Well designed schools can have lower truancy rates and improved attendance, and better design in schools can also free staff and resources for the activities that matter. For example, one primary school found that by building a new one-storey building, it needed fewer teachers monitoring breaks, and three fewer lunchtime assistants. These are savings which can be put into educating children instead. Another study, by the University of Sheffield, of a purpose-built psychiatric unit in Hove, found significant improvements in outcomes for patients. Good design has added a great deal of value for both staff and patients, and this has delivered a significant improvement in terms of cost.
Good design can actually save money.
By taking account of the whole-life costs of a building at the earliest design stages, we can reduce them. Design improvements which improve the effectiveness of staff, or decrease the costs of running and maintaining a building, can pay for themselves many times over during the lifetime of the building. The public sector can and should learn from private sector projects like this. To make the most of the benefits of good design we do need a new approach to procurement, and a commitment at the highest. We need committed and aware procurers, well-constructed specifications, and integrated teams of designers and constructors, who can work together to ensure the final building does its job well, on time, and on budget.