han Guoqing, deputy director of the Heilongjiang Provincial Department of Science and Technology, attended the opening ceremony and delivered addresses.
More than 100 experts and scholars from universities, research institutes, and various industries in China and Russia attended the forum.
Fan Feng delivers an address. [Photo/hit.edu.cn]
Professor Pavel Akimov delivers an address. [Photo/hit.edu.cn]
Gao Qisheng delivers an address. [Photo/hit.edu.cn]
Han Guoqing delivers an address. [Photo/hit.edu.cn]
Fan and Professor Akimov jointly inaugurated the International Joint Laboratory for Cold Region High-Quality Housing Construction and Engineering Diagnosis and Treatment and signed a letter of intent to establish the laboratory.
The laboratory was formally included in the official minutes of the September 2025 meeting of the Subcommittee on Construction and Urban Development under the China–Russia Prime Ministers' Regular Meeting Committee. Focusing on key areas such as durability design and energy efficiency for buildings in cold regions, the application of green building materials, and intelligent construction, the laboratory will also expand into emerging research areas including polar engineering, infrastructure for extreme environments, and even construction technologies for future extraterrestrial habitats.
An inauguration ceremony for the laboratory takes place. [Photo/hit.edu.cn]
A signing ceremony is held for the letter of intent to collaborate on the laboratory. [Photo/hit.edu.cn]
Twenty experts and scholars from universities, research institutes, and various industries in China and Russia delivered plenary presentations on a range of topics. These included durability design for buildings and infrastructure in cold regions, thermal insulation materials and low-carbon building operation, structural assessment and urban renewal, prefabricated and smart construction, and polar and extreme-environment engineering.
They also engaged in in-depth discussions on shared scientific challenges, presenting their latest research findings and innovative approaches.
Plenary presentations and discussions. [Photo/hit.edu.cn]
During their visit, the delegation from Moscow State University of Civil Engineering toured research laboratories and experimental facilities at HIT's School of Civil Engineering and School of Transportation Science and Engineering. It also held focused technical discussions with faculty representatives from the two schools.
Laboratory tours and technical discussions. [Photo/hit.edu.cn]
Edited by: Shang Yankai
Reviewed by: Song Ling, Li Shoubin, Yang Wenyu