A regional government in China is set to order thousands of steel-frame prefabricated homes from British manufacturers.
A delegation led by Chongqing's director of the construction commission visited the UK last month to examine a range of prefabricated technologies from manufacturers such as Terrapin, Portakabin, Banro Holdings and Forge Llewellyn.

It follows an Anglo-Chinese University study that recommended steel-framed housing be used to overcome an acute housing shortage in Chongqing. The region has a population of 30.4m and it is estimated that up to 100 000 homes a year need to be built.

"Build time is the driver and that's why steel has been recommended," says former BRE chief executive and consultant Roger Courtney. "They are also looking at 20-storey structures, which can be built with steel." The environmental performance of steel also impressed the Chinese, who are concerned about the poor quality of existing housing.

A UK-China Housing Group has been set up in conjunction with the project and includes the BRE, Integer, consultants, academics, and suppliers of housing systems and associated products and materials (including environmental services). The group is planning to build a prototype steel house in China in 2002.