# Building Area Calculation for Double Height Space?



## Adrienne (Mar 8, 2019)

Are double height spaces calculated twice for building area? I.E. if you have a two story unit with a double height living room, would the area of the living room be calculated twice or only where the actual floor is? I know that courts are exempt but stair and elevator shafts need to be calculated on each floor.


----------



## cda (Mar 8, 2019)

HEIGHT, BUILDING. The vertical distance from grade plane to the average height of the highest roof surface


----------



## Tim Mailloux (Mar 8, 2019)

Adrienne said:


> Are double height spaces calculated twice for building area? I.E. if you have a two story unit with a double height living room, would the area of the living room be calculated twice or only where the actual floor is? I know that courts are exempt but stair and elevator shafts need to be calculated on each floor.


 
If it has a roof over it, its included in the building or floor area.....


----------



## cda (Mar 8, 2019)

https://www.bendoregon.gov/home/showdocument?id=34347


----------



## Adrienne (Mar 8, 2019)

Thank you all for your responses, but I think there may be some confusion about my question. I am trying to get clarification on calculating building area, not building height. Specifically, if a room is two stories tall in say a three story building (for instance a tall lobby space), would you count that floor area twice? I.E. at each floor of the building that the "space" occurs, or only once at the level where the floor itself is?


----------



## cda (Mar 8, 2019)

Oh



AREA, BUILDING. The area included within surrounding exterior walls (or exterior walls and fire walls) exclusive of vent shafts and courts. Areas of the building not provided with surrounding walls shall be included in the building area if such areas are included within the horizontal projection of the roof or floor above.


----------



## cda (Mar 8, 2019)

I am thinking no



http://www.specsandcodes.com/articl...r No. 16 - Allowable Building Area Part 1.pdf



http://www.specsandcodes.com/articl...r No. 17 - Allowable Building Area Part 2.pdf


----------



## Inspector Gift (Mar 8, 2019)

Floor to Ceiling in one space: Only one area.


----------



## classicT (Mar 8, 2019)

Floor area is what you are calculating. In that case, areas such as atriums are not counted twice or more (at each floor level).

*FLOOR AREA, GROSS. *The floor area within the inside perimeter of the_ exterior walls _of the building under consideration, exclusive of vent_ shafts _and _courts_, without deduction for _corridors_,_ stairways_, _ramps_, closets, the thickness of interior walls, columns or other features. The floor area of a building, or portion thereof, not provided with surrounding _exterior walls _shall be the usable area under the horizontal projection of the roof or floor above. The gross floor area shall not include _shafts _with no openings or interior _courts_. 

*FLOOR AREA, NET. *The actual occupied area not including unoccupied accessory areas such as _corridors_, _stairways_, _ramps_, toilet rooms, mechanical rooms and closets.


----------



## Paul Sweet (Mar 8, 2019)

The only time I know of that it would be counted twice is if it was a building constructed by a state agency in Virginia.  This was done to discourage atriums.


----------



## JPohling (Mar 14, 2019)

Elevator shafts are vertical voids and are never calculated on each floor.  you may want to read up on BOMA


----------

