In the modern world, especially where every effort is made towards sustainability, the architecture and development sectors are striving to introduce strategies that address the integration of sustainable practices in the built environment.
In Australia, one such tool that has been particularly useful in assessing and helping to improve the sustainability of buildings is the NABERS rating system. NABERS, which is short for National Australian Built Environment Rating Systems, is also a proven system through which the green operational performance of a building is standing.
If you are a property owner, property manager or property leaseholder, then you are set to gain from the NABERS rating too. In this blog, we will introduce you to all the various aspects of the NABERS rating, its design, and its application.
What is the NABERS Rating?
NABERS is an abbreviation of the National Australian Built Environment Rating System. It is an Australian Government initiative that enables a systematic way to measure the environmental friendliness of a building.
The NABERS rating focuses on several performance areas, including energy, water, indoor environment, site and material use, and waste management.
This system of rating is very intuitive and engaging, allowing for relevant information to be obtained that would help a building undergo a transformation in its functionality. The Ratings of NABERS are given in stars.
One star rating presents the worst-performing users who are expected to make major improvements, while six stars represent the current market leaders.
Some key NABERS achievements over the past two decades include:
- 1.7 billion dollars in terms of energy bills is saved by NABERS customer
- 11.57 million tonnes of CO2 emissions saved
The Importance of NABERS Rating
There are several advantages to attaining the NABERS Rating. These may include:
Cost Efficient:
Buildings that have been built with energy-efficient features tend to be less costly to run in terms of energy and water bills incurred. This results in a lot of costs being saved after a period, especially for big businesses and multi-tenant commercial properties.
Credibility
NABERS rating and certification allow an independent assessment of the environmental aspects of the particular building, further enhancing its competitiveness and marketability.
Marketing Advantage
NABERS-certified buildings use this rating to market their sustainable credentials to the tenants, investors and other stakeholders.
Higher Property Value
It has been shown that properties with high NABERS Energy ratings attract confident tenants and investors, resulting in high demand and high value.
Greenhouse Impact
High NABERS Energy-rated buildings tend to achieve lower GHG emissions due to lower energy use, which helps reduce climate change.
Compliance with Regulations
In some situations, achieving the minimum NABERS EnergyRating may be one of the essentials required to obtain Government leases.
NABERS Energy Rating
Probably the most popular component of the NABERS system is the NABERS energy rating. This index examines the energy efficiency performance of any given building by measuring the actual energy consumption over the previous 12 months.
The calculation of an energy rating is usually determined by the total energy consumed by the building, which data is usually drawn from the billing of utilities or recording of metres.
This data is then adjusted for certain parameters, including weather, building area, and occupancy, in order to make a valid comparison against other buildings.
The consumed energy is put in relation to the achieved energy savings of buildings in temperatures similar to Australia and within the same period of one year against a National Energy Performance Benchmark (NEPPB).
NABERS Water Rating
NABERS measures performance on water usage with the help of a NABERS Water Rating. This rating seeks to determine the water use of a facility by quantifying the total amount of water used in that facility over a year.
This rating assesses the water use of the building during a 12-month observation period. The NABERS Water Rating considers the size of the building, how many people occupy it, and whether water-saving features and technologies are available.
The result is given in the form of stars, ranging from six stars that denote excellence in water efficiency and one star that shows room for improvement. The higher the NABERS Water Rating is, the more cost-effective the water consumption of the given building is, and environmental costs decrease.
NABERS Indoor Environment Rating
The other essential part of the assessment systems used by the NABERS is the NABERS Indoor Environment Rating.
Every possible parameter concerning the internal environmental condition that may affect the activities of people or their health, such as light, temperature, humidity, and air quality, is assessed.
The NABERS Indoor Environment Rating is important in buildings that primarily aim at the well-being of occupants, such as offices, schools, and hospitals.
Data for indoor environment quality (IEQ) sensors and occupant surveys are used to calculate the NABERS Indoor Environment Rating and obtain a NABERS certification.
NABERS Waste Rating
The NABERS Waste Rating is the most recent addition to the NABERS rating system. It comes as a solution to the increased focus on waste management in the built environment.
This NABERS rating method looks into the practices that a building has in place concerning waste management. The assessment analyses the quantities of waste that are removed and the amount that is recycled or reused instead of going into a landfill.
How to Obtain NABERS Certification?
In order to attain a NABERS certification for a building, it must be conducted by an accredited NABERS assessor.
The assessor needs information about energy and water use in the building, the indoor environment and waste generation and these data are used in the calculation of NABERS rating.
Once a rating has been given, the owner or manager of the property can access through the NABERS website for their NABERS certifications. In general, the procedure takes up to a few weeks after which one is presented with the certificate along with a report on the building rating.
This particular NABERS certification is the official recognition of the sustainability standards achieved by the building or complex and thus, can be used for promoting the complex to clients, investors and other relevant stakeholders.
You only obtain a NABERS certification for 12 months, thereafter you have to take the assessment if you want to continue retaining the certification.
Conclusion
In short, the NABERS rating and its performance criteria serve as an important means to measure the sustainable operation of buildings in Australia. Whatever the motivation – be it energy, water, indoor environmental quality, or waste – NABERS provides a straightforward and factual assessment of your building performance.
For real estate owners, managers, and occupants, comprehension and practical use of the NABERS rating system is a fundamental milestone in the development of a sustainable built environment.