How an office space is measured can affect rent calculations, operating expenses, space planning, property valuation, and comparisons between buildings. A consistent approach to measuring office space helps assure that owners, tenants, brokers, appraisers, architects, and other real estate professionals are working from the same information. ANSI/BOMA Z65.1-2024, BOMA 2024 for Office Buildings: Standard Methods of Measurement provides a standardized approach for measuring office buildings and their associated structures.
What Is ANSI/BOMA Z65.1-2024
ANSI/BOMA Z65.1-2024 is intended exclusively for office buildings and their associated structures. It is applicable to all types of office buildings, regardless of the nature of the businesses they house; including but not limited to, various commercial, medical, institutional, and life science uses. This American National Standard can be used for single tenant, multi-tenant, or multi-building configurations, and is suitable for measuring new, existing, and proposed office buildings.
ANSI/BOMA Z65.1-2024 does not include the measurement of public sidewalks, surface parking, landscaping, drainage structures, or other site improvements.
Understanding Rentable Area
One of the primary purposes of ANSI/BOMA Z65.1-2024 is calculating rentable area (or rentable square footage) for office buildings. It combines the exact space a tenant uses (usable area) plus a share of shared building spaces like lobbies, hallways, and restrooms (the load factor). Understanding rentable area is crucial because it directly determines the total rent a tenant pays and how property owners calculate building revenue.
By grasping how the rentable area is calculated and its components, tenants and investors can make informed decisions, ensuring fair pricing and optimal use of space. ANSI/BOMA Z65.1-2024 provides a framework for determining areas and applying the appropriate calculations so that stakeholders can arrive at consistent rentable area figures.
Measuring the Utilization and Physical Space of Modern Workplaces
The way people use office buildings continues to change, with workplaces incorporating collaborative areas, amenities, flexible workspaces, and specialized environments alongside traditional private offices. As hybrid work becomes more common, organizations also need to understand how frequently spaces are being used. Measuring office utilization can involve tracking factors, such as real-time occupancy, employee density, and peak attendance patterns rather than relying solely on the number of employees assigned to a location. These insights can help organizations identify underused space, optimize workplace layouts, manage real estate costs, and make more informed decisions about their office footprint.
While utilization data can help organizations understand how office space is being used, standardized measurement provides a consistent foundation for understanding the physical space itself. ANSI/BOMA Z65.1-2024 provides a framework for measuring office buildings and their associated structures, including new, existing, and proposed buildings. By establishing consistent methods for determining areas, the standard can remain useful as office layouts evolve and properties incorporate different types of workspaces, amenities, and specialized areas.
Where to Find ANSI/BOMA Z65.1-2024?
ANSI/BOMA Z65.1-2024, BOMA 2024 for Office Buildings: Standard Methods of Measurement is available on the ANSI Webstore, the best place to buy BOMA standards.
ANSI/BOMA Z65.1-2024 was developed by the Building Owners and Managers Association (BOMA).
Please direct any technical questions relating to this American National Standard to the developer. You can find the contact information for all ANSI-accredited standards developers here: List of ANSI-Accredited Standards Developers (ASDs).
For further information, please refer to: Who to Contact for Standards Related Questions.