Digitize urban regulations. Visualize zoning in 3D. Optimize designs faster. Built for architects, planners, engineers, and municipalities. Trusted by global leaders, tailored for Japan.

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Why DBF Hikari?

DBF Hikari is the fastest way to go from regulations to results.

Built for architects, planners, and developers, DBF Hikari turns complex zoning codes into clear design opportunities… instantly.

DBF Hikari was born out of Japan’s urgent construction sector challenges, where manual compliance checks, aging talent, and regulatory inefficiencies cripple productivity and innovation.

DBF Hikari’s AI-driven platform addresses these pain points by:

Automating compliance checks (e.g., diagonal "bird cage" volumes, shadow studies) in minutes, not weeks.
Augmenting shrinking teams with an AI assistant trained on Japan’s building codes, reducing reliance on aging experts.
Unlocking $106B in trapped value by optimizing designs for maximum GFA and minimizing rework.

What Is DBF Hikari?

Smart Regulation for Smarter Cities

DBF Hikari solves complex building compliance during exploration and the design phase of a project. We digitized urban policies across Japan to help cities, consultants, architects, planners and developers to instantly validate a location or designs, visualize zoning constraints, and reduce rework.

What DBF Hikari Offers

1/

Instant compliance checks that detect violations in real-time

2/

3D zoning visualizations for diagonal limits, shadow analysis, and sky factor

3/

AI regulation assistant to answer questions like "How can I get a GFA bonus?"

4/

Document-backed analysis built with legal transparency

5/

Reports are IFC/3D export compatible

6/

Fully functional in Japan, adaptable worldwide

Where It’s Being Used:

Designed for Every Level of Urban Design

Use Case Tiles:

Building Scale

Used by Takenaka Corporation to validate zoning volumes and optimize GFA.

City Scale

Piloted with Seikatsu Sangyo Laboratory for district-wide shadow and sky factor compliance.

Curious about it?

GET A Demo
Shouichi SENDA, SENIOR MANAGER AT TAKENAKA

DBF Hikari’s AI platform enables us to design anywhere, with automated checks and suggestions for Japan’s complex building guidelines."


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How DBF Hikari Works:

See DBF Hikari in Action (Demo Walkthrough)

Understand how DBF Hikari automates compliance

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Site Import –

Choose a location (e.g., Nagoya)

Fetch Rules –

Auto-load regulations: diagonal, sky factor, shadow

Run Check –

Upload model → real-time compliance check

Visual Feedback –

See “fail” areas directly on your 3D model

Chat Guidance –

Ask what failed and how to fix it

Import/Export Results –

Compatible with Revit, Rhino, ArchiCAD

Frequently
Asked Questions

Common questions from our prospects.

Open all FAQ
How reliable is the compliance check and how often is the regulation database updated?

Over the last 9 months we have worked closely with Takenaka Corporation and Seikatsu Sangyo Laboratory making the outcomes precise and reliable. We further reference back original regulation documentation for the user to easily see and understand how the AI has made decisions.

Can I import my own design files (e.g., Revit, Rhino, SketchUp) into BlueFoam?

Yes we have several ways to get started and bring over your designs to validate the compliance.

Does Hikari work in real-time while I design or do I need to upload the model separately?

Yes the AI is near instant at the moment and will be flagging where the design needs attention. In future updates we will be bringing in design capabilities for building massing, allowing users to adjust and maximise building design directly with compliance.

Can Hikari integrate with our existing BIM or project management tools?

Users can directly download various file formats to use in their workflows including BIM (Revit & Archicad)

What happens if regulations change? How does BlueFoam stay up to date?

We will regularly check regulation changes as they are published.

Can I rely on BlueFoam’s results for regulatory approval or permitting processes?

We have taken the utmost care in making the platform as accurate as possible we do suggest to double check with relevant team members or consultants prior to making your submission. BlueFoam is not legally binding and is for information purposes only.

Do you offer demos or free trials?

We offer free usage for the moment, as we progress with the technology new

DBF Hikari

AI-powered design,built for Japan’s building guidelines

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