Prefabricated Assembled Housing

Prefabricated assembled housing is a building form that involves industrial production of building components and on-site assembly, offering advantages such as shortened construction periods and reduced pollution, with strong market and policy support.

I. Definition and Types
Prefabricated assembled housing, also known as pre-cast housing or prefabricated buildings, centers on the factory production of building components (such as beams, slabs, walls, and columns) followed by transportation to the site for assembly. The main types include:

1. Panel-based Assembly: Using pre-fabricated wall panels and floor slabs as core components, this approach can expand usable area but has limited design flexibility;
2. Box-based Assembly: Combining pre-fabricated functional units (such as kitchen and bathroom modules), this method increases construction speed by 50%-70% but requires higher transportation and lifting equipment standards;
3. Modular Construction: With higher integration, buildings are broken down into independent modules, manufactured in factories, and assembled on-site, reducing construction periods by over 60%.

II. Technology and Applications
The technology covers prefabricated concrete structures and steel structures, with standardized component production enhancing quality and safety levels. China's prefabricated concrete technology began in the 1950s, initially used for factory and residential construction. In the 21st century, companies like Vanke Group have developed prefabricated shear wall residential structural systems and applied prefabricated frame technology. Modular construction, due to its high efficiency and integration, has become a current development focus.

III. Policies and Markets
At the policy level, the State Council issued the "Guidelines on Vigorously Developing Prefabricated Buildings" in 2016 to promote construction method transformations. Local policies, such as Hainan Province's requirement for 80% of newly started prefabricated buildings by 2025 and Guangzhou's implementation of 100% prefabricated buildings on residential land starting in 2026, further drive the industry. In the market, China's prefabricated housing exports have grown significantly, with Guangzhou Customs reporting RMB 1.4 billion in activity housing exports in the first four months of 2026, a 38.1% year-on-year increase. The global modular construction market is expected to exceed USD 142.8 billion by 2030.

IV. Advantages and Challenges
Advantages include shortened construction periods, reduced on-site pollution, improved labor productivity, and enhanced quality and safety levels. Challenges lie in transportation costs (especially for box-based assembly), design flexibility (panel-based assembly), and initial investment costs. With technological advancements and policy support, prefabricated assembled buildings are becoming a key direction for green transformation in the construction industry.