Changsha Stainless Steel Prefabricated Panel House

The stainless steel prefabricated panel house in Changsha, represented by Broad Group's 'Home No.1' Living Building, is a typical example of industrialized and low-carbon architecture.

Material and Structural Innovation

'Home No.1' employs Broad's proprietary stainless steel core panel technology, consisting of two stainless steel plates sandwiching an array of circular core tubes welded together. This structure is ten times stronger than traditional concrete, weighs only one-fourth as much, and can withstand a magnitude 9 earthquake, significantly enhancing building safety. The exterior walls feature a 22-centimeter rock wool insulation layer, combined with sunshades and a fresh air heat recovery system, reducing energy consumption by 80%-90% compared to traditional buildings, achieving high efficiency and energy savings.

Industrialized Construction Model

The building achieves 100% factory-based modular production, with structures, walls, windows, electromechanical systems, and finishes all prefabricated in the factory. On-site, modules are simply bolted together and connected to utilities, without the use of concrete throughout the process. For example, an 11-story, approximately 3,000-square-meter building can be completed in just 28 hours and 45 minutes, truly realizing 'building houses like making cars.' The modular design is compatible with container transportation, reducing global logistics costs by 60%, and supports flexible addition or removal of floors or changes in use, adapting to diverse needs.

Performance and Lifespan Advantages

Designed for a 1,000-year lifespan, the steel can be 100% recycled, and carbon emissions are reduced by 90% compared to traditional buildings, aligning with low-carbon and environmental trends. Equipped with a self-inspection system for real-time structural health monitoring, operational and maintenance costs are reduced by 80%, offering significant long-term economic benefits. Additionally, the building has been validated for safety through projects like the Korean version of 'Huoshenshan Hospital,' providing reliable solutions for emergency medical and other scenarios.

Controversies and Challenges

Despite its advantages, the technology still faces challenges: initial costs are higher than those of concrete buildings, but the total lifecycle cost is only one-twentieth of traditional buildings; standardized modules may limit personalized design, but 12 exterior facade combinations have been developed to balance standardization and diversity; current building codes do not cover thousand-year lifespan standards, necessitating the establishment of new evaluation systems to promote technology adoption.

Through technological innovation and an industrialized model, 'Home No.1' Living Building offers an efficient, low-carbon, and sustainable solution for the construction industry, driving the sector towards industrialization and low-carbon transformation.