MEASUREMENT CODE FOR THE FLOOR AREA OF BUILDINGS Agreed in principle by the working group

1.                                                                     1 MEASUREMENT CODE FOR THE FLOOR AREA OF BUILDINGS Agreed in principle by the working group Jean-Marie Staquet European Commission Jean François Dalbin and Gérard Roulleau Ordre des géomètres-experts français (French College of Chartered Surveyors) Alain Moeyersons UBG Francis Gäbele and Raymond Gheldof UBG and AGDP Gérard Baudru ANGE

2. 2                                                                     FIVE CONSTITUENTS OF THE SOCIETY UNDERGOING AN INFLUENCE:1) The financial and economic world with:The development of the " Paper ¨Brick "The real estate financial productsThe crisis of "subprimes"The real estate bubbles2) The political sphere:In land settlement and in planning of real estate development The management of the housing stock and its market3) The performance of mathematical modelsMarkets in the increase or in the declineStatistical evolution4) The real estate tax system which wants to be fair5)The private individual and the investor

3. 3                                                                     THE ORIGINS OF THE REAL ESTATE FINANCIAL PRODUCTS The Model Real Estate Investments Trusts (REITs)

4. 4                                                                     THE SUBPRIMES CRISIS Point of Depature: The Financial Crisis of 2009 in the United States

5. 5                                                                     • AMERICAN REAL ESTATE BUBBLE • OF THE 2000’s • The Peak of the Price Index in 2005 • The Beginning of the Decline in 2006 • The Prices of the Real Estate were overvalued • The Values of the Real Estate fell of 28,5% (Jul.2006 –Feb.2010)

6. 6                                                             CHINESE REAL ESTATE BUBBLE OF THE 2000’s The Main reason: The Speculation Real Estate Prices jumped up with 12,8% (Apr.2010)

7. 7                                                                     USE OF MATHEMATICAL MODELS Must be provided by Quality Parameters for the Real Estate Evaluations Correct Follow-up of the Evolution of the Market

8. 8                                                                     THE REAL ESTATE TAX SYSTEM Correct and Transparent Real Estate Information Setting and Control of Quality Value

9.                                                                     9 THE PRIVATE INDIVIDUAL AND THE INVESTORBig lack of harmonization at the National and International Level(f.e.: M²)Need of a CODE

10. THE INNOVATIONS The promulgation of the same rules for any built building whatever is its nature, its destination, or its utilisation. A single code to measure every kind of surfaces. The emission of a rule of measurement in the common parts in buildings subjected to a regulation of co-ownership. The implementation of a definition of “Groundless” and “Basement”, non-existent definition in the European level. The establishment of a universal rule in measurement of height under gable roof. Finally, two tools which will give to every user a more realistic vision of the property: * An organization chart of surfaces * The board of the surfaces which is the tool of management and evaluation for the professional                                                                     10

11.                                                                     11 THE OBJECTIVES 1. The Transparency (unique code of Measurement) 2. The Legal Security (The use of a code insures a better consumer Protection) 3. A Complete Planimetric Representation (Cadastral Map) 4. Economic Needs (Standard Product both for the Valuation of the Buildings and their Management AND for the Establishment of Reliable Statistics)

12. 12                                                                     GENERAL PRINCIPES TO APPLY TO BUILDINGS Three benchmark surfaces: The outdoor surface of the building, called SEM, refers to the outer contour around the building, including coatings; it is measured at floor level. The indoor surface of the building, called SIM, refers to the inner contour of all building components; it is measured above the baseboard. The inner contour of the building’s elements includes the visible, accessible and measurable contours.The construction surface, called SDC, is the difference between the outdoor surface and the indoor surface of the building.

13. 13                                                                     THE USE OF THIS BENCHMARK SURFACES The outdoor area of the building is mainly used in urban planning and for planimetry purposes. It is also a unit of measurement for the building rights attached to the land. The indoor area of the building is mainly used as a unit of measurement for the buying price, a transaction (compromise, deed ...), a rental price and for the building’s management. The construction surface is mainly used as technical data

14. 14                                                                     RULES OF MEASUREMENT General Principles Buildings are divided into different levels (floors), with a precise determination of area located in the basement.The surface’s unit of a floor is the square meter; the calculation is made with one decimal, according to the mathematical rules of rounding up figures. The measurement’s surface is always measured horizontally, even in the case of non-vertical front walls or under a roof slope. The measurable voids are quantified and taken into account according to their nature.

