[In-Depth Look] The Secret Behind the Chinese Hospital Built in 10 Days: 'Modular Construction'

As the whole world watches the novel coronavirus infection (Wuhan pneumonia) situation in China with great concern and strives to contain it, there has been one astonishing piece of news. It was reported that two large hospitals in Wuhan, China?the epicenter of this infectious disease?were completed just 10 days after construction began. Under conventional methods, this construction would have taken two years. Through YouTube, the construction site conditions could be viewed live every day from the start of construction.

To accommodate the rapidly increasing number of patients, the Chinese government began construction of the 'Huoshenshan (Fire God Mountain)' Hospital on the night of the 23rd of last month. About 800 pieces of heavy construction equipment were mobilized, and approximately 7,000 construction workers were deployed. A hospital with 1,000 beds cannot be built in 10 days using traditional on-site construction methods. The use of factory production and assembly methods is essential. Utilizing this approach, China completed a hospital in Beijing within 7 days during the 2003 outbreak of Severe Acute Respiratory Syndrome (SARS), treating 15% of all infected patients. This time as well, the hospital was built using the same design as that hospital, employing factory production and assembly methods. Over 7,000 panels and 1,000 beds for Huoshenshan Hospital were manufactured in factories and utilized on site. Huoshenshan Hospital was completed on the 2nd and, as planned, 1,400 medical staff began treating patients from the 3rd. Right next to it, the 'Leishenshan (Thunder God Mountain)' Hospital, with 1,600 beds, began construction on the 26th of last month using the same method. Of course, there are concerns about the quality and defects of such hastily built hospitals. However, in urgent situations where rapid containment of infection spread is critical, 'speed' is more important. There are many videos on YouTube of the Wuhan hospital construction under the name 'China Speed.'

As in the Chinese case, the construction industry can contribute to preventing the spread of infectious diseases through rapid hospital construction. However, in Korea, it seems impossible to complete a hospital with 1,000 beds in 10 days. It is not due to a lack of manpower or equipment. It is not that China, with its large population, completed a two-year project in 10 days merely by overwhelming manpower. Since it is impossible with traditional on-site construction methods, they actively utilized factory production and assembly methods. However, Korea is only now conducting pilot projects in limited areas such as public rental housing under the name of 'modular construction.'

Singapore has been actively promoting this method at the government level for over a decade to improve construction industry productivity. The UK and the US are also revitalizing related industries to rapidly supply affordable housing. Globally, factory production and assembly methods are recognized as solutions to reduce on-site labor input, shorten construction periods, and improve quality, safety, and environmental standards amid an aging construction workforce and a shortage of skilled workers.

At one time, the Chinese personality trait was described as 'manmadi,' meaning slow and relaxed in everything. That is no longer the case. China Speed is astonishing the world. Chinese construction companies have rapidly risen in the overseas construction market as well. Last year, six of the top 20 overseas construction companies selected by the US ENR magazine were Chinese firms. Korea had only one company on the list. The notion that Chinese construction companies are chasing Korean firms solely based on price competitiveness due to cheap labor costs is outdated. Chinese companies are pursuing Korean construction firms through digital technology and new construction production methods. Korean construction companies also need innovation in construction production methods by embracing digital transformation and utilizing factory production and assembly methods.

Lee Sang-ho, President of the Korea Research Institute for Construction Industry

This content was produced with the assistance of AI translation services.