The government noted on the 28th that it will officially begin the development of 'Smart+Building' technology so that citizens can experience digital transformation technologies in their daily lives.
'Smart+Building' refers to a building equipped with spaces, structures, and facilities that allow new technologies like robotics and Urban Air Mobility (UAM) to function smoothly, possessing flexibility and inclusiveness to actively respond to advancements in technology and services.
Since 2023, the Ministry of Land, Infrastructure and Transport has prepared a roadmap to activate Smart+Buildng through the operation of the 'Smart+Building Alliance,' which includes 83 participating institutions from academia and industry, and has discussed ways to advance technology development for architectural design, construction, and maintenance in response to changes in technology, such as artificial intelligence (AI).
Considering the trend in expanding the domestic service robot market and opinions from corporations and experts, the first task will prioritize the development of technologies necessary to create architectural spaces where humans and robots can coexist safely and comfortably, followed by the phased development of UAM and autonomous vehicle-friendly architectural technologies.
The Ministry of Land, Infrastructure and Transport will hold a kickoff meeting on the 29th with the consortium of Kyunghee University, selected as the research and development (R&D) performing institution, and plans to review specific implementation plans to achieve the targeted results by 2028, when the R&D is scheduled to be completed.
The project 'Development of core technologies for robot-friendly building design, construction, operation, and management' comprises three main focus tasks: ▲ development of design and construction technology for robot-friendly buildings, ▲ development of multi-type robot support systems and building operation and management technologies, and ▲ proving the previously developed technologies in actual buildings and establishing improvement plans for institutional standards and certification systems based on the results.
Currently, the candidates for demonstration sites are three locations: Keimyung University Dongsan Medical Center, Gangdong Kyunghee University Hospital, and Pohang Terminal. Technology development will aim to uncover insights utilizing actual robots in newly constructed and existing hospitals, as well as in passenger terminals with high foot traffic.
To ensure effective project management, the Ministry of Land, Infrastructure and Transport will form a dedicated team to periodically review R&D achievements and will rely on private experts in various technology sectors within the alliance to ensure that research results in fields such as robotics, UAM, and autonomous driving can be applied and disseminated to actual buildings.
Mun Seok-jun, head of the construction policy division at the Ministry of Land, Infrastructure and Transport, said, 'The digital transformation is accelerating due to the AI revolution, and buildings are a collection of these technological changes,' and added, 'We will accelerate the development of technologies to transform buildings, where every citizen spends 20 hours a day, into smarter and more convenient spaces.'