The NCIDQ IDPX exam tests the designer’s knowledge of BOMA (Building Owners and Managers Association) standards for calculating usable area in multi-tenant buildings. Usable area is the space a tenant can actually occupy, excluding common areas that serve the entire floor.
BOMA Standards Overview:According to the BOMA Office Standard (ANSI/BOMA Z65.1-2017), usable area is measured from the finished surface of the tenant side of demising partitions, excluding common areas such as elevator lobbies, electrical/telephone rooms, washrooms, and stairwells that serve all tenants.
Analysis of the Floor Plan (from previous context):The floor plan includes Tenant 1, Tenant 2, Elevator Lobby 3, Electrical/Telephone 5, washrooms, and stairwells.
Tenant 1 and Tenant 2:These are the primary tenant spaces, which are consideredusable areas for the respective tenants.
Elevator Lobby 3:This is a common area serving all tenants, so it is not included in the usable area of any specific tenant.
Electrical/Telephone 5:This is a shared utility space for the building, also excluded from the usable area.
Washrooms and Stairwells:These are common areas and are not part of the usable area.
Option A (Tenant 1 and Tenant 2):This is the correct choice. The usable area includes only the spaces within Tenant 1 and Tenant 2, as these are the occupiable areas for the tenants, excluding all common areas.
Option B (Tenant 1, Tenant 2, and Elevator Lobby 3):The elevator lobby is a common area and should not be included in the usable area of any tenant.
Option C (Tenant 1, Tenant 2, and Electrical/Telephone 5):The electrical/telephone room is a common utility space and is excluded from the usable area.
Option D (Tenant 1, Tenant 2, Electrical/Telephone 5, and Elevator Lobby 3):Both the electrical/telephone room and elevator lobby are common areas and should not be included in the usable area.
Verified Answer from Official Source:
The correct answer is verified from the BOMA Office Standard, as referenced in NCIDQ IDPX study materials.
“Usable area is the occupiable space within a tenant’s demised premises, excluding common areas such as elevator lobbies, electrical/telephone rooms, washrooms, and stairwells that serve the entire floor.” (ANSI/BOMA Z65.1-2017, Office Buildings: Standard Methods of Measurement, Section on Usable Area)
The BOMA Office Standard defines usable area as the space within the tenant’s demised premises, excluding common areas like elevator lobbies and electrical/telephone rooms. Option A correctly identifies Tenant 1 and Tenant 2 as the usable areas, excluding all common spaces.
Objectives:
Understand BOMA standards for space measurement (NCIDQ IDPX Objective: Professional Practice).
Apply space calculation methods to multi-tenant buildings (NCIDQ IDPX Objective: Project Planning).
[References:, ANSI/BOMA Z65.1-2017, Office Buildings: Standard Methods of Measurement., NCIDQ IDPX Study Guide, Professional Practice Section., National Council for Interior Design Qualification (NCIDQ), IDPX Exam Blueprint, Section on Professional Practice., ]
