Intelligent Human-Buildings Interaction (IHBI) Lab

The IHBI Lab at Umeå University, led by Weizhuo Lu, offers a unique and multidisciplinary capacity by integrating experimental living labs, co-creation, and occupant-centric design to advance sustainable, inclusive, and aesthetically rich building environments. Through its open-access lab infrastructure, IHBI enables participatory testing and development of energy-efficient retrofit strategies in collaboration with citizens, municipalities, and industry. Its research emphasizes resilience and adaptability, using data-driven modeling and immersive simulations to explore how buildings and their occupants can respond to evolving climate and comfort challenges. By combining environmental psychology, behavioral science, and engineering, IHBI delivers tailored local solutions that not only meet technical performance goals but also enhance human well-being and community identity—embodying the regenerative, inclusive, and place-based vision at the heart of the NEB.