CFM Space Planning and Workplace Design 2 — Questions and Answers
Question 1: Space utilization studies typically use which technology to capture real-time occupancy data?
- Thermal imaging cameras for energy audits
- IoT occupancy sensors and badge access data (Correct answer)
- Manual clipboard-based head counts only
- Structural load sensors
Correct answer: IoT occupancy sensors and badge access data
IoT occupancy sensors (PIR, ultrasonic, CO2-based) combined with badge/Wi-Fi access data provide continuous, scalable utilization measurement across large portfolios.
Question 2: What does a 'churn rate' measure in the context of workplace facility management?
- Employee turnover percentage
- The percentage of the workforce that moves, adds, or changes workstations in a year (Correct answer)
- Equipment replacement frequency
- HVAC filter replacement intervals
Correct answer: The percentage of the workforce that moves, adds, or changes workstations in a year
Churn rate tracks how often the FM team must relocate employees or reconfigure workspaces, directly impacting move management costs and planning resources.
Question 3: Which space planning tool is used to show the flow and adjacency relationships between departments before finalizing a floor plan?
- Bubble diagram (Correct answer)
- Gantt chart
- Pareto chart
- Critical path method diagram
Correct answer: Bubble diagram
Bubble diagrams use circles proportional to space requirements and connecting lines to illustrate desired departmental adjacencies during early programming.
Question 4: Under ASHRAE 62.1, minimum ventilation rates for office spaces are based primarily on which two factors?
- Building height and floor area
- Occupant density and floor area (Correct answer)
- Number of HVAC units and ceiling height
- Outdoor air quality and window area
Correct answer: Occupant density and floor area
ASHRAE 62.1 calculates minimum outdoor air requirements using a people component (cfm per person Ă— occupant density) plus an area component (cfm per square foot).
Question 5: A facility manager is asked to calculate the seats-to-headcount ratio for a 500-person company using 400 workstations. What is the ratio?
- 0.8:1 (Correct answer)
- 1.25:1
- 1:0.8
- 5:4
Correct answer: 0.8:1
Dividing 400 seats by 500 employees yields a 0.8:1 ratio, meaning there are 20% fewer seats than staff — typical in hybrid environments with assumed absence.
Question 6: Which document captures all space programming requirements—room types, areas, adjacencies, and special conditions—before design begins?
- Building information model
- Architectural program (Correct answer)
- Space utilization report
- Certificate of occupancy
Correct answer: Architectural program
An architectural program (or facility program) documents all functional requirements and constraints that the design must satisfy, serving as the brief for architects and planners.
CFM Space Planning and Workplace Design 2
Space utilization studies typically use which technology to capture real-time occupancy data?