These pages give examples of efficient layouts for houses and production facilities so the flow of goods is fast and space is conserved. Having efficient production layouts is important because it allows you to maximize the producing capacity of the space available to you. Using efficient layouts will mean you will get the products you need faster and in greater quantities, resulting in a stronger economy and more time to pursue other objectives.
Buildings layouts can be of two types: simple or complex. Both have their advantages and disadvantages.
Simple: They are easier to lay down and can be micromanaged but you need more depots and generally more space to build them. They have a little higher maintenance cost and may lead to break in production chain.
Complex: They are cumbersome to make and when you have a high positive ecobalance then excessive goods are produced which may decrease overall efficiency. However, it prevents breaking of production chains.
To determine how many production chains you'll need, use one of the calculators from External tools.
Layouts should consider Colour Blindness and use other clues besides colour hue to differentiate between buildings (layouts should make sense even in black & white).
Production layouts should include Utilized Area, Minimum Area, and Space Efficiency.
- Utilized Area = All tiles which cannot be reused without demolishing the layout partially or completely
- Minimum Area = All tiles excluding empty spaces, roads and depots
- Space Efficiency = (Minimum Area / Utilized Area) * 100%