# Background Information
# Occupancy Rates
Occupancy rates for different building types are built into the tool. These are used for the energy and water calculations, and in the Urban Ecology section for the food production credit.
Occupant density for non-residential dwellings is informed by the National Construction Code and AS1668.2 (Mechanical Ventilation of Buildings).
# BESS Occupancy rates for non-residential buildings (sqm per occupant)
| Office | 10 |
|---|---|
| Shop, retail, café | 5 |
| Laboratory or warehouse | 20 |
| Public building | 5 |
| Other non-residential building | 20 |
For residential buildings, the occupancy formula is derived from the floor area. Less than 38.6 sqm, occupancy is assumed to be 1. Over 587.5 sqm, occupancy is 5 people. In between these values a logarithmic formula is used. The formula is Occupancy = 1.471271*LN(Area)-4.375381.