How Many Prefabricated Slab Houses Are There in China
There are approximately 18.7 million prefabricated slab residential buildings nationwide. Here is detailed information about prefabricated slab houses:
Prefabricated slab houses refer to residential buildings that use prefabricated concrete slabs as the main structural components. Their floor slabs, roof slabs, etc., are usually prefabricated in factories and then transported to the construction site for installation. According to data released by the Ministry of Housing and Urban-Rural Development in 2025, there are approximately 18.7 million prefabricated slab residential buildings nationwide, accounting for 7.3% of the total urban residential housing stock and involving about 56 million residents. This data reflects the distribution scale of prefabricated slab houses in China's urban residential housing, and although their proportion is lower than mainstream structural types such as brick-concrete and frame structures, they are still an important part of the urban housing system.
In terms of distribution characteristics, prefabricated slab houses are mostly concentrated in old residential areas built in the 1980s and 1990s. During this period, China's urbanization process accelerated, and the demand for housing surged. The prefabricated slab structure was widely adopted due to its short construction period and relatively low cost. For example, in the old industrial areas of some cities, housing funded by work units, and early commercial housing, the proportion of prefabricated slab houses is relatively high. With the advancement of building technology, modern residential buildings more commonly use structural systems such as frame-shear walls and prefabricated concrete. The scale of new construction of prefabricated slab houses has significantly decreased.
Regarding the renovation and safety of prefabricated slab houses, the Ministry of Housing and Urban-Rural Development has issued multiple policies. For example, for old prefabricated slab houses with structural safety hazards, renovation is carried out through reinforcement, demolition and reconstruction, etc. In the renovation of old urban residential areas, priority is given to repairing the roof waterproofing, exterior wall insulation, and staircase updates of prefabricated slab houses. These measures aim to improve the living safety and comfort of prefabricated slab houses and extend their service life.
As a product of a specific historical stage, the scale and distribution of prefabricated slab houses reflect the characteristics of housing construction during China's urbanization process. Currently, through policy guidance and technological upgrades, prefabricated slab houses are gradually transforming towards safety and livability.
