A Detailed Guide on the Indoor Environmental Quality with NABERS Rating

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The rise of real estate properties is quite at its peak in Australia. NABERS is the rating system that measures the environmental performance of all Australian tenancies or buildings. 

But, as you know, Australia has seen a boom for not just residential but commercial properties as well. So, what about the environmental quality of the indoor office spaces where people spend most of their day’s time? 

The air and environmental quality of the indoor spaces at the office cannot be neglected either! Looking after the need to assess and improve the indoor environment, the NABERS Indoor Environment (IE) rating was introduced alongside the NABERS Energy and Water rating. 

The indoor environment is a multifaceted concept where various factors tend to influence the air and environment quality of the dedicated spaces. 

Thus, it impacts the health, productivity, and well-being of the occupants. Therefore, acquiring the NABERS IE rating becomes important before you move into a new house! 

In this article, you will get a clear insight into some of the intricacies associated with indoor environmental quality, its assessment methods, and the core components associated with NABERS. 

What is the Significance of NABERS Indoor Environment (IE) Rating?

NABERS IE is meant to assess the indoor environment of any office building. It is a measure of the lighting, air, thermal, acoustic, and temperature comfort of a building to decide whether it is ideal for people to live in or not. 

The prime objective of NABERS IE is to ensure that the indoor building provides a healthy and comfortable space for people to spend 8 to 9 hours a day with the utmost productivity.  

What are the Different Types of NABERS IE Ratings?

There are three different types of NABERS rating associated with IE, which includes:

Base Building IE Rating

It is designed for the building managers or owners, who are liable for controlling or maintaining the thermal services, cleaning services, and air systems. NABERS water rating is also determined in this overall assessment. 

Tenancy IE Rating

It is for the occupants of the building who are responsible for managing and controlling the materials or design that are used in the office space for lighting and noise management. Some tenants are also responsible for optimising air quality. 

Whole Building IE Rating

Just like all property owners and occupants seek NABERS Water rating or Energy rating to determine the environmental performance of their building, they must also obtain the whole building's IE rating to ensure good health within the office spaces. 

How Can One Acquire the NABERS IE Rating for their Office Spaces?

If you want to acquire a NABERS IE rating for your office to ensure that your employees are working in a healthy & comfortable space, you must hire an accredited NABERS assessor. 

An assessor will be the professional who will carry out specific tests, visual inspections, documentation reviews, data analyses, and other such measures over a year’s time to provide you with an accurate rating. 

The professional would take into consideration the occupancy levels, building size, and other such variables as well to give you a final rating on a scale of 1 to 6 stars. 

Even though this NABERS rating isn’t considered mandatory around the nation, it is still highly recommended, as it helps you be sure of creating or maintaining a comfortable & efficient workspace. 

Bottom Line

Your commercial property must acquire a NABERS Energy rating, Water rating, and Indoor Environment rating of 4 stars out of 6; it concludes that your building performs well in all aspects. 

But you should always aim to acquire a 5 or 6-star rating, as that indicates your building has an industry-leading performance in energy, water, and indoor environment performance. 

If needed, you can always connect with the respective experts to improve your NABERS rating in all aspects to conclude that your property is contributing towards good environmental health on all fronts.


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