Prefabricated Assembly in Housing

Prefabricated assembly in housing refers to a construction method where building components are industrially produced and assembled on-site, offering significant advantages such as shortened construction periods and reduced pollution.

Main Types and Technical Systems

Prefabricated assembly buildings are mainly divided into three categories: Panel Assembly involves the splicing of prefabricated wall panels, floor slabs, and other components; Box Assembly combines prefabricated functional units (such as kitchens and bathrooms), with construction speeds increased by 50%-70%; Frame Assembly uses prefabricated beams and columns to form a skeleton, which is then filled with walls. The technical systems cover prefabricated concrete structures and steel structures, with components including standardized products such as beams, slabs, walls, and columns. Some projects achieve precise design through BIM technology.

Core Advantages and Typical Cases

1. Efficiency Improvement: Box assembly significantly shortens on-site assembly time through factory-prefabricated functional modules. For example, after adopting this technology, a project reduced its main structure construction period from 12 months in traditional mode to 4 months.
2. Environmental Benefits: Fujian Province has promoted the construction of industrial bases through policies, achieving a reduction in construction waste by over 70%, while also lowering dust and noise pollution.
3. Quality Control: Factory production eliminates on-site construction errors, with component strength and precision superior to traditional pouring.

Installation Process and Standardized Operations

Taking the installation of prefabricated bay windows and balconies as an example, the process includes:

1. Positioning and Layout: Determine component positions according to design drawings;
2. Reinforcement Binding and Aluminum Formwork Installation for Walls and Columns: Fix connecting reinforcements and install formwork;
3. Reinforcement Binding for Floor Slab Bottom: Lay the bottom reinforcement mesh;
4. Reservation and Embedding of Water and Electricity Pipelines: Pre-install pipeline channels within components;
5. Concrete Pouring for Floor Slab: Pour concrete as a whole to form structural connections;
6. Precision Leveling of Cast-in-Place Floor: Ensure surface flatness meets standards.

Development History and Policy Support

China's prefabricated concrete technology began in the 1950s, initially used for factories and residential buildings; in the 1970s, technical systems such as large-panel structures and box structures were formed; in the 1980s, it stagnated due to cost issues; and in the 21st century, it has revived due to environmental demands. In 2016, the "Guiding Opinions of the General Office of the State Council on Vigorously Developing Prefabricated Buildings" identified it as a direction for construction method transformation. In terms of local policies, Hainan Province plans to have prefabricated buildings account for 80% of newly started construction by 2025, and Guangzhou City requires 100% implementation of prefabricated buildings for residential land starting from 2026, with "application where technically feasible" for commercial and industrial land.

Market Prospects and International Expansion

China's export of prefabricated houses has grown significantly. In the first four months of 2026, the export of movable houses from the Guangzhou Customs area reached 1.4 billion yuan, a year-on-year increase of 38.1%, mainly sold to Southeast Asia, the Middle East, and other regions, reflecting international market demand for efficient and environmentally friendly construction methods.