Optimizing multi-family building massing for affordability and envelope performance: an investigation of the trade-offs implicit in low rise residential buildings

Abstract

The United States faces twin crises of housing affordability and environmental degrada-tion. Under these clouds, the nation is experiencing an explosive growth in new construction multi-family housing. This paper seeks to evaluate how designers might optimize the organization of such projects to minimize cost and maximize environmental performance. A method is developed for evaluating the construction costs and environmental performance of multifamily developments across four variables: building height, number of buildings, building width, and building floor area. Our analysis suggests that buildings with deeper floor plates are preferable for both economic and environmental reasons. We also suggest that taller buildings have more performative envelopes while shorter buildings are more economical to construct. Finally, we offer a method of finding a compromise between economic and environmental objectives for projects of a given square footage. Most commonly, this “compromise” takes the form of a moderate number of mid-rise buildings with deep floor plates. This investigation adds nuance to the existing literature on the effects of building shape on building cost and envelope performance. It also provides designers with a method of potentially constructing multifamily buildings in a less expensive and more environmen-tally conscious way.