Rebuilding destroyed housing is one of the key tasks for the reconstruction of Ukraine. The hostilities are still destroying cities and villages. Millions of internally displaced people and refugees in EU countries have no homes to return to. The Kyiv School of Economics estimates that nearly 90 million square meters of land have been destroyed or damaged as of January 2024. This area comprises 8.6% of Ukraine’s housing stock. This figure is expected to rise as the war continues. It is estimated that more than 1.4 million households, which were home to 3.4 million people, have been damaged or destroyed at a cost of nearly $60 billion.
The European Community is discussing how best to rebuild Ukraine’s infrastructure and housing stock. Turkey, Poland, Germany and other countries have declared their readiness to participate in reconstruction.
However, Ukraine has its own resources available to solve this problem. The Ukrainian company Royal House has developed and introduced TM Royal House, a unique certified wall module-based construction technology.
This article explains how the latest industrial construction technology can play a key role in rebuilding Ukraine’s homes.
Modern technologies
Ukraine faces an acute need to rebuild a huge number of apartments. Therefore, identifying methods for rapid and high-quality construction is crucial. The problem is partially solved through temporary modular houses. But the lifespan of such buildings is limited, and mass apartment rebuilding requires a more systematic approach. To motivate Ukrainian refugees to return, the government needs to ensure their well-being and provide high quality housing.
The scale of the destruction is so great that many countries have expressed their willingness to help rebuild infrastructure and housing. But amidst these offers of help, the Ukrainian voice is often overlooked.
However, Ukrainian developers have a great deal to offer. They have already developed and introduced a construction technology that can compete with those of international development companies. We're referring to industrial construction technologies and modern panel buildings, not outdated, grey, archaic panel blocks. The new approach has proven itself to be efficient and reliable both in Ukraine and across the EU.
This technology has been endorsed by Professor Hennadii Fareniuk, Director of the State Research Institute of Building Structures. Professor Fareniuk has praised the speed and quality with which new structures can be built. Factory production enables work to continue all year round, irrespective of the weather, and makes it easier to monitor the quality of the final products
The monotonous appearance of buildings is no longer an issue thanks to the latest technologies. Modern and architecturally innovative high-rise buildings can be developed while ensuring that industry standards are consistently met.
Ukrainian and EU experience
Ukrainian developers actively employ industrial construction technologies. The Royal House company has developed and patented its own method of erecting modern prefab houses from wall modules that it produces in-house.
Royal House wall modules comprise a load-bearing reinforced concrete wall plate (length up to 11,000 mm, height up to 3,120 mm, thickness 160 mm), an insulation system (reinforced polystyrene foam and mineral wool) and facade finishing. Load-bearing reinforced concrete units are produced, insulated and decorated in factory conditions, with each stage of production subject to quality control.
When using the Royal House construction technology, residential buildings are effectively built at the developer’s own factory in dry and warm workshops. They are only erected into their design position at the construction site. Using this technology, Royal House has already constructed more than 500,000 square meters of housing and will double this figure in the coming years.
One of the key advantages of the Royal House wall module construction technology is its speed. For example, in the new Oxford residential complex, Royal House was able to complete a nine-story multi-apartment building in just six months.
The technology developed by Royal House has been used to construct the “New England” housing development in Kyiv. This project took place in 2022-2023, and resulted in the construction of two residential buildings, comprising more than 1,200 apartments, complete with underground parking.
The company was one of the first in Kyiv to resume construction after the start of the full-scale invasion.
Already in the fifth week of the war, work on the New England housing block construction site was in full swing. Royal House managed to preserve jobs and fulfill its obligations to investors. As of early 2024, New England has four buildings at various stages of construction.
The technology developed by Royal House has also been successfully used outside Ukraine. The company has completed three projects in Slovakia, and one project is currently underway in Austria. The developer has obtained a certificate of manufacturing compliance for the Royal House wall module, which complies with the harmonized European standard EN 14992: 2007+A1:2012, and has patented the technology in the US.
Therefore, Ukraine has its own resources and technologies to solve the problem of mass rebuilding of damaged housing. Ukrainian developers and specialized institutes are able to offer experience and expertise and have proven themselves to be a reliable partner for the Ukrainian Government to work with.
“The construction projects and housing blocks which we have completed using our technology can become a useful model and example for large-scale and high-quality reconstruction of Ukraine. The use of modern industrial construction technologies will make it possible to quickly provide millions of Ukrainians with high-quality, comfortable and modern housing,” stressed Vitalii Ganzha, the president of the Royal House Group.
Oxford housing block in Chaiky village, Kyiv Oblast
Oxford is a housing block located in a quiet suburb, making it an ideal place for a peaceful life. The apartments are conveniently located near to a local park which provides the perfect place to socialize with friends and family.
It takes 30 minutes to get to downtown Kyiv by car, and the nearest subway station can be reached by public transport in 25 minutes. The development is also well connected to Zhytomyrska Highway, Okruzhna Street and Beresteisky Avenue, making trips to the city even more convenient.
Once completed, the development will comprise 15 buildings, each containing nine stories, over 14 hectares. One- and two-room apartments with a convenient layout will be available in the new development. The housing block is designed according to the principle of a 15-minute city, where everything that makes life comfortable is within walking distance: shops, cafes, pharmacies, and other local amenities. Landscaping and greenery are planned for the outdoor space. A public school is located within the Oxford housing block as well.
PARK ROYAL housing block in the city of Bucha
PARK ROYAL is a comfort-class block, comprising 25 hectares, in one of the greenest suburbs of the capital. This development offers residents a park city experience, complete with their own sports and recreation areas. The project will involve the construction of 23 buildings, ranging from seven to 16 stories in size. The apartments will feature diverse layouts: from functional studios and one bedroom apartments to spacious penthouses with expansive rooms and private courtyards.
A central feature of PARK ROYAL will be a promenade spanning more than 17,000 square meters. This will be a hub of vibrant activity, offering residents a wide range of amenities including: restaurants, cafes, food stores, beauty salons and much more. Almost 6,000 square meters have been set aside to provide space for children to play and socialize with their friends. True to its name, the development will include a Garden Plaza, complete with its own glasshouse. This will be complemented by an Urban Plaza containing an amphitheater. In the summer, this will provide space for film screenings along with festivals and concerts. In winter, the space can accommodate snow slides and Christmas decorations.
The PARK ROYAL development prioritizes residents’ safety. All first phase buildings are equipped with bomb shelters built to meet national building regulations.
