Prefabricated Simple House

Prefabricated simple houses are a form of construction where building components are industrially produced and assembled on-site. They are also known as prefabricated assembled buildings or modular buildings.

I. Technical Types and Components Prefabricated houses encompass two major technical routes: prefabricated concrete structures and steel structures. The main components include prefabricated products such as beams, slabs, walls, and columns, which can be classified into three categories based on their level of integration:

1. Panel-based Assembly: Using prefabricated wall panels and floor slabs as the core components, the building's main structure is formed through on-site assembly.
2. Box-based Assembly: Taking prefabricated functional units (such as bathroom and kitchen modules) as the basic units, rapid construction is achieved through combination.
3. Modular Construction: This has the highest level of integration. Ceilings, floors, plumbing, and electrical systems are all prefabricated on factory assembly lines. On-site assembly errors are controlled to the millimeter level. Representative technology, such as CMC combined modular construction, enhances seismic resistance through steel-concrete monolithic pouring.

II. Core Advantages

1. Significantly Reduced Construction Time: Taking the affordable housing project in Shenzhen, Guangdong, as an example, 6,028 concrete modules were used to assemble five residential buildings nearly 100 meters tall. The completion and delivery time was shortened from the traditional 2.5-3 years to 1 year, with a construction speed increase of 50%-70%.
2. Enhanced Quality Control: Standardized factory production eliminates on-site construction errors. Modular buildings achieve millimeter-level assembly accuracy. Additionally, technologies like steel-concrete monolithic pouring (such as CMC modules) improve seismic resistance, addressing the weak seismic performance of traditional prefabricated panel houses.
3. Environmental Protection and Resource Conservation: On-site labor is reduced by approximately 50%, significantly lowering noise and dust pollution. Modular design reduces material waste and complies with green building standards.
4. Strong Adaptability: The steel structure technical route is suitable for ocean shipping scenarios, while the concrete structure technical route meets the needs of domestic high-rise buildings. In the first four months of 2026, the export value of movable houses in the Guangzhou Customs area reached 1.4 billion yuan, a year-on-year increase of 38.1%, indicating increased international market recognition.

III. Development History China's prefabricated concrete technology began in the 1950s and was initially applied to factory and residential construction. However, it was gradually phased out due to insufficient seismic resistance, sound insulation, and thermal insulation performance. In the 21st century, with improved production efficiency and growing environmental demands, companies like Vanke Group developed prefabricated shear wall residential structural systems, driving technological revival. Currently, prefabricated houses have evolved from traditional prefabricated panel houses to modular factory-prefabricated components. Construction periods are 30% shorter than traditional methods, and integrated design has resolved issues related to sound insulation and thermal insulation, forming a complete technical system.