About Area Types

Area types are an instance property of areas. Area types contain area measurement rules that Revit LT applies to area boundaries.

Area type values come from the default area schemes: Gross Building and Rentable. The Gross Building area scheme has 2 area type values: Gross Building Area, and Exterior Area. The Rentable Area scheme has 6 type values: building common area, office area, exterior area, floor area, major vertical penetration, and store area.

When you create a new area scheme, it uses the type values from the Rentable area scheme.

Gross Building Area Types Definition and Examples
Gross Building Area The total constructed area of a building. It is any area inside the outer face of the building's exterior walls.
Exterior Area Any area outside the outer face of a building's external walls, for example, an exterior courtyard enclosed by 4 walls.
Rentable Area Types Definition and Examples
Building Common Area Lobbies, atriums, conference rooms, lounges, vending area, security desks, concierge areas, food service facilities, health or fitness centers, day care facilities, locker or shower facilities, and mail rooms.
Office Area Area where a tenant normally houses personnel, furniture, or both.
Exterior Area Any area outside the external walls of a building.
Floor Area Washrooms, janitorial closets, electrical rooms, telephone rooms, mechanical rooms, elevator lobbies, public corridors, and other areas that are available primarily for the use of the tenants on that floor.
Major Vertical Penetration Stairs, elevator shafts, flues, pipe shafts, vertical ducts, and their enclosing walls.
Store Area Area of an office building suitable for retail occupancy.