
Vincent WOON Kok Sin
Associate Professor Ts. Dr.
SDGs Focus




About Me
With over 10 years of industry and academic experience, Associate Professor Ts. Dr. Vincent advocates achieving transformative resilience for climate and environmental sustainability. He is passionate about utilizing systems-analytical approaches to solving environmental-economic-social well-being issues. He aims to develop circular policies that lead to lower environmental impacts, greener economy, and higher resource efficiency. Before, he worked as an analyst at Accenture and as Head of Sustainability for green architectural technologies development of townships in Malaysia, China, and Indonesia. He acts as a lead consultant for several carbon accounting projects. He was invited by the Ministry to provide a keynote speech at the United Nations COP22 in Marrakech.
- Doctor of Philosophy (Environmental Engineering), Hong Kong University of Science and Technology, Hong Kong, 2015
- Bachelor of Engineering (Hons) (Chemical Engineering), Universiti Teknologi Malaysia, Malaysia, 2010
- Malaysia Board of Technologists (MBOT): Professional Technologist
- GreenRE Accredited Professional (GreenREAP): Green Building Professional
- The Institution of Engineers Malaysia (IEM): Companion
- Institute of Chemical Engineers (IChemE): Associate Member
- Board of Engineers Malaysia (BEM): Graduate Engineer
- International Association of Engineers: Member
- Editorial Board Member, Green and Low-Carbon Economy;
- Lead Guest Editor of Clean Technologies and Environmental Policy (SCI Journal);
- Guest Editor of Sustainability (SCI Journal);
- Guest Editor of Energies (SCI Journal);
- Managing Guest Editor of Cleaner Engineering and Technology (Scopus-indexed Journal);
- Managing Guest Editor of Frontiers in Sustainability (Scopus-indexed Journal).
Research Interests
Adopting systems analytical approaches such as life cycle assessment, life cycle costing, AI-predictive modelling, multi-objective optimization, material flow analysis, P-Graph, GIS modeling, regression analysis, and pinch analysis for climate change and environmental evaluation on solid waste, biomass valorization, renewable energy, green building, green township, industry and mobility sectors toward low-carbon and circular development.
Research Projects
- Spatial-temporal life cycle analysis of solid waste management, particularly food waste, plastic waste, and e-waste
- AI-predictive modelling of country-wide greenhouse gas emissions toward net-zero emissions
- Integrated 3Ps (People-Planet-Prosperity) optimization for circular development
- Carbon footprint analysis for low-carbon city framework development in energy, transport, waste, and building sectors
- Multi-objective optimization on the environmental and economic trade-off for enhancing energy efficiency and enabling carbon trading
- Socioeconomic analysis with carbon emissions forecasting
- Climate change in Environment, Social, and Governance (ESG)
Current Courses Taught
- EGE104 – Energy Economics and Policy
- EGE317 – Microbial Energy
- G0356 – Carbon Management for Sustainable Environment
- EGE308 – Innovation Management and Entrepreneurship
- EGE501/EGE601 – Research Methodology
Local Grant(s)
Life Cycle Assessment of Bio-fertilizer Plant for Sustainable Agriculture Policy Development, 2023 – 2025, IBG Manufacturing Sdn Bhd (Principal Investigator)
AI-Predictive Analytics of COVID-19 Impact and Socioeconomic Analysis on Malaysia's Carbon Neutrality for Mitigation Solutions Resiliency, 2023 – 2024, MASA Policy Development Programme (MPDP 2.0), (Principal Investigator)
Investigating the Integration of Peer-to-Peer (P2P) Energy Trading in Industrial Multi-Utility Systems for Enhancing the Multi-Company Industrial Park Sustainability, Ministry of Higher Education (FRGS), (Co-investigator)
Thriving Strategy and Roadmap of Malaysia Low Carbon Hydrogen Economy via Green Financing Mechanisms for Sustainable Mobility, 2023 – 2024, MASA Policy Development Programme (MPDP 2.0), (Co-investigator)
