Everything you ever wanted to know about NABERS rating

At this age and time, much importance is placed on the conservation of the environment. Consequently, it is important for companies to have eco-friendly strategies. One way to enhance sustainability within the perspective of commercial building operation is the NABERS rating.

NABERS stands for the National Australian Built Environment Rating System. It strives to evaluate the effect of a built environment on the ecosystem.

The number of stars achieved through the NABERS rating is crucial in addressing the carbon footprint problems. Therefore, NABERS energy rating other systems have become an important part of businesses as they seek to market themselves as eco-friendly.

In this blog, we will examine everything you need to know about NABERS ratings, ranging from water ratings to energy efficiency ratings and why a building should have a high energy efficiency rating.

What Is A NABERS Rating?

One can say that the NABERS rating indicates the operational efficiency of a given building. The performance can range from zero to six — zero being the least, and six the highest rating. It’s a rating employed by building owners, tenants, and managers to market the eco-friendliness of the structure to an eco-conscious clientele.

What Are The NABERS Rating Types?

The NABERS rating provides a rating for different aspects of the environmental or sustainability performance of the building, which are ranked as follows:

NABERS Energy

It gauges the efficiency of the building in using energy, including electricity and gas. The NABERS Energy rating is important in finding energy efficiency measures to cut down energy usage in a building.

NABERS Water

This is the amount of water used by a building in its functioning in relation to the size of the building. The high water efficiency of buildings results in a high NABERS water rating.

NABERS Indoor Environment

The IE rating assesses factors such as the presence of pollutants in the indoor environment, temperature, illuminance, and noise of the building to prevent discomfort and health problems for the users of the building.

NABERS Waste

This rating relates to how waste is avoided, reduced, reused, recycled or disposed of from the building.

How Are Submissions Evaluated, And How Is The NABERS Rating Derived?

The NABERS Star Rating System is based on the performance of a building over the year in terms of:

• energy utilisation
• water consumption,
• waste generated and
• indoor environment quality.

In order to arrive at a NABERS rating, the assessors collect utility bills and building operational and maintenance data for 12 months.

These data are adjusted to climatic variables as well as the occupancy, giving a more realistic view of the performance level of the building being considered.

The NABERS Energy Efficiency rating only considers a building’s energy used in relation to the area of the building and the people/occupants in the building. The buildings that will house optimum occupancy conditions using the least amount of energy will get a high score in the NABERS Star Rating system.

How Can You Improve Your Building’s NABERS Rating?

The process of improving one’s NABERS rating is simple. It generally starts with an energy audit.

NABERS Energy Audits are capable of pinpointing areas of inefficiency within a building’s systems. The assessment provides practical insights into reducing energy consumption and improving the building’s operational processes.

Increasing NABERS ratings may be done in the following ways:

Replace existing lighting and heating systems with energy-saving alternatives

Most of the older lighting and heating systems consume a lot of energy. However, replacing them with new ones that consume low energy may improve the energy performance of the building dramatically.

Use water-saving devices

Less water faucets, rainwater harvesting, and monitoring of water wring usage may help to achieve better water efficiency and higher NABERS water rating as well.

Building management systems optimisation

A proficient BMS will be able to control and manipulate energy usage over working hours, thus reducing energy waste and improving overall efficiency.

Ensure regular building maintenance

Performing regular maintenance work on all building systems reduces energy and water waste, thus improving both NABERS energy and water ratings.

What Are The Advantages Of Having An Optimal NABERS Rating?

A high NABERS rating benefits both building owners and occupants in several important ways:

Reduced operating costs

This is one of the most promising benefits of NABERS Energy Rating. The energy-efficient measures incorporated within buildings with higher NABERS Energy ratings help reduce power consumption, hence reducing utility expenses over a period of time.

Enhanced property value

It is evident that having a NABERS rating increases demand and supply for tenants and buyers, increasing the worth of the property.

Sustainability credentials

NABERS Ratings for Offices presents a good indicator of a green image and environmentally friendly practices, which corporate clients and consumers are increasingly seeking.

Conclusion

NABERS rating systems can help you cut the recurrent expense of your building through the enhancement of the building’s environmental efficiency and engaging in productive ways to optimise building performance. A strong NABERS rating is more than just a regulatory obligation; it is a pledge towards a cleaner environment.