Calculating occupiable floor area: a North American initiative

In North America, occupant groups and tenants have traditionally used usable area, as defined by the Building Owners and Managers Association, to state their requirements for the amount of floor area they will need in office buildings. However, occupant groups and tenants may encounter planning difficulties prior to move‐in, and thus not“fit” into their newly acquired spaces. Identifies and reviews two methods used in North America, the quick estimation method and the computer‐aided design/facility management method, to determine the amount of occupiable area (the amount of floor area that can be effectively used to lay out furniture and equipment). Explains how each method can be used to ascertain the amount of floor area actually required to eliminate the “squeeze” caused, for example, by the building geometry and grids, and space taken up by columns,projections and obstructions. Discusses the comparative advantages and disadvantages of the two methods.