Integrated Life Cycle Sustainability and Spatial Analysis of Plastic Waste Management in Malaysia, 2023 – 2025, Xiamen University Malaysia Research Fund, (Principal Investigator)
Life cycle assessment of embodied and operational carbon in high-rise office buildings, 2022 – 2023, Xiamen University Malaysia Research Fund, (Principal Investigator)
Kinetic and Synergism Analysis on the Co-Pyrolysis of Industrial Sludge and Plastic Waste, 2022 – 2024, Xiamen University Malaysia Research Fund, (Co-investigator)
Greenhouse Gases Emission Projection Model for AFOLU Sector using Input-Output Model, 2021 – 2024, Ministry of Higher Education (FRGS), (Co-investigator)
Modeling an Intelligence-Based Closed-Loop Supply Chain Network for a Sustainable e-Waste Management, 2021 – 2024, Ministry of Higher Education (FRGS), (Co-investigator)
Developing an Artificial Neural Network Life Cycle Eco-Efficiency Model for Formulation of Municipal Solid Waste Management Policy Framework, 2021 – 2024, Ministry of Higher Education (FRGS), (Principal Investigator)
Life Cycle Evaluation of Food Waste Management System for Energy Recovery, Environmental Sustainability, and Optimized Cost, 2019 – 2021, Xiamen University Malaysia Research Fund, (Principal Investigator)
International Grant(s)
Development of a Multi-Objective Life Cycle Eco-Efficiency Optimization Model for Formulating a Sustainable Municipal Solid Waste Management Policy Framework, 20210 – 2023, GDN Award under the Ministry of Finance, Government of Japan, MYR 140,745 (Principal Investigator)
Developing climate justice framework for Global South Region, Jun-Nov 2021, Crossculture Programme Fellowship - German Federal Foreign Affairs, MYR 15,000 (Principal Investigator)
Journal
Hoy, Z. X., Woon, K. S.*, Chin, W. C., Fan, Y. V., Yoo, S. J., 2023. Curbing global solid waste emissions toward net-zero warming futures. Science. 382,797-800; Science cover (WoS Q1)
Wan, M. J., Phuang, Z. X., Hoy, Z. X., Dahlan, N. Y., Azmi, A. M., & Woon, K. S.*, 2023. Forecasting meteorological impacts on the environmental sustainability of a large-scale solar plant via artificial intelligence-based life cycle assessment. Sci. Total Environ., 168779. (WoS Q1)
Phuang, Z. X., Sebastian, K. M., Hoy, Z.X., Woon, K. S.*, 2023. Moving towards plastic waste circularity: Redefining extended producer responsibility with externality consideration via P-graph-life cycle optimization framework. Resour. Conserv. Recy. 198, 107187. (WoS Q1)
Chin, M. Y., Lee, C. T., Woon, K. S.*, 2023. Developing Circular Waste Management Strategies Based on a Waste Eco-Park Concept: A Multi-objective Optimization with Environmental, Economic, and Social Trade-offs. Ind. Eng. Chem. Res. 62, 41, 16827-16840. (WoS Q2)
Tian, R., Hoy, Z. X., Liew, P.Y., Hanafiah, M. M., Mong, G. R., Chong, C. T., Hossain, M. U., Woon, K. S.*, 2023. Socio-economic correlation analysis and hybrid artificial neural network model development for provincial waste electrical and electronic equipment generation forecasting in China. J. Clean Prod., 418, 138076 (WoS Q1)
Chin, M. Y., Lee, C. T., Klemeš, J. J., Van Fan, Y., & Woon, K. S.*, 2023. Developing a sustainability solid waste treatment portfolio for 3Ps (planet-prosperity-people) nexus. J. Clean Prod., 415, 137698. (WoS Q1)
Hoy, Z. X., Leong, J. F., & Woon, K. S.*, 2023. Post-COVID-19 pandemic and the Paris Agreement: A socioeconomic analysis and carbon emissions forecasting in developed and developing countries. Clean Technol. Environ. Policy, 1-15. (WoS Q2)
Ooi, J. K., Hoy, Z. X., Hossain, M. U., Zhang, Z., Khan, M., & Woon, K. S.*, 2023. An integrated multi-objective optimization framework for municipal solid waste management and emissions trading scheme. Clean Technol. Environ. Policy, 1-15 (WoS Q2)
