“This piece is the first in a series that explores how improved design and construction decisions could reduce the cost of building multifamily housing. Our goal is to lay out what developers, architects, and contractors can do to improve affordability, independent of larger changes in land use policy or housing finance. We also note areas where design and construction interact with the policy and finance environment, and which would benefit from broader changes.”

https://www.brookings.edu/research/making-apartments-more-affordable-starts-with-understanding-the-costs-of-building-them/