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Postsecondary Education

NCES 2006-160
May 2006

Table 5-3. Optional building data element descriptions

Institutional Identifier A code (such as the IPEDS Unit ID) that identifies the institution; may be used for reporting as part of a multi-institutional (comparative, state, or national) reporting effort.
Site Identifier A code assigned by the institution to identify the unique physical description of the site where the building is located (e.g., “Main” or “West” campus).
Building Identifier A unique identifier assigned by the institution to the specific building (a unique building name or a code consisting of numbers or letters).
Ownership Status The agency with which the ownership of the building resides (also may include data on the conditions of ownership, terms of a lease, etc.). Suggested codes are provided in section 5.5.1.
Estimated Replacement Cost Estimated building replacement cost (construction only) at time of inventory.
Original Building Cost The total original project cost of the building to the institution.
Cost of Latest Major
Renovation
The dollar value of the latest renovation that cost in excess of 25 percent of the estimated replacement cost of the structure and that significantly extended its useful life.
Year of Construction The year the construction of the building was completed.
Year of Beneficial Occupancy The year the institution occupied the building.
Year of Latest Major Renovation The year of the most recent renovation that cost 25 percent or more of the estimated replacement cost of the building and that significantly extended its useful life.
Disabled Access to Building Indication that there are no exterior site or architectural barriers to access to the building by a mobility-impaired person. Access to Building means the ability to physically approach and enter the building without assistance; floor accessibility is noted by the room accessibility data element. Compliance should be measured using the Uniform Federal Accessibility Standards or the ADA Accessibility Standards, developed by the Architectural and Transportation Barriers Compliance Board. A summary of these standards is provided later in this chapter (section 5.5.3).1
Building Condition The physical status of the building at the time of the inventory or audit, based on the best judgment of those persons familiar with the physical characteristics and condition of the campus.
Location or Street Address The specific location at which the building can be found.
Local Name The name commonly given to the building.
Number of Floors The number of floors in the building, including basements, attics, and rooftop structures that have assignable area.
Type of Construction A code assigned by the institution to indicate the type of construction used in the building.
Landmark Status Indication that the building is listed on the National Register of Historic Buildings or on some other official listing that limits the character of changes that can be made in the building's use or appearance.
Gross Area The total floor area of the building within the outside faces of the exterior walls. This is also referred to as Gross Square Feet (GSF).
Assignable Area The sum of all areas on all floors of a building assigned to, or available for assignment to, an occupant or use, excluding nonassignable spaces defined as building service, circulation, mechanical, and structural areas. This is also referred to as Net Assignable Square Feet (NASF).
Fixed Equipment Information assigned by the institution to indicate the presence of special fixed equipment such as chillers or elevators.
Building Service Area The sum of all areas on all floors of a building used for custodial supplies, sink rooms, janitorial areas, and public rest rooms.
Circulation Area The sum of all areas required for physical access to some subdivision of space within the building, whether directly bounded by partitions or not.
Mechanical Area The portion of the gross area of a building designed to house mechanical equipment, utility services, and shaft areas.
Structural Area The sum of all areas on all floors of a building that cannot be occupied or put to use because of structural building features. This is a nonmeasured area calculated as the difference between gross area and the sum of assignable and nonassignable space.
1  See also the definitions for Disabled Access to Room provided in table 5-4 and the comprehensive regulations and definitions under the 1990 Americans with Disabilities Act (ADA). For example, see S.R. Colter, Removing the Barriers: Accessibility Guidelines and Specifications (Alexandria, VA: Association of Higher Education Facilities Officers, 1991).

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