The BOMA 2024 Office Standard is the latest update to BOMA’s method of measurements.
This specific Standard is used to compute the floor area in and around office buildings and is updated over time to reflect the changing needs of the commercial real estate (CRE) market. BOMA’s Office Standard is applicable to all types of office properties, including commercial, medical, institutional, and life science buildings.
The BOMA 2024 Office Standard introduces several new features, enhancements, and clarifications as compared to the 2017 Standard. The following reflects those updates.
BOMA 2024 Office Standard
1. Qualifying Unenclosed Occupant Service Areas are now included in Rentable Area. These areas are not required for the building to function and are not landlord controlled.
Examples include but are not limited to: Specialized Rooftop Equipment Areas, Unenclosed Waste Removal Areas, Unenclosed Storage Areas
2. Qualifying at-grade Unenclosed Areas are now included in Rentable Area.
The 2024 Standard states that Unenclosed Areas that meet certain conditions can now be considered in the total Rentable Area of the building. This implies that certain outdoor spaces, which were previously excluded, can contribute to the overall rental income potential.
3. Tenant Storage Areas are now included in Rentable Area with no Load Factor applied.
Storage Areas that are designated for use by tenants are now included in the calculation of Rentable Area without the need to apply any Load Factor.
4. Unenclosed Tenant Areas will not have any Load Factors applied to them.
In measuring the Rentable Area with the 2024 Standard, spaces owned by tenants that are unenclosed (private balconies, rooftop terraces, restaurant patios, for example) do not have any Load Factors applied to them.
5. Introduction of a new category of space known as “Non-Allocated Tenant Areas” which includes Unenclosed Tenant Areas, Tenant Storage Areas, and Single Tenant Shafts.
The new Standard creates a new category of spaces known as “Non-Allocated Tenant Areas,” which include Unenclosed Tenant Areas, Tenant Storage Areas, and shafts that are exclusively occupied by a single tenant. These Non-Allocated Tenant Areas are not included in any Load Factor calculations.
6. The term Inter-Building Areas has been renamed to “Inter-Allocated Areas.”
The term was previously used to describe spaces serving multiple buildings in a complex or site. Inter-Building Areas has been renamed to “Inter-Allocated Areas” in the 2024 Standard for the sake of clarity since these areas may be serving limited tenants within the same building.
7. The new Standard supports features that are typically found in Life Science Office Buildings.
Office Buildings dedicated to Life Science industries, which may include specialized lab spaces or research and development facilities, often have unique features that may not have been captured under the previous Office Standard. Some of these features include tenant shafts and unenclosed rooftop equipment.
8. There are simplifications and clarifications for Method B.
The 2024 Standard introduces changes to Method B that make it simpler and more straightforward to implement. It also provides additional clarity on how to correctly use this Method.
9. Clarifications have been given for Unenclosed Occupant Circulation and Exterior Door Setback.
The 2024 Standard provides additional clarifications on how to handle Unenclosed Occupant Circulation Areas and the setback of Exterior Doors when measuring Rentable Area.
10. BOMA Best Practices have been incorporated throughout the Standard.
The new Standard now includes Best Practices recommended by BOMA throughout the document, aimed at enhancing the accuracy and consistency of Office Building measurements.
Align your properties with the latest BOMA 2024 Office Standard
These changes reflect a drive towards more holistic and flexible approaches to space categorization and calculation, taking into consideration evolving building designs and tenant requirements.
Those buildings measured under the BOMA 2017 Standard with Exterior Areas such as finished roof terraces and balcony areas will see a change in Building Load Factors with the application of this new Standard, as those Unenclosed Areas will not have Load Factors applied in this new measurement.
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