BOMA International

BOMA International
Name	BOMA International
Founded	1907
Type	Nonprofit
Headquarters	United States
Location	Washington, D.C.

BOMA International is a North American trade association for commercial real estate and property management professionals that traces its origins to the early 20th century. It serves owners, managers, developers, investors, and service providers in sectors including office, retail, industrial, and mixed-use properties, offering advocacy, standards, education, certification, and events. BOMA International connects stakeholders across municipal, regional, and global networks and collaborates with allied organizations to shape built-environment practice.

History

BOMA emerged from early trade efforts contemporaneous with institutions such as American Institute of Architects, Real Estate Board of New York, National Association of Real Estate Boards, International Council of Shopping Centers, and Building Owners and Managers Association of Chicago antecedents. Over decades it interacted with entities like U.S. Chamber of Commerce, National Association of Realtors, Urban Land Institute, Royal Institution of Chartered Surveyors, and International Facility Management Association while responding to events such as the Great Depression, World War II, Oil Crisis of 1973, and Financial crisis of 2007–2008. The organization adapted alongside legislation and initiatives from Fair Housing Act, Americans with Disabilities Act of 1990, Energy Policy Act of 1992, and Dodd–Frank Wall Street Reform and Consumer Protection Act as property markets evolved in cities like New York City, Chicago, Los Angeles, Toronto, and Houston. Partnerships and dialogues included U.S. Department of Energy, Environmental Protection Agency, International Organization for Standardization, Occupational Safety and Health Administration, National Institutes of Health, and World Green Building Council.

Mission and Programs

BOMA’s mission aligns with professional development and asset stewardship similar to goals advanced by National Multifamily Housing Council, American Society of Civil Engineers, Institute of Real Estate Management, and Royal Institution of Chartered Surveyors. Program areas intersect with initiatives led by LEED, Energy Star (program), ASHRAE, Green Building Council, World Business Council for Sustainable Development, and U.S. Green Building Council. Its programs address topics central to stakeholders such as Federal Emergency Management Agency, Centers for Disease Control and Prevention, National Fire Protection Association, American Society of Heating, Refrigerating and Air-Conditioning Engineers, and International Code Council.

Membership and Chapters

Membership structure echoes modalities used by National Association of Home Builders, American Planning Association, Associated Builders and Contractors, Associated General Contractors of America, and National Apartment Association. Chapters span metropolitan regions comparable to networks in San Francisco, Seattle, Boston, Atlanta, Dallas, Miami, Vancouver, and Montreal and coordinate with bodies like State of California, New York State, Texas Department of Licensing and Regulation, and provincial authorities. Corporate affiliates often include firms such as CBRE Group, JLL, Cushman & Wakefield, Colliers International, and Hines while supplier members align with manufacturers represented via American Institute of Steel Construction, National Roofing Contractors Association, Sheet Metal and Air Conditioning Contractors' National Association, and Building Owners and Managers Association of Greater New York-style local associations.

Education and Certification

Credentialing programs mirror frameworks from Project Management Institute, Association of Chartered Certified Accountants, Institute of Real Estate Management, Royal Institute of Chartered Surveyors, and American Institute of Certified Planners. Course topics reference standards from ASHRAE Standard 90.1, ISO 14001, ISO 50001, National Green Building Standard, and professional competencies found in publications by Wiley-Blackwell and textbooks used at universities like Columbia University, Massachusetts Institute of Technology, University of California, Berkeley, Harvard University, and Cornell University. Training collaborations and continuing education include partnerships with Occupational Safety and Health Administration, American Red Cross, LEED Professional Credentials, Certified Property Manager (CPM), and local community colleges.

Advocacy and Standards

Advocacy work engages legislative and regulatory stakeholders such as United States Congress, U.S. Environmental Protection Agency, Federal Energy Regulatory Commission, Department of Energy (United States), General Services Administration, and state legislatures. Standards development and guidance have connections to ASHRAE, ISO, International Building Code, National Fire Protection Association, and industry reporting aligned with frameworks like Global Reporting Initiative and Task Force on Climate-related Financial Disclosures. BOMA’s policy positions have intersected with debates addressed by American Legislative Exchange Council, National Conference of State Legislatures, Federal Highway Administration, and Environmental Defense Fund.

Events and Conferences

Annual conferences and trade shows are comparable in scale to events run by International Council of Shopping Centers (RECon), Greenbuild International Conference and Expo, National Multifamily Housing Council Annual Meeting, Consumer Electronics Show, and World Economic Forum. Programming often features keynote speakers from institutions such as Harvard Kennedy School, The Brookings Institution, Council on Foreign Relations, Kaiser Family Foundation, and corporations including Google, Amazon (company), Microsoft, Siemens, and Schneider Electric. Event topics reflect intersections with C40 Cities Climate Leadership Group, ICLEI – Local Governments for Sustainability, World Resources Institute, McKinsey & Company, and Deloitte research.

Governance and Funding

Governance structures resemble nonprofit boards found in National Trust for Historic Preservation, Urban Land Institute, American Heart Association, and United Way Worldwide, with governance practices informed by standards from Independent Sector and Council on Foundations. Funding derives from membership dues, certification fees, event revenue, and sponsorships from companies like ExxonMobil, General Electric, Honeywell, Johnson Controls, and financial institutions such as JPMorgan Chase, Wells Fargo, Goldman Sachs, and Bank of America. Audit, compliance, and transparency practices engage auditors and advisors similar to Ernst & Young, PricewaterhouseCoopers, KPMG, and Deloitte & Touche.

Category:Professional associations