Characteristics of Prefabricated Housing Types

Prefabricated housing types mainly include pre-cast houses, modular buildings, prefabricated panel houses, and mobile houses, each with distinct characteristics as follows:

Pre-cast Houses (Prefabricated Assembled Buildings)
These encompass three types: panel-assembled, box-assembled, and frame-assembled. The technical systems include prefabricated concrete structures and steel structures, with components such as beams, slabs, walls, and columns being prefabricated products. Their core advantages lie in efficiency, energy conservation, and environmental protection: Factory production reduces material waste by approximately 30%, shortens construction periods by 50%-70%, lowers material costs by 20%-40% through large-scale production, and reduces labor costs by about 60%. Prefabricated components are standardized using high-precision molds, resulting in concrete strength higher than traditional construction methods. Their seismic performance has passed seven-level earthquake simulations, and with new technological improvements, the seismic rating can be upgraded to eight, extending the service life to seventy years. The use of recyclable materials reduces construction waste by 80%, with a material recycling rate exceeding 90%. Additionally, sandwich insulation design improves sound insulation and thermal insulation. Each type has distinct characteristics: Panel-assembled types focus on prefabricated wall panels and floor slabs, expanding usable area but limiting design flexibility. Box-assembled types combine prefabricated functional units, increasing construction speed by 50%-70% but requiring higher transportation and lifting equipment.

Modular Buildings
Adopting a "factory prefabrication + on-site assembly" model, buildings are disassembled into independent modules, with all processes such as ceilings, floors, and utilities completed in the factory. On-site assembly errors are controlled to the millimeter level. Their advantages include short construction periods, controllable quality, and energy conservation: Construction periods are shortened by over 60%, with each module equipped with a detailed "ID card" for full-process traceability. However, they require a highly developed industrial base, supported by technical systems, production systems, and industrial clusters.

Prefabricated Panel Houses
These primarily use factory-prefabricated cement components (solid or hollow prefabricated panels) and originated in the early 20th century, widely used for floor slabs and roof insulation layers. Current issues include weak seismic resistance, poor sound insulation and thermal insulation, with a service life of approximately 30-50 years, failing to meet modern building safety and comfort requirements.

Mobile Houses (Prefabricated Houses)
These come in three forms: steel, concrete, and wooden, with China's strengths concentrated in steel and concrete types. Steel structures are lightweight, suitable for ocean transportation and high-rise buildings, while concrete types offer a more traditional living experience. Their core advantages are short construction periods, energy conservation, environmental protection, and strong adaptability: Through factory-integrated prefabrication of structural, mechanical, electrical, and finishing modules, they can be put into use immediately after on-site assembly, significantly shortening construction periods.