BRA

BRA is the Norwegian abbreviation for bruksareal, the usable floor area. It is the internal area of a building, measured to the inside of the external wall on every measurable floor. The external walls are excluded, but internal walls, shafts, pipes and fixed installations are included. A floor or part of a room only counts if it is measurable: clear height of at least 1.9 m and width of at least 0.6 m. This rule decides how much of a sloping roof, loft or basement is counted.

The calculation follows Norsk Standard NS 3940 and has its legal basis in the building technical regulations TEK17 § 5-4 (see also TEK17). NS 3940 was revised in 2023 and took effect for housing sales prospectuses from 2024. It replaced the old split between P-rom and S-rom and introduced three subcategories:

• BRA-i (internal usable floor area): the dwelling unit itself, typically what we call the area of the home in everyday speech.
• BRA-e (external usable floor area): storage rooms and similar spaces that belong to the dwelling unit but lie outside it.
• BRA-b (glazed balconies): balconies that do not count as open.

Total BRA is the sum of the three. Prospectuses from before 2024 may still show P-rom and S-rom as a functional split of BRA-i (living rooms versus storage and technical rooms), but this is no longer a mandatory reported figure. Older documents, in particular from before 2008, may also state BTA (gross area), which includes the external walls. BTA is still used in some contexts, but it is no longer the standard measure for homes.

BRA is the area typically stated in prospectuses, housing sales reports and the matrikkel, and it is the basis for the degree of utilisation in zoning plans through provisions on %-BRA and m²-BRA. The provisions on the degree of utilisation follow from circular H-2300 from Kommunal- og distriktsdepartementet (the Norwegian ministry of local government and regional development). BRA is not the same as BYA, which measures the footprint of the building on the plot. In practice, BRA is combined with eaves height and ridge height, which set the vertical frame for how much volume the BRA limit can be spread across. BRA is also part of the basis for an energy performance certificate and is one of the parameters in the Norwegian Tax Administration's calculation of the assessed tax value of a home.

For commercial property (office, warehouse, retail), NS 3940 is the starting point, but the industry also works with terms such as lettable area, common area and share of BTA. The relationship between BRA and lettable area in office buildings is not standardised; always check the individual lease. BRA is still the measure reported to the matrikkel and the basis for municipal property tax where it is calculated by area.

BRA is usually measured by a surveyor or building expert under NS 3940 as part of a condition report or housing sales report (NS 3600). Incorrect measurement can give grounds for a price reduction under avhendingsloven § 3-8, the Norwegian act on the sale of property (incorrect information). In the price statistics from Eiendom Norge and SSB, the price per square metre of BRA is the dominant metric.

In Placepoint, BRA is shown per building and per building unit in the Building panel, and as a total for the property in the Property panel. If you need to calculate the maximum permitted BRA against the zoning provisions, you will find both the utilisation figures and the plan provisions in the same place. A walkthrough of the flow is in the example Zoning and maximum BRA.

How this looks in Placepoint

In Placepoint, you find this in the Building panel:

From Placepoint's glossary: BRA

More information: DiBK: TEK17 § 5-4, Standard Norge: NS 3940, Skatteetaten: Bolig og eiendom

English: Usable floor area (BRA, per Norwegian Standard NS 3940).

Frequently asked questions

What is BRA?

BRA stands for bruksareal, usable floor area, and shows the whole internal area of a home or building, excluding the external walls. BRA is used as the standard measure in property transactions and statistics.

What is the difference between BRA-i, BRA-e and BRA-b?

BRA is split into three subcategories: BRA-i (internal usable floor area inside the dwelling unit), BRA-e (external usable floor area belonging to the dwelling unit, such as a storage room outside the flat) and BRA-b (glazed balcony).

What is the difference between P-rom and S-rom?

P-rom (primary rooms) are all rooms that count as living space, such as the living room, kitchen, bedrooms and bathroom. S-rom (secondary rooms) are rooms such as storage and technical rooms. Together, P-rom and S-rom make up BRA-i.

Why does BRA matter in property transactions?

House prices in Norway are almost always stated per square metre of BRA. Statistics from Eiendom Norge, Statistisk sentralbyrå (SSB) and estate agents use BRA as the basis for price comparison, see also the house price index.

Who measures BRA?

BRA is measured by a surveyor or building expert under the NS 3940 standard, often in a condition report. The measurement must be correct, because errors can give grounds for a price reduction in a property sale under avhendingsloven.