Woon, K. S., Phuang, Z. X., Taler, J., Varbanov, P. S., Chong, C. T., Klemeš, J. J., & Lee, C. T., 2023. Recent Advances in Urban Green Energy Development Towards Carbon Neutrality. Energy, 126502. (WoS Q1)
Chew, Z. L., Tan, E. H., Palaniandy, S., Woon, K. S.*, Phuang, Z. X., 2023. An integrated life-cycle greenhouse gas protocol accounting on oil palm trunk and empty fruit bunch biofuel production. Sci. Total Environ. 856 (Part 1), 159007. (WoS Q1)
Chin, M. Y., Lee, C. T., & Woon, K. S.*, 2022. Policy-driven municipal solid waste management assessment using relative quadrant eco-efficiency: A case study in Malaysia. J. Environ. Manage., 323, 116238. (WoS Q1)
Ng, W. L., Chin, M. Y., Zhou, J., Woon, K. S.*, Chin, A. Y., 2022. The Overlooked Criteria in Green Building Certification System: Embodied Energy and Thermal Insulation on Non-Residential Building with a Case Study in Malaysia. Energy, 259, 124912. (WoS Q1)
Wong, K. J., Ooi, J. K., Woon, K. S.*, Mong, G. R., Shadman, S., Ng, W. L., 2022. A Country-level Pareto-optimal Palm Waste Utilisation Network for Economic and Environmental Sustainability. Energy, 260, 125007. (WoS Q1)
Chin, M. Y., Phuang, Z. X., Woon, K. S.*, Hanafiah, M. M., Zhang, Z., Liu, X. M., 2022. Life Cycle Assessment of Bioelectrochemical and Integrated Microbial Fuel Cell Systems for Sustainable Wastewater Treatment and Resource Recovery. J. Environ. Manage. 320, 115778. (WoS Q1)
Hoy, Z. X., Woon, K. S.*, Chin, W. C., Hashim, H., & Fan, Y. V., 2022. Forecasting Heterogeneous Municipal Solid Waste Generation via Bayesian-Optimised Neural Network with Ensemble Learning for Improved Generalisation. Comp. & Chem. Eng., 107946. (WoS Q2)
Sebastian, K. M., Zhou, J., Phuang, Z. X., Laner, D., Woon, K. S.*, 2022. A systematic review of life cycle assessments of solid waste management: Methodological trends and prospects. Sci. Total Environ. 831, 154903 (WoS Q1)
Phuang, Z. X., Lin, Z., Liew, P.Y., Hanafiah, M. M., Woon, K. S.*, 2022. The dilemma in energy transition in Malaysia: A comparative life cycle assessment of large scale solar and biodiesel production from palm oil. J. Clean Prod. 350, 131475 (WoS Q1)
Lin, Z., Ooi, J. K., Woon, K. S.*, 2022. An integrated life cycle multi-objective optimization model for health-environment-economic nexus in food waste management sector. Sci. Total Environ. 816, 151541. (WoS Q1)
Chew, Z. T., Hoy, Z. X., Woon, K. S.*, P.Y., 2022. Integrating greenhouse gas reduction and waste policy targets to identify optimal waste treatment configurations via carbon emission pinch analysis. Process Saf Environ Prot. 160, 661-675. (WoS Q1)
Ooi, J. K., Woon, K. S.*, Hashim, H., 2021. A multi-objective model to optimize country-scale municipal solid waste management with economic and environmental objectives: A case study in Malaysia. J. Clean Prod., 316, 128366. (WoS Q1)
Phuang, Z. X., Woon, K. S.*, Wong, K. J., Liew, P. Y., Hanafiah, M. M., 2021. Unlocking the Environmental Hotspots of Palm Biodiesel Upstream Production in Malaysia via Life Cycle Assessment. Energy, 121206 (WoS Q1)
Woon, K. S.*, Phuang, Z. X., Lin, Z., Lee, C. T., 2021. A novel food waste management framework combining optical sorting system and anaerobic digestion: A case study in Malaysia. Energy, 12109 (WoS Q1)
Woon, K. S., Lo, I. M. C., Chiu, S. L. H., Yan, D.Y. S., 2016. Environmental assessment of food waste valorization in producing biogas for various types of energy use based on LCA approach. Waste Manage. 50, 290-299 (WoS Q1)
Woon, K. S., Lo, I. M. C., 2016. An integrated life cycle costing and human health impact analysis of municipal solid waste management options in Hong Kong using modified eco-efficiency indicator. Resour. Conserv. Recy. 107, 104-114. (WoS Q1)
Woon, K. S., Lo, I. M. C., 2016. A proposed framework of food waste collection and recycling for renewable biogas fuel production in Hong Kong. Waste Manage. 47, 3-10. (WoS Q1)
Woon, K. S., Lo, I. M. C., 2014. Analyzing environmental hotspots of proposed landfill extension and advanced incineration facility in Hong Kong using life cycle assessment. J. Clean Prod. 75, 64-74. (WoS Q1)
