The Rise of Flat-Packed Container Houses: A Shift from Color Steel Plate Houses

The Rise of Flat-Packed Container Houses: A Shift from Color Steel Plate Houses

In recent years, the construction industry has increasingly focused on green construction, particularly in the temporary construction sector. While the market share of prefabricated houses (light steel movable plank buildings) has been decreasing, modular houses (flat-packed container houses) have been gaining more ground. It is evident that as construction industrialization gains momentum, the removable and reattachable modular houses will replace light steel movable plank buildings. Let's delve into the reasons behind this shift through a detailed comparison.

1. Structural Advantages

Flat-packed container house: This new eco-friendly building is composed of a structural system, ground system, floor system, wall system, and roof system. It utilizes one standard house as the basic unit and can be combined in various forms horizontally or vertically. The house's systems are prefabricated in factories and assembled on-site. This structural design enhances stability and durability.

Light steel movable plank building: With its inlaid structure and small resistance, this building is prone to collapse in situations such as unstable foundations, typhoons, and earthquakes.

2. Design Flexibility

Flat-packed container house: The design incorporates modern household elements and allows for free assembly and disassembly based on different environments and preferences. Users can choose different assembly modes for each module to create personalized houses. The housing base is adjustable to adapt to different floor requirements. The exterior can be adorned with various building decoration materials.

Light steel movable plank building: The design is based on steel, plate, and other raw materials for on-site installation. It offers poor performance in terms of sealing, sound insulation, fire prevention, moisture-proofing, and heat insulation.

3. Performance and Durability

Flat-packed container house: This type of house exhibits excellent seismic resistance (Grade 8) and wind resistance (Grade 12). It has a service life of over 20 years. The use of high-quality, eco-friendly, and recycled materials, such as all-cotton plug-in color steel composite plates without cold bridges, ensures superior insulation, soundproofing, fire resistance, moisture-proofing, and heat insulation. These houses excel in creating a comfortable and safe living environment.

Light steel movable plank building: These buildings offer Grade 7 earthquake resistance, Grade 9 wind resistance, and a service life of only 8 years. Their performance in terms of fire prevention, moisture-proofing, sound insulation, and heat preservation is subpar.

4. Foundation Requirements

Flat-packed container house: The foundation requirements are simpler, enabling the use of strip foundations or pier foundations. In some cases, these houses can be placed directly on the ground without any foundation, eliminating the need for extensive leveling of the indoor ground.

Light steel movable plank building: The foundation process is complicated, involving pouring concrete foundations measuring 300 mm x 300 mm. The house is connected to the foundation using expansion bolts, and the ground of the first floor needs to be leveled with concrete. After the house is moved, the foundation cannot be reused.

5. Installation Efficiency

Flat-packed container house: The quick installation process ensures shorter construction times. A team of four workers can complete the installation of a single modular house in just 3 hours. Alternatively, the houses can be transported in full containers and connected to water and electricity on-site for immediate use.

Light steel movable plank building: The installation process is time-consuming, taking 20-30 days, including pouring concrete foundations, constructing the main body, installing color steel plates, suspending the ceiling, and installing water and electricity. This method poses a high risk of operation and labor loss.

6. Transportation Convenience

Flat-packed container house: These houses can be disassembled into plate packing, making them suitable for sea and land transportation. With the ability to transport up to 12 sets on a 17.4-meter flat car, transportation costs are significantly reduced. Alternatively, fully prefabricated houses can be transported in whole containers and lifted into place on-site.

Light steel movable plank building: The scattered materials of these buildings make transportation troublesome.

7. Versatile Applications

Flat-packed container house: The modular houses find applications in engineering camps, logistics parks, military operations, municipal projects, commercial ventures, oil field mining, tourism, exhibitions, and more. They can be used for living, office spaces, storage, commercial operations, and tourism landscapes, providing improved comfort and meeting various needs.

Light steel movable plank building: These buildings are primarily used for temporary construction sites.

8. Energy Efficiency and Environmental Benefits

Flat-packed container house: The "factory manufacturing + on-site installation" mode ensures no construction waste during assembly, reducing environmental impact. These houses can be recycled with zero loss during transitions, promoting sustainability.

Light steel movable plank building: On-site installation causes damage to the environment, resulting in significant construction waste and low recycling rates.

In conclusion, each set of a modular house, produced through factory prefabrication, offers a simple structure, quick installation, and high safety standards. These houses, made of highquality and eco-friendly materials, provide superior performance, durability, and design flexibility. Compared to light steel movable plank buildings, flat-packed container houses have significant advantages in structural design, foundation requirements, installation efficiency, transportation convenience, and versatility of applications. Additionally, they are more energy-efficient and environmentally friendly. As a result, the construction industry is witnessing a shift towards flat-packed container houses, marking a new era in green and sustainable construction practices.