[2022 Asia Construction Awards] POSCO E&C Builds Employee Dormitory at Gwangyang Steelworks Using Modular Construction Method

Minister of Land, Infrastructure and Transport Award - New Technology and Construction Method Category

[Asia Economy Reporter Ryu Tae-min] Posco Engineering & Construction, which received the Minister of Land, Infrastructure and Transport Award this year in the new technology and new construction method category, is actively fostering housing projects applying the modular construction method, recognized as an eco-friendly future construction technology. Modular housing refers to houses built by manufacturing major structural components such as columns, slabs (plate-shaped structures), and beams (horizontal load-bearing structural members) and finishing the construction in a factory, then transporting and assembling them on-site. In particular, Posco E&C has demonstrated high technical skills by completing the tallest modular building in Korea, a 12-story structure.

Overview of Gigitown, the dormitory for employees of Gwangyang Steelworks

Posco E&C constructed employee dormitories at the Gwangyang Steelworks using modular construction methods. This is the ‘Giga Town’ project, where the dormitory was built with 500 rooms across 12 floors above ground and 2 basement levels. The maximum height is 46.7 meters, making it the tallest existing modular building in Korea. Notably, among ongoing mid-rise modular projects of 10 floors or more, this is the first case where the building’s performance has been verified through actual completion.

A Posco E&C official explained, “Giga Town Building A (200 rooms) adopted the modular method, while Building B (298 rooms) used the conventional reinforced concrete (RC) method, making this project a comprehensive verification of the modular method’s quality, cost, and construction period competitiveness.”

Posco E&C achieved a reduction in construction time through the modular method in this project. Building A, constructed with the modular method, took 7 months from module fabrication to installation and finishing, which was about 4 months faster than Building B, constructed with RC. According to Posco E&C, this represents about a 20% reduction in the total construction period of 21 months.

Carbon emissions were also significantly reduced. An evaluation of the potential carbon emissions during the production stage of construction materials showed that the modular method reduced carbon emissions by 26.47% compared to the RC method. Although the modular method showed higher carbon emissions in steel plate and shaped steel parts than the RC method, the carbon emissions in the ready-mixed concrete (remicon) sector, which has the greatest carbon impact, were greatly reduced.

Importantly, this evaluation only considered the production stage of construction materials. When considering the building’s use, disposal, and recycling stages, the modular method is expected to have an even greater carbon reduction effect due to resource savings and reduced construction waste.

Residential performance was also greatly improved. As a result of applying the modular method, all key residential performance items required for multi-family housing, such as impact noise on floors and sound insulation between units, were found to be equal to or better than those of RC structures.

Above all, Giga Town achieved the remarkable feat of completing the building with ‘zero safety accidents’ by reviewing risk factors in advance and establishing countermeasures through BIM simulation. This is a meaningful achievement at a time when safety management is more important than ever due to laws such as the Serious Accidents Punishment Act.

A Posco E&C official stated, “Posco plans to continuously promote follow-up projects applying the modular method, which contributes highly to carbon neutrality, eco-friendliness, and safety, in line with its ESG management philosophy.”