Prefabricated Panel Old Houses

Prefabricated panel old houses are buildings constructed primarily with prefabricated panels, which pose safety hazards and offer poor living experiences. Currently, the focus is on repair and renovation, with a ban on new construction, renovation, and expansion.

Definition and Origin of Prefabricated Panel Old Houses

Prefabricated panel old houses are structures built using factory-made cement components—prefabricated panels—as the main building elements. These panels come in two types: solid and hollow. This architectural form originated in the early 20th century, and most residential buildings constructed in China before 1985 adopted this structure.

Existing Problems

• Safety Hazards: Existing prefabricated panel houses generally suffer from weak earthquake resistance, poor sound and thermal insulation, and other issues. Some houses exhibit extensive peeling of wall finishes, numerous cracks in walls, and in severe cases, they become dilapidated buildings at risk of collapse at any time. Their designed service life is typically only around 40 years, and many have now exceeded this lifespan.
• Poor Living Experience: The thermal insulation and soundproofing effects are extremely poor, resulting in cold winters and hot summers. There is no privacy in neighborhood life. The exterior appearance of the houses is monotonous and uniform, with cramped interior spaces. The floor plan designs lack human-centered considerations, such as some units having kitchens and bathrooms without windows and small living rooms.

Policy Regulations

• Renovation Policies: Since 2022, China has implemented renovation policies focusing on repair and renovation, with only buildings meeting the criteria for dilapidated structures being demolished.
• New Construction Restrictions: In 2023, relevant departments explicitly stipulated that within urban construction land areas, the new construction, renovation, and expansion of prefabricated panel houses and other buildings that do not meet safety standards are prohibited.

Renovation Methods

Taking the old house renovation project in Zhongxing Town, Chongming as an example, before renovation, the structural team conducts a comprehensive structural safety assessment of the old house, focusing on inspecting the crack width at the prefabricated panel production sites and the connection status between the prefabricated panels and the ring beams. During the construction preparation phase, a temporary support system is erected. The construction sequence follows the principle of starting from the middle and then moving to the sides, with segmented demolition and cutting while maintaining symmetrical demolition. The daily demolition volume does not exceed 30% of the total floor area, and real-time monitoring of stress changes in the support system is carried out during the demolition process.