Woon, K. S., Lo, I. M. C., 2013. Greenhouse gas accounting of proposed landfill extension and advanced incineration facility for municipal solid waste management in Hong Kong. Sci. Total Environ. 458-460, 499-507. (WoS Q1)
Current Supervision (Postgraduate only)
Phuang Zhen Xin (PhD) – Main supervisor
Spatial life cycle assessment on plastic waste with externality consideration
2020 – Present
Xiamen University Malaysia
Chin Min Yee (Master) – Main supervisor
Developing an integrated 3Ps (People-Planet-Prosperity) model for sustainable solid waste management
2021 – Present
Xiamen University Malaysia
Ng Wai Lam (Master) – Main supervisor
Integrated life cycle regression analysis of carbon assessment of green office building for benchmarking green index development
2022 – Present
Xiamen University Malaysia
Kyle Sebastian Muyla (Master) – Main supervisor
Life cycle assessment on biofertilizer for circular agriculture development
2023 – Present
Xiamen University Malaysia
Khafaji Hasan Neamah Abbas (PhD) – Co-supervisor
An enhanced meta-heuristic intelligent mechanism for the optimization of solar energy harvesting system
2023 – Present
Xiamen University Malaysia
Kalppana A/P Chelvam (PhD) – Co-supervisor
Life cycle assessment and techno-economic analysis of hydrogen production technologies
2021 – Present
Universiti Kebangsaan Malaysia
Dhiya Durani Sofian Azizi (Master) – Co-supervisor
Life cycle assessment and materials flow analysis of e-waste generation
2021 – Present
Universiti Kebangsaan Malaysia
Iqbal Hakam Bin Abd Razak (Master) – Co-supervisor
Life cycle assessment of PHA bioplastic production and valorization
2023 – Present
Universiti Sains Malaysia
Completed Supervision (Postgraduate only)
Ooi Jun Keat (Master) – Main supervisor
A multi-objective optimization model for the waste-to-resources network development from the environmental and economic perspectives in Malaysia
2022 (Graduate on time)
Xiamen University Malaysia
Hoy Zheng Xuan (Master) – Main supervisor
Assessing the greenhouse gas emissions reduction potential of the municipal solid waste system using Bayesian-optimized neural network forecast
2023 (Graduate on time)
Xiamen University Malaysia
- American Chemical Society (ACS) I&EC Research 2023 Class of Influential Researchers, 2023
- Study in the U.S. Institutes (SUSI) for Scholars, U.S. Department of State, 2023
- UNFCCC-GIR-CASTT Fellowship, Partnership on Transparency in the Paris Agreement, UN Climate Change and GIR Korea, 2022
- UN Summer Academy Fellowship, German State of North Rhine-Westphalia, 2022
- Vebleo Fellow (Jr), Vebleo Scientific Academy, 2022
- Fulbright YSEALI Academy Seminar Fellowship, U.S. Department of State, 2021
- CrossCulture Programme Fellowship, German Federal Foreign Office, 2021
- Best Oral Presenter of 2nd World Conference on Waste Management, 2021
- First Prize of Japanese Award for Outstanding Research on Development, Global Development Network through the World Bank, 2020
- Best Oral Presenter of International Conference on Low Carbon Conference & Beyond, 2020
- Hong Kong Ph.D. Fellowship Scheme, Hong Kong Research Grant Council, 2011-2015;
- Book Prize Award, Hong Kong Institution of Engineers, 2015;
- Best Environmental Paper Award (1st Runner Up), Hong Kong Institution of Engineers, 2015;
- Best Presenter Award, Asian Science and Technology Pioneering Institutes of Research and Education (ASPIRE) League Forum in South Korea, 2012;
- Royal Education Award, Malaysia Council of Rulers, 2010
Copyright
- Integrated Life Cycle Assessment and Artificial Neural Network Framework for Solid Waste Management. Copyright work: Literary. (Application No: LY2023W01769)
- Bayesian Optimisation Artificial Neural Network Programming Code for Municipal Solid Waste in Malaysia. Copyright work: Literary. (Application No: LY2023W01768)
Cover Arts
