Certified Facility Manager (CFM) Practice Exam

Which guestroom floor configuration is most efficient in terms of saleable gross floor area?

1. Single-loaded slab

2. Double-loaded slab

3. Pod configuration

4. Modified suite

The correct answer is: Double-loaded slab

The double-loaded slab configuration is considered the most efficient in terms of saleable gross floor area for guestroom floors. This configuration features guestroom corridors on both sides of a central hallway, allowing for a higher number of rooms per floor compared to other configurations. By maximizing the number of rooms that can be accessed from a single corridor, the double-loaded slab reduces the amount of wasted space associated with longer corridors while increasing the overall density of the guestroom layout. This efficiency is critical in the hospitality industry, where the aim is to optimize available space for maximum returns. The other configurations, while they may offer unique aesthetic or operational advantages, do not utilize space as effectively. For example, single-loaded slabs typically feature rooms on only one side of a corridor, limiting the number of sellable units compared to the double-loaded option. Pod configurations might create a different guest experience but can introduce inefficiencies in space allocation, and modified suites often prioritize comfort and amenities over maximizing the number of rooms, which can also detract from overall efficiency.