2026 is dubbed the "Standard Year" by insiders of the steel structure sector. Starting March 1, the General Code for Construction of Steel Structure Engineering has been fully enforced nationwide, covering the whole industrial chain of steel structure projects: detailed design, raw material inspection, component fabrication and on-site installation. Meanwhile, GB/T 51022-2025 Design Standard for Steel Structure Factory Buildings mandates wind load and seismic performance double recheck for all single-story industrial plants.
The Steel Structure Design Standard (GB 50017-2026) and supporting atlases came into full force this August, bringing systematic upgrades on metal steel structure material selection, joint detailing, seismic resistance, fire rating, wind uplift resistance and full-lifecycle inspection. The new codes strengthen mandatory clauses for weld traceability and component type testing, and for the first time integrate steel structure carbon emission accounting into the design phase. For enterprises exporting steel structure buildings, mastering equivalent compliance solutions linking domestic new standards and international codes is critical for compliant project delivery.
Besides, JGJ/T 251-2026 Technical Specification for Anti-Corrosion Construction of Steel Structures introduces a new compulsory rule: dew point temperature must be measured before each coating layer application, and construction is only permitted when the temperature gap stays below 3°C. Time-stamped infrared temperature photos must be archived as acceptance documents. The rollout of these codes will push the prefabricated steel structure industry to shift from extensive growth to high-quality, standardized development.