15. 15                                                                     Outdoor surface of the building (SEM)The SEM of a floor is the surface of the closed polygon enveloping it, whose sides are formed by: - The outside sides of the front walls’ elements that define the contour of the closed spaces located at the floor which is measured - The axis of the party walls separating different buildings - The axis of the building elements separating the users In basements, where it is not possible to know the actual thickness of the walls against the land, it is agreed that the SEM is calculated using the thickness’ figure of the visible part of the ground floor’s front wall. BENCHMARK SURFACES

16. 16                                                                    

17. 17                                                                    

18. 18                                                                     The SEM includes the surface of: - Voids resulting of vertical space’ hoppers, in the limit of the staircase’s projection from the accessible level, excluding atriums, skylights and decorative voids - Terraces, balconies and loggias, - Usable attic, - Technical premises in a ledge or a roof, used for the building’s maintenance, - Bridges or passages between two parts of the building In addition, any covered area which is opened laterally, other than a roof’s ledge or a decorative ledge, is also included in the SEM and measured according to the vertical projection of the covered part, notwithstanding the presence of a floor.

19. 19                                                                     The SEM does not include the surface of: - Public roads and paths - Gardens - Non accessible roofs - Decorative elements built inside or outside the walls - Non closed emergency external staircases - Bridges only used for the building’s maintenance - Unusable attic (no floor, or cumbersome framework, or difficult access –e.g. through a hatch-)

20. 20                                                                     Indoor surface of the building (SIM) The total SIM of a building includes all indoor surfaces available that provide a direct or indirect use to the building’s user, excluding all building’s components. The SIM of a floor is the sum of the surfaces of the polygons whose sides are formed by : the inner visible sides of the building’s elements such as front walls, party walls, indoor walls and veils, columns and wall panels. The SIM is divided into four categories: - main surfaces - secondary surfaces - residual surfaces - service surfaces For main surfaces, the measurement will be made only where there is a minimum headroom of 2.10 meter. The SIM of a terrace is calculated up to the balustrade’s vertical projection. In addition, all covered area which is opened laterally, other than a roof’s ledge or a decorative ledge, is also included in the SIM.

21. 21                                                                    

22. 22                                                                    

23. 23                                                                    

24. 24                                                                     • Voids resulting of vertical spaces’ hoppers, in the limit of the staircase’s projection from the accessible level, excluding atriums, skylights and decorative voids • Accessible closets or technical rooms with a floor • Space between two doors close to each other • Covered passages laterally closed, passageways and footbridges between two parts of a building • - Usable attic • - Building’s maintenance and technical premises • - Parts of floor beneath technical materials • - Lift ducts, only for the lowest floor the lift can go • - Removable partitions The SIM includes the surface of:

25. 25                                                                     The SIM does not include the surface of: - Technical or Chimneys ducts - decorative indoor voids - Columns, pillars or any building’s components

26. 26                                                                     Distinction between above ground and below ground A building is generally composed of spaces above and below ground. Thus there are floors above ground and floors below ground. For measuring purposes, this distinction may be important in determining the conditions under which the premises may be used in the light of labour legislation and rules on fitness for habitation or taxation. In Europe there is currently no standard that lays down the conditions to be met for a floor, or part of a floor, to be described as above or below ground. For most buildings this distinction does not raise any questions of interpretation. However, in some exceptional cases, the layout of the building and the lie of the land require a distinction to be made for part of a floor using the following method: DEFINITION: A 'room' is defined as the smallest enclosed floor area subdividing a space between construction features. The space is thus said to consist of different rooms.

27. 27                                                                     Key: Distinction Hors-sol / Sous-sol = Distinction Above ground /Below ground, Lignes de référence = Reference lines, Profil du terrain = Ground profile RULE 1: NORMAL CASE If the reference line does not intersect with the ground profile, the floor is above ground or below ground depending on its position relative to the ground profile. Floors or parts of floors for which most of the length of the corresponding section lies below the ground profile are considered to be below ground. All other floors or parts of floors are considered to be above ground.

28. 28                                                                     Key: Hors-sol = Above ground, Sous-sol = Below ground RULE 2: CONTRADICTION BETWEEN TWO ADJACENT FACADES If a floor is shown through the application of rule 1 to be above ground and below ground at the same time depending on the facade concerned, the rooms making up that floor are regarded as being above ground.

29. 29                                                                     Key: Contradiction, donc hors-sol = Contradiction, so above ground, Zone haute = Higher ground, Zone basse = Lower ground RULE 3: CONTRADICTION BETWEEN TWO OPPOSING FACADES In the case of two opposing facades, if one floor is shown to be above ground and the other below ground according to rule 1, the agreed view is that the intervening space is regarded as above ground.

30. 30                                                                    

31. 31

32.                                                                     32 CONCLUSION Our will was to give this code to: * A universality * A big clarity * A text which will not undergo interpretation * A simplicity without sacrificing the rigor * And finally, it has to allow a progressive transition by a coexistence with the multitude calculation modes of surfaces used at present.