Occupancy Load Calculator
Calculate the maximum occupancy of a space from floor area and its occupant load factor.
About this calculator
Fire and life-safety codes cap how many people a given space can legally hold based on how that space is used, an assembly hall's occupant load factor differs dramatically from an office's, since the two space types have very different densities and evacuation needs, and getting this number right matters for both code compliance and event planning. This calculator divides your floor area by an occupant load factor (the square feet allotted per person, set by building code for that specific use type) and rounds down to a whole number of people, since occupancy is always a conservative maximum. Enter floor area and the applicable load factor for your space's use category, and get the legal maximum occupancy immediately instead of looking up the factor and dividing by hand. Because occupant load factors vary substantially by use type, a factor for a densely packed assembly space is very different from one for storage or office use, confirm the correct factor for your specific occupancy classification against your local building code.
Worked example
2,000 sqft office at 100 sqft/person
Result: Maximum occupants = 20
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