This informal CPD article ‘Designing for Longevity: A Maintainability-Led Approach to Reducing Long-Term Building Maintenance Burdens’ was provided by Direct Academy an online education provider specializing in self-paced professional development courses with a core focus on architecture and the built environment.
Introduction
For many years, architecture has been measured by how a building looks, how well it functions, and how sustainable it is. While these are all important factors, there is one aspect of building design that often receives far less attention than it deserves: long-term maintainability.
Today, building owners, governments, developers, and facility managers are facing a growing challenge. Every year, larger budgets are being allocated to repair leaking roofs, replace mechanical equipment, restore damaged façades, fix drainage problems, and address various forms of deterioration that naturally occur over time.
As professionals within the built environment industry, we have become accustomed to accepting these expenses as unavoidable. Annual maintenance budgets are now considered a normal part of owning and operating a building.
One observation that has become increasingly apparent within architectural and construction practice is that many buildings become expensive to maintain not because they are old, but because maintenance was never properly considered during the original design process. Decisions that may seem minor during construction can eventually create long-term financial burdens that persist throughout a building's lifespan.
However, perhaps we should begin asking a different question:
Why are we still designing buildings that rely on significant annual expenditure simply to remain functional?
This article does not suggest that buildings can become maintenance-free. No building can completely avoid maintenance. Instead, it proposes a maintainability-led approach that encourages architects, engineers, and construction professionals to think differently about the relationship between design and long-term building performance.
The aim is simple: reduce future maintenance burdens by making better decisions at the beginning of a project rather than continually reacting to problems later.
The Growing Cost of Building Maintenance
Building maintenance has become one of the most significant financial challenges facing both the public and private sectors. Several factors have contributed to this issue. Labour costs continue to rise, construction materials are becoming more expensive, existing infrastructure is ageing, and modern buildings are becoming increasingly complex to operate and maintain (1). At the same time, many countries are experiencing shortages of skilled maintenance personnel, creating additional pressure on building owners and facility managers.
The problem is often made worse when maintenance is delayed due to budget limitations. A small roof leak may be ignored because immediate funds are unavailable. Months later, the same leak may damage ceilings, finishes, insulation, and electrical systems. What could have been resolved through a relatively small intervention can eventually become a costly repair project.
This situation is not uncommon. In fact, many buildings operate within a repetitive cycle:
Inspect - Detect a problem - Carry out repairs - Allocate additional funds - Repeat
While this process may temporarily solve immediate issues, it rarely addresses the underlying cause. Perhaps the problem is not that buildings are ageing. Perhaps the problem is that many buildings were never designed to be maintained efficiently in the first place.
For example, replacing a simple pipe can sometimes require the removal of walls, ceilings, and finished surfaces just to gain access. Unfortunately, this is a common situation in many existing buildings. What may have seemed like a minor design decision at the time can later lead to higher labour costs, longer repair periods, and unnecessary disruption to building occupants and daily operations.
Research has shown that early lifecycle planning and preventative maintenance strategies can improve long-term building performance and reduce operational inefficiencies (2). This suggests that maintenance should no longer be considered a separate activity that begins after construction is complete. It should become part of the design process itself.
Looking at Buildings Differently
Traditionally, buildings have been viewed as static structures that slowly deteriorate over time. However, another perspective may help professionals better understand long-term building performance.
Rather than seeing buildings as a collection of separate components, we can think of them as interconnected systems that work together, much like systems within the human body. This comparison is not intended to suggest that buildings are literally living organisms. Instead, it offers a useful framework for understanding how one system can influence another. The comparison can be simplified as follows:
Rather than viewing buildings as isolated components, it can be useful to compare their interconnected systems with those of the human body. This analogy is intended only as a conceptual framework for understanding how failures in one system can affect others throughout the building.
- The structural frame functions like the skeleton, providing strength and support.
- The building façade functions like the skin, protecting the building from the external environment.
- The building management system functions like the brain, coordinating and controlling building operations.
- Sensors and monitoring systems function like the nervous system, detecting and communicating changes throughout the building.
- Ventilation systems function like the lungs, supplying fresh air and maintaining indoor environmental quality.
- Energy distribution systems function like the heart, delivering power throughout the building.
- Water supply systems function like the arteries, transporting clean water where it is needed.
- Drainage systems function like the veins, removing wastewater efficiently from the building.
- Predictive maintenance systems function like the immune system, identifying potential issues before they develop into major failures.
When one system fails, other systems are often affected. For example, a drainage problem may eventually affect wall finishes, indoor air quality, electrical systems, and even structural elements if left unresolved. Similarly, poor ventilation can influence occupant comfort, energy consumption, and the overall efficiency of a building.
Thinking about buildings in this way encourages professionals to move beyond individual components and instead focus on how all systems interact throughout the building's lifespan.
Predictive maintenance systems function like immune system
Introducing Maintainability as the Fifth Pillar of Architecture
Architectural practice traditionally focuses on four key pillars:
- Aesthetics.
- Functionality.
- Structural performance.
- Sustainability.
This article proposes a fifth pillar:
Maintainability
Maintainability refers to a building's ability to be monitored, accessed, repaired, upgraded, and adapted throughout its lifespan with minimal disruption and cost. During the design stage, professionals should begin asking different questions.
