What does the occupant area include when a tenant occupies an entire floor?

When a tenant occupies an entire floor, the occupant area includes all base building circulation areas because these spaces are integral to the function and accessibility of the entire floor. Base building circulation areas encompass hallways, lobbies, and stairwells that facilitate movement throughout the building.

Understanding the occupant area as including these circulation components is essential for accurately calculating space use, occupancy load, and overall design considerations within a building. This comprehensive view ensures that the tenant's space aligns with building codes and regulations, which often require considering both usable and non-usable areas for compliance and safety assessments.

In contrast, focusing solely on usable space, common areas, or external hallways does not represent the full occupant area in this context. Usable space refers strictly to the areas occupied for specific activities, while common areas and external hallway spaces have limited relevance when discussing an entire floor occupied by a tenant. Hence, recognizing the importance of base circulation areas is key to understanding the dynamics of occupant area in this scenario.