POSCO Engineering & Construction recently announced on the 2nd that it has built 20 employee dormitory units as 'modular houses' at the construction site of the 'Yeosu Hwatae-Baekya Interconnected Bridge.' Modular houses are characterized by significantly improved construction quality and mobility by pre-fabricating key components in the factory and then assembling and installing them on-site.
The site, where the bridge connecting Hwataedo and Baekyado is being constructed, is about 30 km away from Deokchung-dong, Yeosu City, where there is a residential area, making commuting difficult. Therefore, it was inevitable to provide accommodation on-site. Existing temporary accommodations made of lightweight panels or containers were vulnerable to fire and cold, and their living convenience was significantly lacking, causing considerable hardship for the site workers.
In response, POSCO E&C, together with POSCO A&C, established a standardized model of eco-friendly modular accommodations. Reflecting the characteristics of site accommodations where workers must stay for at least three years or more, a floor heating system was applied, and glass wool panels were used for walls and roofs to create the same comfort and pleasantness as a house.
Additionally, to facilitate easy relocation to the next site such as mountainous areas after construction completion, the weight of the modules was reduced. The entire exterior is finished on all six sides, allowing multiple units to be connected and used according to site conditions, as well as enabling a single unit to function fully on its own. The ceiling height is 2.3 meters, similar to a typical apartment, and each single room is 5.4 pyeong with a separate bathroom, equipped with furniture necessary for employees' daily life such as a bed, wardrobe, and desk.
Modular houses have a lower risk of safety accidents and reduce the construction period by 40-60% compared to steel-reinforced concrete structures of the same size. Since POSCO's steel materials are used, they are resistant to external impacts and environmentally friendly.
A POSCO E&C official stated, "Modular house site accommodations not only increase employees' residential satisfaction but also reduce safety accidents at construction sites and are eco-friendly, aligning with the recently emphasized ESG management. We will develop various modular construction models to lead a new construction culture."
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