House subcommittee presses DTMB on differing occupancy metrics after CBRE study

The House Appropriations Subcommittee on General Government pressed Department of Technology, Management & Budget officials on the department’s use of differing occupancy metrics following a CBRE building-occupancy study.

Representative Kelly told DTMB officials that “you’re making long-term decisions for a on relatively unknown future,” and said she was concerned the department’s approach could leave the next administration constrained. Committee members also highlighted a CBRE finding that the state’s average office utilization — calculated as employees in the office divided by seats — was 37 percent at the time of the study and contrasted that with a pre-pandemic industry average near 64 percent.

DTMB staff said CBRE’s April 20, 2025 study provides a useful benchmark but described a different reporting definition for occupancy. Tom Fenbach, identified in the hearing as DTMB’s real estate division director, explained that for reporting tied to budget boilerplate the department defines occupancy as “the square footage assigned” to agencies, not the moment-in-time employees-per-seat utilization CBRE measured. A DTMB official added that swipe-card presence is “definitely a data point that we have available,” but said the primary metric for the agency’s operations is the ratio of built-out workstations to employees assigned.

The distinction mattered in the hearing: members cited examples from the CBRE tables showing several state-owned buildings with per-employee usable square-foot figures well above the recommended 175–200 range (CBRE listed examples such as Romney at roughly 409 usable sq ft per employee and Ottawa at 635). DTMB acknowledged those figures demonstrate opportunities for densification while maintaining that assigned footage is the metric used for boilerplate and portfolio reporting.

Committee members asked whether CBRE work on leased facilities had included daily-utilization studies. DTMB said it had not conducted daily utilization studies across leased properties but routinely discusses space needs with agency partners. The subcommittee also asked about the CBRE contract; DTMB reported the study cost about $460,000 against an originally budgeted $500,000.

The exchange concluded with members pressing DTMB on whether the department would incorporate additional data sources or change its public reporting; DTMB said the CBRE study “set a benchmark” and the department is using both benchmarks and internal assignments as it implements space changes. Because there was no quorum, the subcommittee did not take votes on any policy changes during the session.