Rural Houses with Prefabricated Panels

Rural houses constructed with prefabricated panels, which use these panels as the main building components, suffer from issues such as poor sound and heat insulation, easy cracking and water leakage on the ground, and weak earthquake resistance. With the development of construction technology, they are gradually being replaced.

Construction Method and Origin

Prefabricated panels are cement components prefabricated in factories. During production, a wooden model is first nailed together, then steel bars are arranged and cement is poured to form the panels. There are 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 most residential buildings constructed in China before 1985 adopted this structure. In the 1970s and 1980s, prefabricated panel houses were the "fast food of the construction industry" due to their simplicity and efficiency. Like building with building blocks, one prefabricated panel after another could be assembled to complete a building in just a few days at a low cost. State-owned enterprises and government agencies competed to use them to build dormitories for their employees, and many people in rural areas also followed suit and built prefabricated panel houses.

Existing Problems

• Poor sound and heat insulation: The walls are as thin as paper, with almost zero sound insulation. In summer, it's as hot as a sauna, and in winter, it's freezing cold, resulting in high electricity bills when using air conditioners.
• Easy cracking and water leakage on the ground: The inherent gaps in the prefabricated panels are a major problem. With even a slight subsidence of the foundation, cracks will spread across the walls and floors like a spider's web. If it rains, water will leak from the upper floors directly to the lower ones, affecting neighborly relations.
• Weak earthquake resistance: Their service life is about 30 - 50 years. In the face of natural disasters such as earthquakes, their earthquake resistance is relatively poor, and their safety is low.

Development Trends

With the development of construction technology, cast-in-place concrete and prefabricated buildings are gradually replacing traditional prefabricated panel houses. Since 2022, China has implemented a policy of old building renovation, focusing on repairing and renovating prefabricated panel houses and only demolishing buildings that meet the criteria for dangerous buildings. Some regions have already started the demolition work.