China’s plan for construction: greener, smarter, more robots

A picture of Shanghai, one of China’s largest cities

The Chinese government has released a five-year development plan for the construction industry that aims to put the industry on a “greener, smarter and safer path.”

The plan – released as part of the 14th five-year plan, for the years 2021-2025 – states that the industry will increase the modernisation of its industrial chain, form the preliminary stages of a green and low-carbon production mode, see more widespread application of information technologies, and improve the safety and quality of buildings.

The plan also says that prefabricated buildings, which are partially or wholly manufactured in factories and then transported to construction sites for assembly – also known as modular buildings – will account for more than 30% of the country’s new construction.

Technology is mentioned in the plan, specifically an increase in the use of information technologies and the mass application of construction robots in some areas by 2025.

In terms of sustainability, building waste at new construction sites will be lower than 300 tonnes per 10,000 square meters.

China’s construction industry is important to the country’s economy – it is reported that in the period of the 13th Five-Year Plan period (2016-2020), the sector expanded 5.1% annually in added value, accounting for over 6.9% of Gross Domestic Product (GDP).