diff --git a/src/energyplus/ForwardTranslator/ForwardTranslateSpace.cpp b/src/energyplus/ForwardTranslator/ForwardTranslateSpace.cpp
index be5bb3da46..2f51f24492 100644
--- a/src/energyplus/ForwardTranslator/ForwardTranslateSpace.cpp
+++ b/src/energyplus/ForwardTranslator/ForwardTranslateSpace.cpp
@@ -55,6 +55,7 @@
 #include "../../model/InteriorPartitionSurfaceGroup.hpp"
 #include "../../model/Surface.hpp"
 
+#include <utilities/idd/OS_Space_FieldEnums.hxx>
 #include <utilities/idd/Space_FieldEnums.hxx>
 
 #include "../../utilities/idd/IddEnums.hpp"
@@ -86,14 +87,22 @@ namespace energyplus {
       idfObject.setString(SpaceFields::ZoneName, thermalZone->name().get());
     }
 
+    // for CeilingHeight, Volume, FloorArea: only FT if hard set (same logic as for ThermalZone)
+
     // CeilingHeight
-    idfObject.setDouble(SpaceFields::CeilingHeight, modelObject.ceilingHeight());
+    if (!modelObject.isCeilingHeightDefaulted()) {
+      idfObject.setDouble(SpaceFields::CeilingHeight, modelObject.ceilingHeight());
+    }
 
     // Volume
-    idfObject.setDouble(SpaceFields::Volume, modelObject.volume());
+    if (!modelObject.isVolumeDefaulted()) {
+      idfObject.setDouble(SpaceFields::Volume, modelObject.volume());
+    }
 
     // FloorArea
-    idfObject.setDouble(SpaceFields::FloorArea, modelObject.floorArea());
+    if (!modelObject.isFloorAreaDefaulted()) {
+      idfObject.setDouble(SpaceFields::FloorArea, modelObject.floorArea());
+    }
 
     // SpaceType
     if (boost::optional<SpaceType> spaceType_ = modelObject.spaceType()) {
diff --git a/src/energyplus/Test/Space_GTest.cpp b/src/energyplus/Test/Space_GTest.cpp
index 9df5cad670..24bae63cfd 100644
--- a/src/energyplus/Test/Space_GTest.cpp
+++ b/src/energyplus/Test/Space_GTest.cpp
@@ -136,7 +136,9 @@ TEST_F(EnergyPlusFixture, ForwardTranslator_Space2) {
   Surface floor2(points2, model);
 
   Space space1(model);
+  EXPECT_TRUE(space1.setFloorArea(1));
   Space space2(model);
+  EXPECT_TRUE(space2.setFloorArea(4));
   floor1.setParent(space1);
   floor2.setParent(space2);
 
@@ -329,8 +331,8 @@ TEST_F(EnergyPlusFixture, Space_exampleModel_Loads) {
         std::find_if(spaceNames.begin(), spaceNames.end(), [&i_space](const auto& s) { return openstudio::istringEqual(s, i_space.nameString()); });
       EXPECT_NE(spaceNames.end(), it);
 
-      // TODO: should we actually write the floor area in this simple case or let E+ figure it out?
-      EXPECT_EQ(100.0, i_space.getDouble(SpaceFields::FloorArea).get());
+      // let E+ figure it out
+      EXPECT_TRUE(i_space.isEmpty(SpaceFields::FloorArea));
     }
 
     // There's one SpaceList corresponding to the SpaceType (for load attribution) and it does have the 4 spaces in there