Earth, or clay, has been one of the basic elements of house building since the day man started living in man-made shelters. The earliest evidence of moulded lay is to be found in excavations of Mohenjo-Daro and Chanhu-Daro of the Indus Valley civilization. The various forms of moulded bricks being used in the construction of houses,streets, drains, etc.

Brick, wood, and stone were the major materials of construction in historic India. The very nature of these materials demanded prefabrication either near the site or construction or near the source of materials. Modern construction technology is also going more and more towards prefabrication and standardisation of building elements. With the growth of technology and science, prefabrication is no longer limited by external factors.