what is gfa

GFA stands for Gross Floor Area, which is a term used in real estate and building construction to refer to the total floor area inside the building envelope, including the external walls, and excluding the roof. It is measured in square feet or square meters and is the sum of the floor areas of all floors of the building, including basements, attics, mezzanine, and intermediate-floored tiers. GFA is used for various purposes, such as calculating potential revenues to be derived from selling or leasing a building, estimating cleaning costs, and determining non-residential development charges. The measurements for GFA must be taken from the exterior faces of exterior walls, from the centerline of walls separating buildings or from the centerline of walls separating spaces. GFA excludes non-enclosed (or non-enclosable) roofed-over areas, such as exterior covered walkways, porches, terraces or steps, roof overhangs, and similar features. It also excludes air shafts, pipe trenches, chimneys, and floor area dedicated to the parking and circulation of motor vehicles.