Reconsidering adaptive industrialized construction in Chinese rural areas: responding to the challenge of COVID-19

The spread of COVID-19 has caused an increasing demand for public medical rooms, especially in Chinese rural regions. Industrialized building techniques have been shown as capable of fulfilling this demand through the case of the Leishenshan Hospital. However, industrialized construction requires developed technologies and infrastructures, which are often non-existent in rural areas, thus making it difficult to replicate such a feat. Therefore, more suitable solutions for Chinese rural project delivery in the pandemic scenario are needed. Considering the constraints of pandemic prevention and rural applicability, the adaptive industrialized construction (AIC) method has potential as an alternative. This study evaluates the application of AIC by comparing simulated results using AIC and a conventional method, based on five evaluation indicators: construction speed, labourer distribution, material consumption, equipment utilization, and cost. Taking an actual project as the sample building, the results indicate that the AIC method has several advantages. These include a shorter construction period, less labourer gathering onsite, and a lower cost, suggesting it may be an effective solution for rural project delivery during the pandemic. Architects and contractors could employ the same evaluation method to explore more solutions and optimize the construction schedule for future rapid construction needs in rural areas in a pandemic.