Fully Prefabricated Assembly-Type Housing

Fully prefabricated assembly-type housing is a building form that involves the industrial production of building components and their on-site assembly, offering advantages such as efficiency and environmental friendliness, with a rich development history and diverse types both domestically and internationally.

I. Core Characteristics
Fully prefabricated assembly-type housing shifts a significant amount of on-site work from traditional construction methods to factories, where building components (such as floor slabs, wall panels, and stairs) are processed and manufactured. These components are then transported to the construction site and assembled using reliable connection methods. The technology encompasses prefabricated concrete structures and steel structures, with components including prefabricated beams, slabs, walls, and columns. The main types include panel-based assembly, box-based assembly, and frame-based assembly.

II. Construction Advantages

1. Short Construction Period: The construction speed is significantly improved. For example, the main structure of a fully prefabricated residential building in Zhejiang can be completed in just 7 days; mobile homes in the United States can be quickly connected to water, electricity, and communication systems and put into use through trailer transportation and lifting.
2. Environmental Friendliness: Construction pollution is greatly reduced. Fujian Province has established industrial bases with policy support, achieving a reduction in construction waste of over 70%.
3. Comprehensive Benefits: It saves resources and energy, improves labor productivity and quality and safety levels, promotes the deep integration of the construction industry with informatization and industrialization, and drives the resolution of excess capacity.

III. Development History

1. Abroad: It emerged in the early 20th century and achieved technological breakthroughs in the 1960s. Countries such as the United Kingdom, France, and the Soviet Union were among the first to attempt and promote it. Early designs were rigid but later became more flexible and diverse through improvements.
2. Domestically: It started in the 1950s and was applied to factory and residential construction. In the 1970s, technical systems such as large-panel structures and box structures were formed. In the 1980s, it stagnated due to cost and quality defects. After the 21st century, it recovered due to its efficiency and environmental advantages, with companies like Vanke Group developing prefabricated shear wall residential structural systems. At the policy level, the State Council issued guidelines in 2016, aiming for 80% of newly started prefabricated buildings in Hainan Province by 2025 and 100% implementation of prefabricated buildings for all residential land parcels sold in Guangzhou from 2026 onwards. Additionally, Chinese-made prefabricated houses are selling well overseas, with exports of mobile homes from the Guangzhou Customs area increasing by 38.1% in the first four months of 2026.

IV. Specific Types and Characteristics

1. Panel-Based Assembly Buildings: These use prefabricated wall panels and floor slabs as core components, allowing for an expansion of usable area but with limited design flexibility.
2. Box-Based Assembly Buildings: These are assembled from prefabricated functional units, improving construction speed by 50%-70% but requiring higher transportation and lifting equipment.
3. Modular Buildings: These have a higher degree of integration and represent an advanced form of prefabricated assembly-type buildings.