Experience of Prefabricated Composite Housing
Prefabricated composite housing has undergone stages of origin and development, formation of technical types and advantages, material application and innovation, as well as market and application expansion.
Origin and Development: China's prefabricated concrete technology began in the 1950s, initially used mainly for factory and residential construction. In the 1970s, driven by the policy of 'three industrializations' in construction (standardized design, industrialized component production, and mechanized construction), technical systems such as large-panel structures and box structures were formed, promoting the initial development of prefabricated composite housing. However, in the mid-1980s, due to high costs and quality defects, the development of prefabricated composite housing stagnated. Entering the 21st century, with improved production efficiency and increased demand for environmental protection, prefabricated composite housing regained attention for its efficient and eco-friendly advantages and gradually recovered.
Technical Types and Advantages: Prefabricated composite housing involves the industrial production of building components, which are then assembled on-site. The main technical types include panel assembly, box assembly, and frame assembly. The technology covers prefabricated concrete structures and steel structures, with components such as beams, slabs, walls, and columns. This construction method offers significant advantages, such as shortened construction periods, reduced pollution, and improved construction quality. For example, compared to traditional construction methods, the construction period of prefabricated composite housing can be significantly shortened, with on-site labor reduced by about 50%, while also reducing noise, dust, construction waste, and traffic congestion that disturb residents.
Material Application and Innovation: Currently, most prefabricated houses use reinforced concrete for high-rise construction, while lightweight steel, aluminum structures, and wood structures are more commonly used for low-rise buildings. In residential and commercial real estate development, eco-friendly materials such as steel and aluminum have greater potential for technological research and development. For example, the Alu House brand focuses on innovative research in prefabricated composite buildings, developing new aluminum modular building units and applying aluminum materials to prefabricated composite buildings, driving the development of aluminum composite housing.
Market and Application Expansion: Among prefabricated modular buildings, modular construction represents a higher level of integration. Chinese-made prefabricated houses perform strongly in the international market and are popular overseas. According to customs data, in the first four months of 2026, the export value of movable houses in the Guangzhou Customs area reached 1.4 billion yuan, a year-on-year increase of 38.1%. In terms of application scenarios, prefabricated composite housing has been widely used in affordable housing, commercial real estate, and other fields, significantly improving construction efficiency and quality.
