Facade complexity driving costs as early supplier engagement flagged as solution
Industry warns design inefficiencies and late-stage decisions are undermining housing viability
18 April 2026 | editor@breakingground.news
Unnecessary design complexity, particularly in facades and balconies, is adding cost and risk to Irish housing delivery, with industry experts calling for earlier engagement with specialist suppliers to improve buildability, reduce programme timelines and lower embodied carbon.
The issue was highlighted on Breaking Ground on iPropertyRadio, where host Carol Tallon spoke with Nick Haughton, Director at Sapphire Balconies and member of the UK Construction Industry Task Force, alongside Pat Kirwan of Reddy Architects & Urbanism and MMC Ireland, and Denise Doorley of approved housing body Oaklee.
Haughton said that excessive variation in facade design is creating avoidable cost pressures across projects, particularly where aesthetic decisions are made without full consideration of construction and supply chain implications.
“We see quite a lot of balconies where you’ve got a stack of six or eight balconies, and then you’ve got one at the top that’s been moved around the side of the building,” he said. “It produces different designs, but it fundamentally increases complexity.”
He pointed to international examples where rationalising facade design has delivered measurable benefits. On a project in East London, reducing facade articulation and simplifying geometry enabled cost savings, while design expression was retained through more controlled elements such as balconies.
The approach aligns with a broader shift towards standardisation of structural elements combined with flexibility in finishes and appearance, allowing developers to maintain architectural quality without driving up construction cost.
Kirwan described this as “mass standardisation with mass customisation”, where core components are consistent from a manufacturing perspective, but visual and user-facing elements can vary.
“It’s about understanding how design expression relates to cost, to the supply chain and to embodied carbon,” he said. “If you don’t have the supply chain to deliver something, then you have to question the design decision at an early stage.”
The discussion highlighted that facade complexity is not only a cost issue, but also a delivery risk. More intricate designs can increase reliance on bespoke elements, extend programme timelines and create coordination challenges between trades.
Haughton said that earlier collaboration with specialist suppliers can significantly improve outcomes, particularly where interface details between systems are resolved during design rather than on site.
“In the UK, we’ve been forced into earlier collaboration through building safety reforms,” he said. “That has driven conversations at design stage about how to reduce complexity, and it has saved significant cost and time on a number of schemes.”
He cited a major residential development at Wembley Park, delivered by CISC for Quintain, where early supply chain engagement contributed to programme efficiencies and a reported 22% reduction in embodied carbon on one phase of the project.
The conversation also addressed the role of balconies within this debate, particularly as design standards and cost pressures prompt renewed scrutiny of their value. While balconies add to construction cost, Haughton noted that they remain a key component of residential demand and usability, especially in higher-density schemes.
However, he emphasised that their design must be integrated into a wider strategy of standardisation and constructability.
“By standardising the structural connections and interfaces, you can still allow flexibility in appearance,” he said. “You keep the principles consistent, but you don’t remove the ability to deliver good design.”
Doorley added that from an approved housing body perspective, earlier engagement is critical to achieving this balance. She said housing bodies are often brought into projects after key design and procurement decisions have already been made, limiting their ability to influence long-term value and management considerations.
“We’re looking at a scheme not just to build, but to manage and maintain over its lifetime,” she said. “That’s why early engagement is so important.”
Across the discussion, the panel agreed that improving housing delivery is not solely about increasing output, but about making projects more buildable and financially viable.
As cost inflation, policy changes and supply chain pressures continue to affect the sector, the ability to simplify design, reduce unnecessary complexity and engage expertise earlier in the process is emerging as a critical factor in delivering housing at scale.
Listen back: https://open.spotify.com/episode/3bwMnew08d10WK2bV2g6GS?si=iijcwb-_QGyiBI_m60fQSQ
Watch back: https://youtu.be/FOcp0stNldc?si=VkNHGkJ04EVm8_x9
