Pick the right measurement standard for your building
BOMA Standards Guide
When you measure a building, accuracy matters. BOMA’s ANSI-certified standards are the most widely recognized way to calculate building area for leasing, valuation, benchmarking, and compliance. Each standard is written specifically to meet a leasing need in the marketplace. Choosing the correct one avoids disputes, keeps your data defensible, and builds trust between owners, managers, and tenants.
Below is a clear guide to the current BOMA standards and how to choose the right one.
There are 6 currently maintained standards maintained by BOMA International.
Four are use specific:
Office Buildings
Industrial Buildings
Retail Buildings
Multi-Family & Hospitality Buildings
And two generic use standards:
Mixed-Use Buildings
Gross Building Areas
You will notice that each BOMA standard has multiple published versions. These standards are certified by the American National Standards Institute (ANSI), which means they must be written and updated by a committee of industry professionals who reach consensus on every change. ANSI also requires that each standard be reviewed and either reaffirmed or updated every five years.
Because of that process, BOMA updates follow a roughly five year cycle, and older versions remain available. There is no regulation that forces owners to use BOMA or to use the latest edition, which is why you may see several versions in use at the same time. Solid Tech can help you decide which version best supports your objectives.
Due to these many standards, it is highly recommended that all users site the standard used clearly in any documentation sighting a measurement, including the ANSI/BOMA number and date for clarity.
BOMA International Office Building Standard
Method of Measurement ANSI/BOMA Z65.1
Versions: 1996, 2010, 2017, 2024
Methods: A & B - load factor calculations
For use in buildings who’s dominant use is office tenants. But if there is significant mixed use, or any residential or hotel use, a mixed use approach is recommended.
Highlights:
Defines a loaded Rentable Area (RSF) and Load Factor
Provisions for Life Science MOBs
Full building measurement required
2017 and 2024 versions allow flexible methods for allocating shared common space
2024 adds improvements for amenity spaces and transparency
Best fit when:
You want defensible rentable square footage that aligns with industry expectations and leasing practice.
BOMA Industrial Building Standard
Method of Measurement ANSI/BOMA Z65.2
Versions: 2009, 2012, 2019, 2025
Methods: A & B - Unified in 2019 and 2025
For use in buildings who’s dominant use is Industrial including warehouse and distribution centers as well as flex space that may sometimes include office area. But if there is significant mixed use, or any residential or hotel use, a mixed use approach is recommended.
Highlights:
Defines methods for determining Rentable Area (RSF) in industrial buildings.
Provisions for Life Science Manufacturing
Full building measurement required
Clarifies how to handle mezzanines, loading docks, and other industrial use dedicated space.
Best fit when:
You need accurate Rentable Area for an industrial leasing or valuation.
BOMA Retail Standard
Method of Measurement ANSI/BOMA Z65.5
Versions: 1996, 2010, 2020, 2025
For use in buildings who’s dominant use is Retail such as shopping centers, street level retail, or retail suites.
Highlights:
Focuses on Gross Leasable Area (GLA)
Does NOT require a full building measurement
Updated to reflect the shift in modern retail layouts
Best fit when:
You are leasing retail suites or determining GLA.
BOMA Multi-Unit Residential & Hospitality Standard
ANSI/BOMA Z65.4
Versions: 2010, 2023, 2026 (in development)
For use in Apartments, Condominiums, Senior Living, Hotels, and Hospitality Buildings. Many local jurisdictions have laws regarding measuring condominiums, so care is necessary when navigating those.
Highlights:
Finds Living and Non-living Area
Can be applied to an individual living unit
Can find proportionate shares of non-living area
Best fit when:
You need a standard that reflects living units, common areas, services, amenities, and building efficiency.
BOMA Mixed-Use Standard
ANSI/BOMA Z65.6
Versions: 2012, 2021, 2026 (in development)
Use this when measuring buildings with multiple asset types in one footprint.
Office + Retail
Multifamily + Retail
Hotel + Office
Highlights:
Provides rules for allocating shared space across different occupancies
Results are paired with other standards to provide Office, Hotel, Retail, and Multi-Family measurement results as desired.
Best fit when:
Your building has more than one asset class and you need a unified method to allocate common spaces.
BOMA Gross Areas Standard
Standard Method of Measurement ANSI/BOMA Z65.3
Versions: 2009, 2018, 2024
This measurement standard can be used for leasing when a single tenant is occupying an entire building. It is also useful for planning, construction, and permitting. Of particular use is in energy benchmarking with the new 2024 standard including Energy Star compliant measurements.
Highlights:
Measures gross building area
Allocating campus common area
Best fit when:
You need a universal, whole-building square footage before tenant space allocation.