Amazon Seattle HQ: dedicated server room HVAC misclassification case study
A public-record office lease case study showing $28,500 in common area misclassification: dedicated server room HVAC pooled into shared CAM instead of billed directly.
What happened
Amazon's 2021 CAM reconciliation included $28,500 for HVAC equipment serving only Amazon's dedicated server room. This is a non-common-area expense: it does not benefit other tenants and must be billed directly to Amazon, not pooled. Rule 12 flags the full $28,500 as a hard finding.
Findings from the pipeline
Rule 12: Common Area Misclassification
medium confidence
$28,500
Non-common-area item 'Dedicated Server Room HVAC' ($28,500.00) included in shared CAM pool. This expense exclusively serves Amazon's tenancy and should be billed directly.
Math proof
item_confidence=0.90, factor=0.90, score=0.81
Statement references
- Dedicated Server Room HVAC
Lease evidence
- Common area expenses are shared pro-rata; tenant-specific costs must be billed directly.
- No tenant maintenance obligations that would alter this classification.
Why this matters for your firm
Technology tenants with server rooms are uniquely exposed to this type of misclassification because their infrastructure costs are large and clearly tenant-specific. When these costs are pooled into CAM, every other tenant effectively subsidizes one tenant's infrastructure.
Correction package excerpt
Request for Cooperative Review of Certain Line Items. The automated review flagged $28,500 in dedicated server room HVAC included in the shared CAM pool: this expense exclusively serves the Amazon tenancy.
Frequently asked questions
What findings did CAMAudit surface in the Amazon.com Services LLC case?
CAMAudit flagged 1 finding with an apparent overcharge of $28,500. Each finding cites the specific detection rule, dollar amount, and the lease provision that grounds the dispute.
Can my firm reproduce these findings on a live client engagement?
Yes. Your firm uploads the lease and CAM bill. CAMAudit checks them against the same rule set. Your firm reviews the findings. Then your firm sends the branded report to the client.
Is Office a common property type for CAM audit engagements?
CAMAudit handles all commercial property types: retail, office, industrial, mixed-use, and specialty. The detection rules apply wherever a tenant pays CAM or operating expenses under a lease with specific definitions, caps, or exclusion lists.
What is a correction package and does CAMAudit generate one?
A correction draft is a factual starting point that specifies each overcharge by rule, dollar amount, and lease provision. CAMAudit generates a draft grounded in the specific audit findings for advisor and counsel review.
Run these same detection rules on your client engagements
Upload a client lease and CAM bill. CAMAudit applies the same rule set used in this case study. Your firm reviews the findings and sends the branded report to the client.
Book a partner walkthroughPublic-record note
This page summarizes public-record documents and CAMAudit output for educational and marketing purposes. It does not imply endorsement by Amazon.com Services LLC or any third party. Readers should review the underlying lease, statement, and dispute timeline for their own facts.