Instead of asking:
How will this building look?
We should also ask:
- Can this system be easily accessed?
- Can it be replaced without major demolition?
- How difficult will it be to maintain after thirty years?
- What economic burden could this decision create in the future?
These questions may seem simple, but they have the potential to significantly influence long-term building performance.
Why Accessibility Matters More Than We Think
One of the biggest contributors to expensive maintenance is poor accessibility. Mechanical, electrical, and plumbing systems are often concealed behind permanent finishes. When repairs become necessary, walls, ceilings, and other building elements may need to be removed simply to gain access. This process increases both labour costs and downtime. Simple design decisions can reduce these future burdens.
Examples include:
- Dedicated service corridors.
- Accessible ceiling spaces.
- Inspection panels.
- Clearly organised utility zones.
Accessibility should be considered an essential design strategy rather than an afterthought.
Investing in Durability Rather Than Future Repairs
Material selection also plays a significant role in long-term performance. Selecting lower-cost materials may reduce initial construction costs, but it can lead to higher operational expenses later due to premature deterioration.
Materials should be selected according to:
- Moisture resistance.
- Corrosion resistance.
- Ultraviolet resistance.
- Thermal performance.
- Expected service life.
Whole-life thinking is becoming increasingly important within sustainable construction practices (3). Professionals should therefore prioritise long-term value rather than short-term savings.
Adapting Buildings for Future Needs
Buildings rarely remain unchanged throughout their lifespan. Offices become mixed-use developments. Educational facilities expand. Residential buildings undergo modifications to meet changing needs. Buildings that can adapt to these changes are likely to remain useful for much longer.
Examples of adaptable design include:
- Flexible floor layouts.
- Modular partition systems.
- Expandable service infrastructure.
- Accessible service zones.
Adaptability can reduce unnecessary demolition and minimise material waste (4).
Using Technology to Prevent Problems Before They Occur
Technology is also changing how buildings are managed. Building Information Modelling (BIM), digital twins, and smart sensors are increasingly supporting predictive maintenance and long-term asset management (5).
These technologies can monitor:
- Moisture levels.
- Structural movement.
- Energy consumption.
- Air quality.
- Equipment performance.
This allows professionals to identify potential problems before they develop into costly failures. Instead of reacting to problems, building owners can begin preventing them.
Designing for Regeneration
Future buildings should also be designed with regeneration in mind. Rather than replacing entire buildings, professionals should focus on replacing individual components when necessary.
Some systems may remain for the entire lifespan of the building, including:
- Foundations.
- Structural frames.
- Core walls.
- Primary service corridors.
Other systems may be periodically upgraded, including:
- Pumps.
- Lighting fixtures.
- Waterproof membranes.
- Mechanical equipment.
- Sensors.
- Exterior façade panels.
This approach supports circular economy principles and reduces unnecessary demolition (6).
The Economic Value of Better Design Decisions
The true cost of a building is not its construction cost. The true cost is the amount spent maintaining it over many decades. A building that costs slightly more to construct may ultimately be far cheaper to operate if maintainability is considered from the beginning. Relatively small investments can produce significant long-term benefits.
Examples include:
- Dedicated maintenance access routes.
- Durable materials.
- Monitoring technologies.
- Flexible service spaces.
- Modular systems.
Whole-life cost assessments are becoming increasingly important for evaluating long-term building performance (7). The goal is not to spend more money. The goal is to spend money more intelligently.
Conclusion
The future of architecture may not be defined solely by iconic buildings, advanced technologies, or sustainable materials. It may be defined by how effectively buildings perform throughout their entire lifespan. No building can ever be entirely maintenance-free.
However, buildings should not become perpetual financial burdens that depend on substantial annual budgets simply to remain operational. If maintenance is considered during the earliest stages of design, future buildings can become easier to manage, easier to adapt, and significantly more economical to operate.
Perhaps the most important question future professionals should ask is no longer:
“How will this building look?”
But rather:
“How will this building perform fifty years from now?”
The answer to that question may ultimately determine whether a building becomes a valuable long-term asset or a continuous economic liability. Perhaps it is time to move away from designing buildings that survive on annual maintenance budgets and start designing buildings that are prepared to perform for generations. If maintainability becomes a design priority rather than an afterthought, future buildings may become not only more sustainable, but also more economical, resilient, and easier to manage throughout their entire lifespan.
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REFERENCES
(1) International Energy Agency (IEA). Buildings and Construction Sector Reports.
www.iea.org/topics/buildings
(2) British Standards Institution (BSI). BS EN 13306: Maintenance – Maintenance Terminology.
www.bsigroup.com
(3) Royal Institution of Chartered Surveyors (RICS). Whole Life Carbon Assessment for the Built Environment.
www.rics.org
(4) World Green Building Council. Bringing Embodied Carbon Upfront.
www.worldgbc.org
(5) International Organization for Standardization (ISO). ISO 19650: Organization and Digitization of Information About Buildings and Civil Engineering Works, Including Building Information Modelling (BIM).
www.iso.org/standard/68078.html
(6) Ellen MacArthur Foundation. Circular Economy in the Built Environment.
www.ellenmacarthurfoundation.org
(7) National Institute of Building Sciences. Whole Building Design Guide.
www.wbdg.org
