Guiding Opinions on Promoting Stable Growth, Structural Adjustment, and Efficiency Improvement in the Building Materials Industry

In May of this year, the State Council General Office issued the "Guiding Opinions on Promoting Stable Growth, Structural Adjustment, and Efficiency Improvement in the Building Materials Industry," which included the promotion of new wall materials, stating, "Develop inherently safe, energy-saving, environmentally friendly, lightweight, high-strength wall and roof materials, external wall insulation materials, as well as integrated external wall panels for structure and insulation decoration."

In the content, the State Council explicitly pointed out that the "integrated external wall panels for insulation" (hereinafter referred to as "integrated insulation external wall panels") should be vigorously developed.

The significance of this short statement is quite unusual; it is the first time the State Council has mentioned the product name "integrated insulation external wall panels," and it is also the first guiding document with specific product content issued after the State Council proposed the architectural guideline of "applicable, economical, green, and beautiful."

Previously, in a document jointly issued by the Ministry of Industry and Information Technology and the Ministry of Housing and Urban-Rural Development last year, it was already clearly encouraged to develop "integrated insulation external wall panels." The State Council's naming this time has given it an unprecedented market position, and it is not difficult to predict that the market momentum for "integrated insulation external wall panels" will continue to improve.

So, why is the "integrated insulation external wall panel" receiving such favorable treatment from the State Council?

In the past, external wall tiles have occupied a large share of the market, but due to frequent incidents of external wall tiles falling off buildings in recent years, there are significant safety hazards (to date, multiple incidents of external wall tiles falling off buildings threatening public safety occur every year in the country). I speculate that this may have contributed, to some extent, to the accelerated development of "integrated insulation external wall panels."

It is understood that although there are currently no mandatory national regulations, most regions in the country have issued corresponding regulations—most local norms or strict regulations clearly specify that high-rise buildings are limited or prohibited from using external wall tiles to avoid accidents caused by falling tiles. For example, Liaoning has prohibited the use of mosaic facades on external walls since July 1, 2000, and restricts the design and use of wall tiles except for the ground floor or podium. Projects that require external wall tiles or hanging marble must be submitted to the municipal construction committee for review and should undergo regular safety inspections. The promotion and application of high-performance, environmentally friendly external wall coatings are encouraged.

Although external wall tiles still occupy a large share of the market, it is undeniable that high-rise buildings in the country have gradually phased out tiles. However, the frequent problem of external wall tiles falling off is not the main reason for the accelerated development of "integrated insulation external wall panels." The reason for vigorously promoting "integrated insulation external wall panels" is due to their irreplaceable superior functions, which are needed in today's era.

Take the currently popular functional external wall coating, real stone paint, for example. Ordinary external walls use stone dry hanging, which adds thousands of tons of extra load, posing significant safety hazards; whereas real stone paint is mainly made of polymer, natural colored stone sand, and related additives, and hardens like stone after curing. Its construction material is 4-5 kg/m², only 1/30 of the weight of stone, with excellent adhesion, fire resistance, waterproofing, acid and alkali resistance, pollution resistance, strong bonding, and less fading, effectively preventing external harsh environments from eroding buildings, extending the lifespan of buildings. Additionally, its freeze-thaw resistance is also very strong, making it more marketable in cold regions.

Secondly, "integrated insulation external wall panels" have a wide range of applications and can be used on various substrates such as cement brick walls, foam, gypsum, aluminum panels, and glass; they are highly decorative and can be painted in any shape according to the building's design, providing various three-dimensional patterns. High-quality real stone paint can last up to 15 years and is the best alternative to thick slurry coatings of natural stone, marble, and granite, as well as external wall dry-hanging stone.

Regarding price, the average market price for real stone paint, including labor and materials, is around 60-80 yuan per square meter, with some variation depending on the brand. Therefore, in terms of material costs, product performance, and construction difficulty, it is more worthwhile to choose compared to tile products.

Currently, the domestic real estate market is still thriving, and with the active encouragement of policies, the external wall coating market is bound to do well. Coupled with its superior performance and construction advantages, "integrated insulation external wall panels" undoubtedly have a green light ahead, and the insulation function external wall coatings that are part of it will surely benefit, promoting the positive development of the coating industry.