What is the BOMA 360 Performance Program^® ?

The BOMA 360 Performance Program, sponsored by BOMA International, evaluates buildings against industry best practices in 6 major areas: building operations and management; life safety, security and risk management; training and education; energy; environmental, sustainability and wellness; and tenant/occupant relations and community involvement. Individual buildings that satisfy the requirements in all 6 areas are awarded the BOMA 360 designation.

Why did BOMA establish this program and why is it needed in the marketplace?

Building owners and managers are always seeking ways to differentiate their buildings against other properties in an increasingly competitive marketplace. The BOMA 360 designation signals to owners, tenants and prospective tenants that your building is managed and operated to the highest standards in the industry.

How does the BOMA 360 program differ from other building recognition programs in the industry?

Other industry recognition programs focus on only certain areas of operation, such as energy or sustainable operations. The BOMA 360 program takes a holistic approach by evaluating all major areas of operations and management that are critical to running a building under industry best-practices.

How does the BOMA 360 program differ from The Outstanding Building of the Year (TOBY®) awards program?

The BOMA 360 Performance Program is not an awards program. Every applicant is eligible for recognition as a BOMA 360 Performance Building if it meets the requirements of the program. Buildings that receive the BOMA 360 designation are eligible to then proceed to compete in the TOBY awards program, so long as they meet the entry requirements for participation (i.e., they are a BOMA member building, complete the supplemental TOBY entry details, etc.).

What benefits will my building receive by participating in the BOMA 360 program?

BOMA 360 recipients report that the designation has been a key factor in attracting and competing for tenants; in achieving operational savings and efficiencies; in establishing new operation or management policies or procedures; and in gaining recognition from owners, tenants and the community. Independent studies conducted by Kingsley Associates reports that BOMA 360 buildings earn higher scores in nearly all tenant satisfaction categories. Furthermore, a study conducted by CoStar reports that BOMA 360 buildings have higher tenant retention rates and command higher rental rates than buildings without the designation.

How will my building be recognized as a BOMA 360 Performance Building?

Buildings that achieve the BOMA 360 designation may: purchase plaques to display in the building; purchase customized signs and banners.  Additionally, designees will be added to the designee listing on BOMA’s web site; be recognized at the BOMA annual conference, Winter Business Meeting and other events; and have the opportunity to provide case studies for inclusion in BOMA publications and in social media features.  You may use the BOMA 360 logo on your company’s or building’s web site and on letterhead, business cards, and marketing and collateral materials. You will also receive a marketing toolkit with ideas and templates for announcing your building’s achievement to owners, tenants, and brokers, and for advertising your achievement in the industry and the community.

How is the BOMA 360 program administered to ensure third-party verification?

An independent council appointed by the BOMA International Chair provides oversight for the program. Membership on the council includes at least 2 representatives from BOMA 360 buildings and 2 “public” members outside of BOMA. The council develops and updates program criteria, ensuring consistency with current industry best practices, and confers the designation. BOMA International staff review applications, and the BOMA 360 Council approves and audits buildings in accordance with their oversight authority.

What types of buildings are eligible to participate in the program?

All occupied commercial & industrial buildings, including owner-occupied buildings, are eligible to participate, as long as they meet the prerequisites. The program is open to both members and non-members of BOMA; however, application fees for non-members are higher.

What are the fees to participate?

Office Buildings:         $850 - Members $1335 – Non-Members

Industrial Buildings: $850 - Members $1335 – Non-Members

*Fees paid at time of submission (via CC or invoice request).

What are the prerequisites to apply for the BOMA 360 designation?

Only occupied commercial office and industrial buildings/facilities are eligible for the BOMA 360 Performance Program designation for office buildings. Commercial buildings include: industrial, multi-tenant office buildings; single-tenant office buildings; corporate facilities; government buildings; medical office buildings; suburban office buildings; and multi-use/mixed-use buildings. Office complexes containing multiple buildings or properties with separate ENERGY STAR scores will need to create separate applications for each respective building – variance in ES scores alters eligibility for certain points within the BOMA 360 application. The building must be occupied for at least one full year from the date of occupancy of the first tenant, with a minimum of 12 months of building operations. For multi-use buildings (i.e., office/retail, office/residential, mixed-use, etc.), information should be reported only on the office portion of the building. If the building contains no occupied commercial office space as described above, or is a hotel, apartment/multi-family complex it is not eligible for participation. 

How do I apply for the BOMA 360 designation for my building?

Applications are submitted online via BOMA International’s web site, recognition.boma.org. Detailed instructions for completing the online application may be downloaded from this site. Applications may be submitted at any time during the year; however, the designation is awarded and announced at the end of each quarter.

How long does it take to complete the BOMA 360 application?

Most applicants complete the BOMA 360 application in a few hours or days if the required documentation is well organized in advance; however, it may take several days or weeks to gather the documentation needed to start the application process if a building doesn’t have centralized documentation in place. Best advice: plan ahead, organize your documents, then chip-away a little at a time to complete the application with little stress.

Can I submit applications for my entire portfolio of buildings?

Yes, and BOMA encourages full portfolio participation to demonstrate your company’s commitment to management and operations best practices. Individual applications for each building are required, however, the ability to clone/copy applications is possible and can significantly reduce the time requirements. In doing so, buildings may be able to transfer content from one application to a new one, updating/replacing building-specific documents.

For an office park or complex, is a separate application for each building required?

Any building requiring a separate Energy Star (ES) score/assessment must have a separate BOMA 360 application in order for that building to be recognized as a unique entity. Many office parks vary in their ES reporting, so it is entirely dependent on the property’s reporting procedures. 

Is an ENERGY STAR® label required for the building?

No, an ENERGY STAR label is NOT required. The building is eligible as long as building data benchmarked using ENERGY STAR’s Portfolio Manager and this data is shared with BOMA International. Non-U.S. applicants may contact BOMA International regarding alternative benchmarking platforms available to their specific market. 

How do I share data with BOMA from ENERGY STAR’s Portfolio Manager?

Sharing data with BOMA is easy. Information is included in the downloadable instructions for completing the BOMA 360 application on recognition.boma.org. In short, add BOMA International (BOMABEEP) to your contacts in ES Portfolio Manager; await confirmation of connection; then “share” your data (read only) with BOMA. All data shared with BOMA is kept in under strict administrative control.

Does the BOMA 360 designation require renewal?

Yes, buildings must re-apply every 3 years to maintain the designation and pay renewal fees in effect at that time. Renewal applications may be started approximately 7 months prior to expiration (i.e., designee from June 2022-June 2025 will be able to begin renewal around Dec. 2024). We encourage all applicants to save copies of their work on their internal servers for use on future renewals. Additionally, we advise that you share your building’s renewal window/date with your colleagues or corporate office (in the event that reminders are missed or staffing changes occur during the designation period). 

Are the records and other information submitted with the applications protected?

Yes, all information and supporting documentation from applicants will be kept in strictest confidence. Individual building data is not shared or published to the public.

Once I submit an application for my building, can I access that information in the future?

No, once an application is completed and submitted, the documents are securely locked and will remain so unless action is required on behalf of the building. BOMA International strongly encourages applicants to save copies of all information and documentation before submitting their application for future reference and renewal of applications. This is done to protect proprietary information and ensure security of information.

How can I get more information on the BOMA 360 Performance Program?

For more information, visit recognition.boma.org or e-mail boma360@boma.org.