"What are the advantages and disadvantages of modular building technology?

Modular construction (Prefabricated Prefinished Volumetric Construction, referred to as PPVC), refers to the building is divided into a number of spatial modules, the module of all the equipment, piping, decoration, fixed furniture have been done, the facade decoration can also be completed.

These modular components are transported to the construction site and assembled together like "building blocks". It is a high-end product of industrialized construction, with its own high degree of integrity.

The advantages of modular building technology:

1. Fast construction speed, compared with the construction of large panels can shorten the construction cycle by 50 to 70%.

2. High degree of assembly (assembly degree can be more than 85%), most of the construction work, including water, heating, electricity, sanitation and other facilities installation and house decoration are moved to the factory to complete, the construction site is only the remaining components lifting, node processing, connecting pipelines can be used.

3. There is very little environmental pollution.

4. Convenient for later expansion.

Disadvantages of modular building technology:

1. Large investment in prefabrication factories for modular components

2. Transportation and installation of large-scale equipment

3. Higher cost

4. Restricted area of a single module, and low scope of application of the building

Expanded Information:

Modular building technology was first developed by Moses Safdie at the International Exposition (Expo) held in Monte Carlo in 1967. in 1967 to produce a collection of modular concrete housing in the Design Habitat Pavilion (Habitat '67) at the Monte Carlo International Exposition (Expo 67).

Consisting of a cluster of three separate sets of room units arranged to resemble irregular square bodies stacked along a jagged frame. This bold experiment in the use of modulus in pre-cast modular housing generated considerable international interest at the time.

In 1972, Japanese architect Kisho Kurokawa designed the BOC Hull Building, also a typical modular concept building. Kurokawa and transport container manufacturers, a large number of prefabricated building components in the factory and on-site formation of the method, all the furniture and equipment are unitized, stowed in the 2.3m x 3.8m x 2.1m living cabin.

The interior of the cabin is very compact but functional, and the overall design is so high that even the details of the windows are as elaborate as the craftsmanship used in the manufacture of automobiles. The building as a whole also has the sophistication of a manufacturing process.

More recently, the United States, Germany, France, Australia, and Japan have also developed sophisticated prefabricated building systems in the past few decades. But prefabrication is merely the standardization of building components and is not yet equivalent to modular construction.

Modular building refers to the prefabrication of the whole space as a unit of building space. Early modular building mainly to adapt to the rapid construction and low-cost social housing needs. Nowadays, the modular building is re-talked to be more in line with today's green and ecological concepts.

Reference: