Introduction
Department of Building and Urban Research Research
The Department of Building and Urban Research provides the public with safe and pleasant residential environments through R&D in housing, construction, and urban technology. Broad areas of its R&D include sustainable and environment-friendly construction and city planning; design, construction, and installation for structural safety; development and testing of advanced construction materials; performance-based construction and housing standards; reconstruction and remodeling technology for a longer lifespan and improved functionality of structures; and modular construction and recycling technology. The R&D achievements of the Department of Building and Urban Research have led to the creation of structures and cities in Korea with enhanced levels of safety and functionality, setting a precedent which can be studied by other countries seeking similar results, with whom it is happy to share its technology. The Department of Building and Urban Research will heighten and integrate its R&D endeavors to create the kind of innovative culture and system of construction that are needed for a sustainable living environment for the well-being of humanity and the planet.
Major Research Areas & Initiatives
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AI & Digital Twin–Driven Building Lifecycle Resource, Safety & Performance Innovation Research Group
- Research on AI-driven structuring and digitization of building-safety data, including automated generation of lightweight BIM representations.
- Research on remote building safety inspection and structural condition assessment using UAV-enabled sensing, terrestrial/3D laser scanning, and AI-based interpretation.
- Research on AI-enabled large-scale seismic performance evaluation, performance-based seismic engineering (PBSE), and the development of repair, retrofit, and seismic strengthening technologies.
- Research on smart and safety-oriented deconstruction/demolition engineering, and carbon-neutral circular-economy technologies for construction and demolition waste valorization.
- Research on the advancement of regulatory frameworks, building codes, and technical standards related to construction materials, safety, and performance, including evidence-informed policy development.
- Research on high-performance advanced materials and novel construction methods, including experimental validation and performance verification.
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Development of Technologies for Smart Residential Living Environment Enhancement
- Development of technologies to address challenges in residential living environments and validation through living-lab–based demonstrations
- Development of affordable, energy-self-sufficient modular housing systems and their demonstration across global climate zones
- Development of policy and institutional improvement measures to support residential environment enhancement
- Development of technologies for creating future-responsive residential living environments
- Development of AI assistant–based technologies for building energy analysis and operational management
- Development of autonomous, non-intrusive energy demand optimization technologies for multi-family residential buildings
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Development of modular construction technology to meet social demand
- Research on policies and systems to promote modular construction
- Development and verification of new materials, technologies, and construction methods for modular construction
- Development of large floor plans, and high-rise modular construction technologies
- Development of technologies to ensure residential, structural, and fire-resistance performance in modular buildings
- Development of technologies for the construction, dismantling, and reuse of modular buildings
- Development of adaptive modular construction technologies to respond to future environmental changes
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Technology Development for Sustainable Urban and Spatial Environments
- Research on urban-scale carbon neutrality and climate change response planning and technologies
- Development of data-driven urban planning, design, and decision- support technologies
- Development of urban environmental monitoring and performance assessment and analysis technologies
- Development of technologies for urban regeneration and urban operation and management
- Development of urban information technologies based on AI, big data, and digital twins
- Research on smart city technologies and urban policy support
