New construction technology debuts in Shenzhen to “show off” new trends in industry development

During the recently held International Smart Building Industry Expo from October 20 to 21 in Shenzhen, innovative construction technologies captured the attention of attendees. Among the highlighted exhibits were an 8.5-ton modular hospital unit, an intelligent bionic robot capable of various engineering measurements, and an autonomous production line for building curtain walls that reduces labor costs by approximately 70%. This event showcased the building sector’s cutting-edge technologies.

The expo, a first of its kind in the industry focusing on all aspects of smart construction, was jointly organized by a coalition of eight entities including China National Building Material Group Corporation, China State Construction Engineering Corporation, Huawei Technologies, and the Shenzhen Construction Technology Promotion Center. Its aim is to create an open collaborative innovation platform that promotes high-level collaboration across the industry chain and facilitates effective fusion of technologies across different sectors.

As the construction industry undergoes a transformation, the concept of “building houses like we build cars” is becoming increasingly feasible. In the China State Construction Decoration Group showcase, a modular hospital unit named “Xinglin” drew significant interest. This unit integrates embedded modular technology and consists of three primary systems—including ground, wall, and ceiling—and nine subsidiary systems.

“This modular hospital unit boasts notable advantages such as lightweight design, high quality, and green low-carbon features,” explained Cao Yajun, Chief Engineer of Shenzhen Decoration Company under China State Construction Decoration Group. The prefabricated hospital products incorporate modular bathroom and medical wall technologies developed by academician Meng Jianmin’s team from the Chinese Academy of Engineering. Each hospital module weighs about 8.5 tons, representing a 60% reduction compared to traditional construction methods, and its wall and box structures can be disassembled and reused multiple times.

In addition to construction, numerous building maintenance and safety inspection technologies were showcased at the expo, with the curtain wall safety inspection technology gaining considerable attention. This technology acts like a versatile “surgeon” specializing in diagnosing various challenges faced by curtain walls. It provides comprehensive inspection and analysis for existing buildings, offering extensive protection and management solutions, thereby supporting urban renewal and renovation of existing structures.

The researchers behind this technology revealed that they have developed a smart curtain wall safety management digital system. Utilizing AI for digital twins, this system creates models of curtain walls and connects various detection devices through IoT technology, enabling cloud-based analysis and rapid responses. Additionally, by leveraging big data, it can accurately identify and predict potential vulnerabilities in existing curtain walls.

Moreover, the first domestic autonomous production line for smart curtain wall processing attracted considerable interest among visitors. Traditional curtain wall manufacturing has faced challenges tied to low standardization of wall materials, leading to less automated processing. This innovative line creatively integrates robotics, industrial IoT, and image recognition, allowing simultaneous processing of curtain wall vertical and horizontal aluminum profiles while autonomously handling waste.

Staff members from the project noted that the smart line reduces labor costs by about 70% compared to traditional lines, significantly increases material utilization rates, and allows for fully digitalized management. Remarkably, this smart line requires only four operators to accomplish the work of 16 on conventional lines and operates 24/7, greatly enhancing efficiency and reducing overall costs.

Additionally, several minor innovations aimed at solving real construction challenges were prominently displayed, including mobile energy storage devices functioning like “power banks” for construction sites, low-carbon energy-efficient prefabricated components, and high-performance doors and windows with excellent insulation properties. These cutting-edge products showcased the potential and direction of future construction technologies.