Prefabricated Building Installation

Prefabricated building installation is a construction method that involves prefabricating building modules or components in a factory and assembling them on-site, offering advantages such as efficiency, environmental friendliness, and quality control.

Technical Types and Component Systems

Prefabricated construction encompasses three main technical types: panel prefabrication (primarily using prefabricated wall panels and floor slabs), box prefabrication (complete modules including interior finishes), and frame prefabrication (combining prefabricated beams, columns, and floor slabs). The technical systems are divided into prefabricated concrete structures (such as prefabricated shear walls and composite slabs) and steel structures (light steel frame modules). Components include standardized products like beams, slabs, walls, and columns. Modular construction, as a more integrated form, prefabricates ceilings, floors, plumbing, electrical systems, and even furniture in the factory, enabling rapid on-site assembly akin to “building with blocks” and achieving a “move-in ready” standard.

Installation Process and Efficiency Improvements

The installation process consists of two stages:

1. Factory Prefabrication: Utilizing automated production lines and parallel operations, for example, the CSCEC Hailong Smart Construction Industrial Park has an annual production capacity of 20,000 to 30,000 modules. Components are formed using molds and precise calculations, with errors controlled to the millimeter level.
2. On-site Assembly: Taking a case in Henan as an example, a 200-square-meter prefabricated house can be installed in 4 hours, reducing the construction period by over 60% compared to traditional buildings. In a Shanghai real estate project, the use of prefabricated modules shortened the construction period from 2.5-3 years to 1 year, while reducing on-site labor by approximately 50%.

Core Advantages and Application Scenarios

• Construction Period and Cost: The construction period is shortened by over 60%. The cost for a 200-square-meter house in rough finish is approximately 60,000 yuan (about 300 yuan per square meter), demonstrating significant cost advantages.
• Environmental Protection and Quality: Construction waste is reduced by 70%, and on-site noise and dust are lowered by over 50%. Components are industrially produced, with a quality guarantee period of up to 70 years, and superior seismic and fire resistance compared to traditional buildings.
• Application Scenarios: Suitable for low-rise to multi-story buildings (up to 5 stories) such as residential houses, dormitories, and office buildings, especially for scenarios requiring speed, such as emergency housing and tourist resorts.

Industrial Support and Market Prospects

This model relies on the support of technical systems, production systems, and industrial clusters. Chinese prefabricated houses have been exported to Southeast Asia, the Middle East, and other regions. In the first four months of 2026, the Guangzhou Customs district exported 1.4 billion yuan worth of mobile homes, a year-on-year increase of 38.1%. It is predicted that the global modular construction market will exceed 142.8 billion US dollars by 2030, becoming an important direction for the transformation and upgrading of the construction industry.