Prefabricated and Assembled Building Structure

Prefabricated and assembled building structure generally refers to a building form where building components are industrially produced and assembled on-site, namely prefabricated assembled buildings. It has advantages such as shortened construction periods, reduced pollution, and diverse technical types with wide applications.

Technical Types and Components

The technical system of prefabricated assembled buildings covers prefabricated concrete structures and steel structures, with components including prefabricated products such as beams, slabs, walls, and columns. Depending on the degree of integration, there are mainly three types:

• Panel-based Assembly: This type primarily uses prefabricated wall panels, floor slabs, and other components, which are assembled on-site to form the main building structure. This type of structure can expand the indoor usable area. Due to the standardized production of components, on-site wet operations are reduced, significantly improving construction efficiency.
• Box-based Assembly: Functional units such as bathrooms and kitchens are prefabricated into independent 'boxes' and directly combined on-site. Its construction speed is 50%-70% faster than traditional methods, making it particularly suitable for rapidly constructed affordable housing or temporary buildings.
• Frame-based Assembly: This type uses prefabricated frame structures (such as beams and columns) as the core, combined with prefabricated floor slabs and enclosure walls, to form an overall load-bearing system. This type of structure is highly flexible and suitable for multi-story or high-rise buildings.

In addition, modular buildings represent a higher degree of integration, dividing buildings into independent modules (such as room units), which are completed with interior decoration and equipment installation in the factory before being transported to the site for assembly. Its construction period is more than 60% shorter than that of traditional buildings, and due to fewer connection points and strong structural integrity, its seismic performance is superior.

Technical Advantages and Development

The core advantages of prefabricated assembled buildings lie in efficiency and environmental protection:

• Shortened Construction Period: Modular buildings significantly compress time through parallel construction (factory production and on-site foundation work carried out simultaneously). For example, a project was completed in 4 months, compared to the traditional 12 months.
• Reduced Pollution: On-site wet operations are reduced by more than 80%, lowering dust, noise, and construction waste emissions, aligning with the trend of green building development.
• Controllable Quality: Standardized factory production eliminates human errors, with component precision reaching the millimeter level, improving building durability.

China's prefabrication technology began in the 1950s, initially used for factory and residential construction, and saw a resurgence in the 21st century due to environmental protection needs. Companies like Vanke have developed prefabricated shear wall residential systems and promoted prefabricated frame technology. Currently, China's exports of prefabricated houses have grown significantly: In the first four months of 2026, the Guangzhou Customs district exported movable houses worth 1.4 billion yuan (a year-on-year increase of 38.1%), and enterprises across the country exported 1.68 billion yuan worth through the Shenzhen port (a year-on-year increase of 19.6%), covering more than 150 countries and regions, indicating strong international demand for efficient building solutions.