Building Owners and Managers Association

The Building Owners and Managers Association (BOMA International) is a trade organization founded in 1907 for commercial real estate professionals.^[2] Its mission is to advance the performance of commercial real estate through advocacy, promoting professional competency, standards and research.^[2]

Building Owners and Managers Association
Abbreviation	BOMA
Formation	1907; 118 years ago (1907)
Headquarters	Washington, DC
Field	commercial real estate
Membership	more than 30,000 as of May 2024[update][1]

Standards

BOMA first published the Standard Method of Floor Measurement for Office Buildings in 1915 which became the BOMA Method for the Measurement of Buildings.^[3] Since then, it has become an international standard for determining the dimensions of buildings.^[4][5] The American National Standards Institute recognizes this standard as ANSI Z65.^[3] The US Government recognizes this standard in 48 CFR 570.102 and 48 CFR 552.270-4 to define "the area where a tenant normally houses personnel, and/or furniture, for which a measurement is to be computed."^[6][7] This standard is critical as it is used by architects to determine a commercial building's efficiency, specifically its rentable space vs. usable space vs. gross area.^[8]

BOMA is a founding member of the International Property Measurement Standards Coalition.^[9]

Sustainability

In 2002, BOMA worked with Arizona State University and the Athena Institute to evolve the Green Globes sustainability assessment tool to be more widely adoptable by US and Canadian commercial properties as part of the Green Building Initiative.^[10]

In 2008, BOMA published the BOMA Guide to promote the implementation of sustainable building practices in commercial properties.^[11] It was designed to facilitate building owners and tenants entering into environmentally sustainable leases without the rigidity of the guidelines proscribed by the U.S. Green Building Council.^[11]

Professional accreditation

As of March 2022^[update] BOMI offers the following professional certifications / credentials for commercial real estate professionals:

Name	Post-nominal
Real Property Administrator[12][13][14]	RPA
Facilities Management Administrator[12]	FMA
Systems Maintenance Technician[12]	SMT
Systems Maintenance Administrator[12]	SMA

Functions and Responsibilities

The primary function of BOMA International^[15] is to protect the interests of its members.^[16][17][18] The organization lobbies legislative and regulatory bodies, as well as monitors compliance with industry codes and standards, including capital gains taxation, telecommunications, indoor air quality, private property rights, and risk assessment. Recently, BOMA International has helped the industry achieve benefits in capital gains taxation, terrorism insurance,^[19] and energy efficiency tax deductions.

The association specifically sets standards for measuring leased space. In this capacity, it has joined forces with approximately thirty other organizations worldwide to develop a new standard for measuring office space area, which came into effect in November 2014. This standard, called the International Property Measurement Standard (IPMS), will simplify the work of companies operating in multiple national markets. The IPMS coalition, established in Washington in May 2013,^[20][21] will promote this standard.

BOMA publishes, among other things, The BOMA magazine and the Experience Exchange Report, which is a collection of data on the income and expenses of more than 100 million square meters of office buildings in North America.

The "Real Property Administrator" (RPA) qualification is awarded by the Building Owners and Managers Institute (BOMI)—an independent nonprofit institute for education in real estate and facilities management. The program covers all aspects of commercial real estate operations and maximizing net income while minimizing risks.

BOMA’s Role in Real Estate

• Establishes BOMA standards—worldwide recognized guidelines for measuring building areas and calculating rentable space.
• Provides education, research, and certification that promote the professional development of property managers and owners.
• Advocates for commercial real estate by influencing government policy and promoting sustainable and efficient construction practices.
• Offers networking and knowledge-sharing opportunities through its international and local chapters.^[22]

Certification

BOMA issues national certificates under the BOMA BESt environmental management program to enterprises demonstrating high performance in energy management and environmental protection.^[23][24]