Government turns to prefab buildings to save resources

China is promoting prefabricated buildings as a way to save energy and help resolve the problem of excessive industrial capacity, the Ministry of Housing and Urban-Rural Development announced on Friday.

Prefabricated buildings are built using manufactured components that are assembled at the construction site. Based on a guide from the ministry, 30 percent of new buildings are to be prefab structures.

"Currently, we have a foundation to promote it, but progress is slow," said Su Yunshan, head of the Department of Energy Conservation, Science & Technology, which is part of the ministry. "Rough data shows that the current (prefab) rate is about 5 percent, but by our calculations, the goal is achievable."