Humicon Receive the Good Acceptance in Asia and Latin America

[Seoul Economic Daily] “Rethinking Air Conditioning: Tackling Heat by Removing Humidity”

“For years, my research has focused on urban energy supply and greenhouse gas reduction. But one question kept bothering me: Why do air conditioners consume so much electricity and even cause side effects like ‘aircon sickness’? That led me to rethink the problem—not just lowering the temperature, but removing humidity, the real root cause of heat discomfort. Through this approach, I hope to rewrite the history of air conditioning.”

These were the words of Dr. Dae-Young Lee (53), Director of the Urban Energy Research Center at the Korea Institute of Science and Technology (KIST), during a recent interview at KIST with Seoul Economic Daily. “It’s striking that even today, the principle introduced by Willis H. Carrier in 1902 still dominates air conditioning technology,” he noted. Conventional air conditioners rely on cooling for dehumidification, which can cause health concerns if used for long periods and also lead to high energy costs. The global AC market today is led by giants like Daikin (Japan), Carrier (U.S.), LG (Korea), and Midea (China).

Dr. Lee explained, “Our research center has been working on solutions for urban energy challenges—such as trigeneration systems that simultaneously provide power, heating, and cooling, or seasonal thermal storage technologies that optimize year-round energy use while reducing greenhouse gas emissions. In the process, we developed a novel polymer-based filter with exceptional dehumidification performance, which inspired us to rethink the air conditioning market itself.”

The breakthrough polymer filter enables air conditioners to focus on moisture removal rather than excessive cooling. This not only eliminates risks of aircon-related health issues but also delivers energy savings, deodorization, antibacterial, and antifungal effects. Unlike conventional dehumidifiers, which often raise room temperature, this innovation achieves superior humidity control while maintaining comfort.

Installed on walls, the system also provides ventilation. And with the addition of an electrostatic dust collector, it achieves air purification performance that surpasses standard air purifiers—without producing ozone, a common drawback of existing systems.

Through Humicon (short for Humidity Conditioning), a brand launched by KIST’s spin-off company Humaster, Dr. Lee is now targeting global markets. “We’ve already sent samples under the HumiCon brand to humid and subtropical regions where dehumidification greatly enhances cooling efficiency—places like Korea, China, Japan, Southeast Asia, India, and across North, Central, and South America. The feedback has been overwhelmingly positive.”

Looking ahead, Humaster plans to expand beyond residential, commercial, and industrial AC systems into new applications. “We are also preparing to supply the polymer filter material for wall coverings and consumer lifestyle products,” Dr. Lee revealed. “In the mid- to long term, we’re setting our sights on the automotive AC market—where eliminating odors, mold, and excess moisture is just as critical.”

With this innovation, KIST and Humaster are not just improving air conditioning efficiency—they are pioneering a new paradigm: using humidity control to conquer heat.