Prefabricated Panel House Construction

Prefabricated panel house construction is a method of building houses with prefabricated panels as the main components. Its development has undergone an evolution from traditional to modern approaches, currently facing existing issues and policy adjustments, while also witnessing new development trends overseas.

Definition and Origin

Prefabricated panel houses use factory-made cement components, namely prefabricated panels, as their main structural elements. During production, wooden molds are first nailed together, and then steel bars are arranged before pouring cement. These panels come in two types: solid and hollow. The hollow structure achieves lightweighting by reducing the non-load-bearing concrete. This building form originated in the early 20th century and was initially used mainly for floor slabs and roof insulation layers. In China, most residential buildings constructed before 1985 adopted this type of structure.

Evolution of Construction Methods

With the development of construction technology, cast-in-place concrete and prefabricated buildings have gradually replaced traditional prefabricated panel houses. Prefabricated buildings use modular factory-made components. For example, CMC (Composite Modular Construction) buildings enhance earthquake resistance through integrated steel-concrete pouring, reducing the construction period by 30% compared to traditional methods. Modular buildings have a higher degree of integration, using digital and modular design as their foundation. They complete component splitting, pipeline layout, and unit combination simulations on computers, shifting a large amount of traditional on-site work to factories and achieving standardized and integrated production. For instance, the E-MIC prefabricated concrete box house system independently developed by China Construction First Bureau is built in factories at the front end, transforming the basic building units into three types: prefabricated concrete modules, prefabricated beams, and prefabricated panels. This allows for more flexible spatial arrangements and is suitable for various scenarios such as urban renewal and old residential area renovations.

Existing Issues and Policies

Existing prefabricated panel houses generally suffer from weak earthquake resistance, poor sound and heat insulation, and have a service life of about 30-50 years. Some regions have initiated demolition work. Since 2022, China has implemented a policy of renovating and upgrading old residential areas, focusing on repairing and renovating prefabricated panel houses and only demolishing those that meet the criteria for dangerous buildings.

Overseas Development

In 2026, the Australian residential construction market will see increased attention to prefabricated and modular buildings. The New South Wales Parliament has passed a new building reform bill, establishing a clearer regulatory framework for prefabricated houses and modular buildings, clarifying responsibilities at each stage. Related supporting regulations will continue to be improved from 2026 to 2027. Additionally, Chinese-made prefabricated houses are selling well overseas. 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%.