What is Wall-to-Floor Ratio?

The wall-to-floor ratio of a building is calculated by dividing the external wall area by the gross
internal floor area. This indicates the proportion of external wall required to enclose a given
floor area.
A reasonable ratio on central London offices is considered to be in the order of 0.40, with 0.35
and below being regarded as very efficient and significant articulation or indentation capable
of pushing it over 0.50.
The simple illustrations below give basic indications of how varying storey height and
perimeter length (driven by the shape of the building and the articulation of the faade)
with the same floor area, can affect the ratio.
Standard

Floor Area: 100m

Wall Area: 40m
Wall-to-Floor Ratio: 0.40
Height

Floor Area: 100m

Wall Area: 60m
Wall-to-Floor Ratio: 0.60

Shape

Floor Area: 100m

Wall Area: 50m
Wall-to-Floor Ratio: 0.50
Articulation

Floor Area: 100m

Wall Area: 52m
Wall-to-Floor Ratio: 0.52

It is worth noting that a circular plan is the most efficient shape in terms of wall to floor ratio as
indicated below:

Floor Area: 100m

Wall Area: 35m
Wall-to-Floor Ratio: 0.35
However, in very few cases is this the most economical plan shape of a building, as the cost
of constructing a circular as apposed to a straight envelope is generally greater than the
saving in quantity of the envelope. Depending on the building use it can also impact on
internal space planning potentially making it more difficult and less efficient.

How is wall-to-floor ratio measured?

Whilst the ratio is a simple calculation, it does give rise to the important questions of what
should be included in the measurements of external wall area and gross internal floor area for
this purpose. It is important that this is done consistently to ensure comparisons of different
buildings are accurate. The following is a simplistic guide covering what should and should
not be included.
It is a measure of external walls only and should not include atrium walls. Therefore if the
following is a simple floor plan with a central enclosed atrium (similar to MidCity Place) the red
line represents the walls to be included and the corresponding floor area is as shaded.

However, if there is a central light well with no roof and the walls therefore being external,
then that should be included in the calculation. This is diagrammatically represented in plan
as follows:

The efficiency (in terms of wall-to-floor ratio) of different parts of the building should be
considered and presented separately. Roof plant and basement areas, for example, can
distort the efficiency of the main faade and floor plates. A simple section representing the
areas that should be included in the calculation for the main faade is as follows:

Why is Wall-to-Floor Ratio Important?

As stated in the foreword to this document the external faade represents one of the Big
Three cost elements in any new office development, typically 15 25% of the overall shell
and core construction cost. As the previous examples illustrate it is obvious that, assuming a
constant faade cost per m2, the elemental cost will increase when the wall-to-floor ratio
increases. This is simply because there is a greater faade area per m 2 gross internal floor
area.
As an example an increase in the wall-to-floor ratio from 0.40 to 0.45 on a 200,000 sqft GIA
building with a faade costing 700 per m2 could result in an increase in the total shell and
core cost of approximately 2%. This is detailed below:

200,000 sqft GIA = 18,580m2

Total shell and core cost, say 200,000sqft x 160 = 32,000,000

0.40 wall-to-floor ratio gives a faade area of 7,432m 2

Faade cost, say 7,432m2 x 700 = 5,202,400

0.45 wall-to-floor ratio gives a faade area of 8,361m 2

Faade cost, say 8,361m2 x 700 = 5,852,700

This is an increase in the faade cost of 650,300 equating to 12.5% of the faade
cost and approximately 2% of the overall total shell and core cost.