NABERS - All You Need To Know!

NABERS stands for National Australian Built Environment Rating System. It is an Australian government rating system to measure and rank the existing buildings in Australia in terms of environmental performance.

Do you know every building impacts our environment?

Yes! That’s true!

Buildings consume 40% of the world’s energy, account for 40% of carbon emissions, and use 20% available drinking water.

So, it is very important to incorporate measures to promote sustainability.

Key Principles Of NABERS

The fundamental principles of NABERS rating govern the scheme content and administrative decisions. These principles have become the features of NABERS during design and delivery.

• NABERS use externally validated data for its rating purpose. Such data can not be easily manipulated. No estimated data is used.
  
• NABERS rating taken into account a full year of data. It is valid for 12 months which ensures the credibility of the building performance.
  
• No credit is given to design intent or management strategies. The rating totally depends on the measured environmental impacts.
  
• NABERS acts as a benchmark for buildings who consider themselves peers. This facilitates competition to outrun each other and thus adopt sustainable approaches.
  
• NABERS ratings are reliable and low cost.The scores can be randomly assigned for audits.
  
• The management of NABERS is trustworthy. It is independent of any industry.

Undoubtedly, all the methodologies of NABERS have particularly been able to enhance the environmental performance of buildings.

Why Does NABERS Matter To You?

Suppose you’re a landlord. You can quickly get tenants paying a good price for your space if you have a high NABERS rating. In fact, disclosing your NABERS rating, while leasing or selling is a must if you own a commercial property of 1000 square metres or more.

And, if you are a tenant, you are also going to benefit from this transparent system while you compare buildings. A good NABERS rating will fetch you lower utility bills and a pleasing environment.

How To Improve NABERS Rating?

The building owners can improve the energy efficiency of the buildings in the following ways:

• Installing LED lights can cut electricity use by up to 75%.
  
• Insulation and double glazing can reduce the need for air conditioner and heater.
  
• Upgrade the Heating, Ventilation and Air-Conditioning (HVAC) systems. To increase energy efficiency, replace air conditioners that are more than 10 years old.
  
• Install water-efficient appliances and fixtures. And, use water sensibly.
  
• Install tools to harvest rainwater.

While NABERS look into a building’s energy consumption, the BASIX Report is a part of an effective planning framework for sustainable development in Australia. Starting from apartment buildings to shopping centres, you can track the environmental performance by such programs. This strategic development is a necessary step to withstand climate change and environmental pollution.