NASA Procedural Requirements

NPR 8800.15C Effective Date: October 30, 2014 Expiration Date: December 31, 2024

Subject: Real Estate Management Program w/Change 2, December 20, 2022

Responsible Office: Office of Strategic Infrastructure

Appendix C. Definitions of Terms Used to Report Area Measurements

Gross Area. The sum of the floor areas included within the outside faces of exterior walls for all stories or areas that have floor surfaces. The basis for measurement is as follows:

a. Gross area is computed by measuring the perimeter of exterior walls, disregarding cornices, pilasters, and buttresses that extend beyond the wall face.

b. Gross area includes basements (except unexcavated portions), floored attics, garages, enclosed porches, penthouses and mechanical equipment floors, lobbies, mezzanines, all balconies (inside or outside) utilized for operational functions, and main/common corridors, provided they are within the outside face lines of the building. Roofed loading or shipping platforms will be included whether within or outside the exterior face lines of the building.

c. Portions of upper floors eliminated by lobbies, open courts, light wells, or other spaces that rise above single-floor ceiling height will not be included in the gross area. Unenclosed roofed-over areas or floored surfaces with less than 6 feet 6 inches clear headroom also will not be included unless they can be designated properly and used as either net usable, mechanical, circulation, or custodial areas.

Gross Area Classifications for Construction Areas. That portion of the gross area that cannot be put to use because of the presence of structural features of the building. Precise computation of construction area is not contemplated under these definitions since some construction features are included in the computation of other areas. However, total construction area will be determined by assuming it to be the residual area after the net usable, circulation, custodial, and mechanical areas have been subtracted from the gross area. Examples of features normally classified as construction areas include exterior walls, firewalls, partitions, and unusable areas in attics, basements, or comparable portions of the building.

Gross Area Classifications for Custodial Areas. The sum of all areas on all floors of a building used for building protection, care, maintenance, and operation.

a. Custodial area includes such areas as janitors' locker rooms, closets and storerooms, and building maintenance and operating engineer control areas.

b. Custodial area is computed by measuring from face to face of enclosing walls.

Gross Area Classifications for Mechanical Areas. That portion of the gross area designed to house mechanical equipment, utility services, and non-private toilet facilities.

a. Mechanical area includes, but is not limited to, air duct shafts, boiler rooms, fixed mechanical and electrical equipment rooms, fuel rooms, mechanical service shafts, meter and communications closets, service chutes, stacks, and non-private toilet rooms (custodial and public). No adjustments are made for minor projections or alcoves that may distort the net usable area of the building.

b. Mechanical area is computed by measuring from face to face of the walls, partitions, or screens enclosing the area.

Net Usable Area. The sum of all areas on all floors of a building comprising all functional categories.

a. The areas excluded from the net usable area consist of custodial, circulation, mechanical, and construction areas.

b. The net usable area will be computed by measuring from face to face of the walls or partitions enclosing the area. When walls or partitions do not enclose areas of the functional categories, measurements will be taken to an assumed line that separates the spaces. No adjustments are made for minor projections or alcoves that would distort the net usable area of the building.

Total Allocated Net Usable Area. The enclosed net usable area of a building, excluding custodial, circulation, mechanical, and construction areas, measured in square feet.

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