INSIDE
I
f you own or lease an office
building, there’s a chance that
the rentable area may increase
when measured with the new
BOMA 2017 Office Standard,
released in October. The recently
launched office standard has made
some significant changes in the
types of spaces included in rentable
area.
The Building Owners and Manag-
ers Association International dis-
tributes floor-area measurement
standards to provide a uniform
basis for measuring rentable area in
existing and new buildings. While
the 2017 version of the Office Stan-
dard adopts best
practices learned
from the 2010 ver-
sion, it also seeks
to accommodate
design and ame-
nity trends, which
have evolved since
the previous stan-
dard was released.
As people
embrace more
convenient life-
styles – blending
work and play –
the built environ-
ment must keep
pace. Today’s ten-
ants are demand-
ing more ameni-
ties, at both an
increase in size
and quality. This
all comes with a
cost to the devel-
oper, and tenants
have shown that
they are willing
to pay a premium
for places and ser-
vices that support
their lifestyle.
One of the amenities that has
influenced the BOMA 2017 standard
is the inclusion of outdoor balconies
and rooftop terraces in rentable
area. These spaces are becoming an
expectation of tenants, who have a
renewed focus on employee produc-
tivity and wellness, and who under-
stand that access to nature and out-
door spaces is a critical component
to their workplace strategy.
In the past, there was not a con-
sistent method for building owners
to account for tenant amenities,
such as rooftop terraces and bal-
conies. BOMA is catching up to the
market, and the new standard will
What the passage of the Denver Green Roof Initiative means for your property Green Roof Initiative PAGE 4 As cities seek to reduce energy consump- tion, Energy Star remains indispensable Energy Star's value PAGE 12 Four individuals and five buildings were honored at the 2017 TOBY Awards TOBY Award winners PAGE 24 Please see Page 25 January 2018 Did your rentable area increase in 2017?Garett Naff
Area analysis
consultant at
Gensler, and BOMA
International
committee chair,
Denver
Gensler
Prologis’ new Denver office utilizes outdoor amenity space, which can now be included in the property’s rentable area, according to the new BOMA 2017 Office Standard.
Jon Gambrill
Managing director,
Gensler, Denver