How About Prefabricated Panel Houses

Prefabricated panel houses have construction advantages, but they also have significant overall drawbacks, and policies restrict new construction, with existing houses facing gradual demolition.

Construction Advantages

The construction method of prefabricated panel houses is similar to 'building with blocks', where pre-fabricated cement panels are assembled and joined together. This construction method offers fast construction speed and low construction costs. It effectively alleviated housing pressure in the 1970s and 1980s, becoming an iconic architectural symbol of that era.

Existing Drawbacks

• Poor thermal insulation and sound insulation: The interiors are cold in winter and hot in summer, with poor ventilation. The lack of sound insulation means there is no privacy in neighborhood life, with conversations and TV sounds from next door often clearly audible.
• Short design service life: Typically only around 40 years, many are now 'over-serving' their intended lifespan, showing large-scale peeling of wall finishes, numerous wall cracks, and even becoming dangerous buildings.
• Unsatisfactory house appearance and interior space: The appearance is monotonous and uniform, with cramped interior spaces. The floor plan design lacks human-centric considerations, significantly reducing living comfort. For example, some floor plans have kitchens and bathrooms without windows and small living room areas.
• Insufficient earthquake resistance: Mainly relying on cement construction, although a certain amount of steel reinforcement is added, the overall earthquake resistance cannot compare with modern buildings. When facing natural disasters such as earthquakes or floods, safety precautions are clearly insufficient.
• Difficult to adjust internal structure: Large-scale modifications are almost not allowed, as every wall may be related to the overall structure, making it difficult for residents to customize their living space according to personal needs.
• High risk of water seepage: Over time, cement components develop cracks, and the gaps between components increase, raising the risk of water seepage between upper and lower floors. For example, many old residential areas in Chengdu have prefabricated panel floors, where the panel gaps are natural 'water channels'. If waterproofing is not adequate, water can easily 'seep' horizontally along the panel gaps to adjacent rooms or even downstairs.

Policy Situation

In 2023, relevant departments clearly stipulated that within the scope of urban construction land, the new construction, renovation, and expansion of buildings such as prefabricated panel houses that do not meet safety standards are prohibited. Existing prefabricated panel houses will gradually face demolition based on actual conditions. However, due to their large number, it is impractical to demolish them all at once. Issues such as relocation and resettlement also need to be considered, and it may take a considerable amount of time for gradual demolition.