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Avoiding Over-Design: How Collaboration Saved $3 Million

August 12, 2025
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Community

Avoiding Over-Design: How Collaboration Saved $3 Million

On a recent six-storey mixed-use project in St. John’s, Newfoundland, an architect we’ve partnered with many times reached out with a concern.

They were working with an engineering firm tied to the project owner, but the designs for the mechanical, electrical, and structural systems seemed overly complex — and costly. The architect suspected there was room for optimization without compromising performance or safety.

Our role was to conduct a detailed peer review. By analyzing each system and looking for efficiencies, our mechanical, electrical, and structural teams identified opportunities to simplify and streamline the design.

The result? Approximately $2.5 million in savings on our side, plus an additional $500,000 saved through architectural adjustments. Those savings kept the project viable, maintained jobs, and ensured investment flowed into the community.

Thanks to the client’s trust, we took over the design and delivered the project. Bringing our national experience to the table meant drawing on lessons learned from across Canada, applying best practices that work in a variety of markets and conditions.

We do this regularly — helping clients avoid unnecessary cost, complexity, and risk while ensuring high-quality, code-compliant designs.

Sometimes the best design decision is knowing when less is more.

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