by Brianna Crandall — May 9, 2016 — The Building Owners and Managers Association (BOMA) International has announced a recent research initiative exploring the effects of densification and workplace transformation on the built environment. “Densification” refers to the growing trend of tenants leasing less space per employee in order to reduce costs.
Increases in the number of people occupying unchanging tenant spaces have implications for how buildings are operated, and everything from potential wear and tear on a building and its systems to tenant health and hygiene must be considered, says BOMA.
In order to help address industry concerns, BOMA International has published a white paper exploring the many implications of increased density: “Decoding Densification: Insights and Opportunities for CRE Professionals.” This white paper identifies and analyzes three main findings:
- Densification is happening, but unevenly;
- Densification is best understood in a larger context; and
- The challenges of higher density are real, but manageable.
Gaining a better understanding of modern workplace transformation can help those in the industry avoid potential problems and enhance building marketability to tenant, points out BOMA. In fact, many tenants who want to decrease their square footage per employee in their space may rely on property professionals to help guide them through this process, offering building owners and management teams the opportunity to create a practical, sustainable solution for all parties.
To help facilitate this process, BOMA International has created the “Tenant Leasing Checklist: A Guide for Assessing Tenant Occupancy Density.” The checklist is designed to help property professionals consider and properly address the effects a tenant’s occupancy density will have on the building’s systems at the time of a new lease or a renewal.
Using this resource, property professionals can identify more easily the areas that may be impacted by a tenant’s density, including cleaning and trash removal, elevators and escalators, restrooms, fire and life safety, HVAC (heating, ventilation and air-conditioning) and fresh air, electrical systems, parking, amenities and more.
The nature and ramifications of densification can vary significantly from building to building, but knowing what questions to address beforehand can streamline the process and avoid unnecessary challenges, asserts BOMA.
And the right information can help the commercial real estate (CRE) industry not only successfully navigate the challenges of densification, but also take advantage of the opportunities it represents, concludes BOMA.
