What is a Prefabricated Panel House

A prefabricated panel house is a type of building constructed primarily using prefabricated panels. These panels are cement components prefabricated in factories, formed by nailing wooden models, laying steel bars, and pouring cement. They come in two types: solid and hollow.

Construction Characteristics and Historical Background
The construction method of prefabricated panel houses exhibits significant industrial characteristics. Factories produce prefabricated panels using standardized molds, and during construction, these panels are directly assembled and installed, greatly shortening the construction period while reducing labor and material costs. This construction model was widely adopted in China from the 1960s to the 1990s, especially during periods of soaring housing demand but relatively limited construction technology, becoming the primary means of rapidly addressing residential needs. Its core advantages lie in fast construction speed and low cost, but due to the technological limitations of the time, design standards fell short of those of modern buildings.

Structural Performance and Safety Hazards
The structural design of prefabricated panel houses has inherent flaws. The panels are connected through splicing, resulting in weak overall integrity. Under lateral loads such as earthquakes and floods, the joints are prone to fracture or dislocation, leading to the collapse of the entire house. Additionally, the panels themselves are made of cement, which is heavy but has limited tensile strength. Over time, issues such as cracks and water seepage may arise. Their typical service life is only about 40 years, much shorter than that of modern reinforced concrete commercial housing. Moreover, they have poor sound insulation and thermal insulation performance, resulting in lower living comfort.

Policy Orientation and Current Status
According to the new regulations in 2025, prefabricated panel houses are not subject to comprehensive demolition but rather a classified disposal strategy:

• Demolition Scope: Only dilapidated houses at the prefecture level (with substandard structural safety), "nail houses" that obstruct urban planning, and old houses over 25 years old with repair costs exceeding reconstruction costs are targeted for demolition.
• Renovation Focus: The remaining 80% of prefabricated panel houses are primarily renovated, including structural reinforcement, pipeline updates, and improvements in sound insulation and thermal insulation performance, to extend their service life and enhance living quality.
  This policy reflects the concept of "precision governance," avoiding resource waste while ensuring resident safety and promoting sustainable urban renewal.