hibe lab: Reimagining the Built Environment

Founded in January 2024 at Chung-Ang University, hibe lab is redefining the boundaries of architectural engineering. Led by Prof. Michael Kim, we fuse traditional building science with the bleeding edge of Artificial Intelligence and Computer Vision. We don’t just design spaces; we engineer "HYPER-INTELLIGENCE". Our vision is to create autonomous buildings that "sense" and "self-tune"—transforming static structures into living environments that seamlessly optimize sustainability and elevate the human experience.

Our innovation pipeline is fueled by major grants from the Korea Agency for Infrastructure Technology Advancement (KAIA) and the National Research Foundation of Korea (NRF). We are moving beyond passive construction to deploy dynamic, data-driven ecosystems. By layering A.I.-aided technologies onto physical infrastructure, we are pioneering adaptive systems that are as efficient as they are intuitive, setting a new standard for the next generation of smart cities.

Core Research Areas

• Human-Centric Building Intelligence: Adaptive control systems that anticipate and prioritize occupant comfort.

• Vision-Aided Human-Centric Daylighting: Optimizing natural light dynamics leveraging high dynamic range imaging (HDRI), image-based lighting (IBL), and physics-based daylighting simulations. 

• AI-Powered Spatial Analytics: Leveraging machine learning and computer vision for real-time environmental sensing.

• Zero-Energy Ecosystems: Scaling energy optimization from individual units to connected community networks.

• Responsive Architecture: Next-gen environments that interact dynamically with internal and external factors.