What is NABERS Certification?

NABERS or National Australian Built Environment Rating System is a rating system that helps built environment owners to accurately measure, understand, and communicate the environmental performance of spaces while identifying areas for cost savings and future improvements. The built spaces that NABERS evaluate, include:

  • Apartment buildings
  • Co-Assess for business
  • Data centers
  • Hotels
  • Office buildings and tenancies
  • Public hospitals
  • Residential aged care
  • Retirement living
  • Shopping centers
  • Warehouses and cold stores

How does NABERS work?

  • Over the course of a year, a building’s environmental impact is assessed by evaluating technical data such as monthly electricity and water consumption. The building’s energy usage is then multiplied by its emission factors (GHG) and further adjusted considering factors like equipment operating hours, climate, and building size and occupancy.
  • Following the assessment and adjustments, the building’s data is compared to a Benchmark Factor, which represents the performance of other sites within the same area. Based on this comparison, the building is assigned an energy score on a scale from 1 to 6.
  • The purpose of these ratings is to motivate all commercial site owners to adopt energy conservation practices and prioritize environmental protection. The reward for their efforts lies in the cost savings achieved by becoming a green and sustainable Net Zero partner.

NABERS rating

As mentioned above, NABERS evaluates built environments and provides a rating from 1 to 6 stars across various categories, namely (1) Energy, (2) Water, (3) Waste, and (4) Indoor environment.

1 Star – Making a Start

2 Stars – Below Average

3 Stars – Average

4 Stars – Good

5 Stars – Excellent

6 Stars – Marketing Leading

The NABERS 2020/21 annual report reveals that over 70% of NABERS rated buildings achieved a 4-star rating or higher.

Here are the general steps to obtain NABERS certification:

  • Determine if your building or facility is eligible for NABERS certification. Different types of buildings, such as offices, shopping centers, hotels, and data centers, may have specific eligibility criteria.
  • Select the appropriate NABERS category for your building’s assessment, such as Energy, Water, Waste, or others, depending on the available certification options.
  • Appoint a NABERS accredited assessor to conduct the assessment. Assessors are trained professionals who will evaluate your building’s environmental performance and guide you through the certification process.
  • Gather relevant data and information required for the assessment. This may include energy bills, water usage records, waste management data, and any other relevant information about the building’s operations.
  • The appointed assessor will conduct an assessment, where they will measure and verify the building’s performance based on the selected NABERS category’s criteria.
  • The assessor will calculate the NABERS rating based on the data collected and the assessment results.
  • Once the assessment is complete, and the rating is calculated, you will receive a NABERS certificate indicating your building’s environmental performance. The certificate can be used for marketing and promotional purposes.

Why should a building project secure NABERS certification?

  • NABERS ratings serve as the foundation for a strong sustainability strategy, offering a reliable benchmark to assess a building’s energy and water efficiency, facilitating meaningful comparisons within the industry.
  • NABERS offers a cost-effective, trustworthy, and independent validation of sustainability data, instilling confidence in public reporting and straightforward communication of the results.
  • The NABERS star ratings serve as a crucial framework for annual reporting and sustainability strategies. Through these ratings, continuous performance improvements can be achieved over time, leading to reduced energy consumption and emissions.
  • Gain a competitive edge with potential buyers, renters, procurement teams, or hotel guests by offering a building with a reduced environmental impact, lower operating costs, and clear, confident communication of its sustainable features.
  • Implementing energy and water efficiency measures leads to significant reductions in operational costs, as energy-efficient buildings experience lower utility expenses, resulting in long-term savings. In fact, NABERS claim their customers have saved an average of 30-40% on their energy over 10 years.
  • A high NABERS rating translates into a comfortable and healthy working environment, enhancing tenant satisfaction and productivity.

Achieving NABERS rating using uHoo Aura

Indoor environment is one of the categories within NABERS. It focuses on assessing and rating the quality of the indoor environment in built spaces. The goal of this category is to measure and improve the comfort and well-being of building occupants by evaluating various indoor environmental factors such as air quality, temperature, and lighting.

uHoo Aura, the most comprehensive indoor environmental quality (IEQ) monitor, provides continuous measurement and readings of 13 IEQ factors, such as temperature, humidity, carbon dioxide, carbon monoxide, formaldehyde, air pressure, PM1, PM2.5, PM4, PM10, total volatile organic compounds, light, and sound. By having real-time and accurate readings of the mentioned factors, built environment owners can make informed decisions in creating a space that’s safe, healthy, and one that adheres to NABERS’ indoor environmental quality requirements.

Moreover, uHoo Aura can be integrated with any Building Management Systems (BMS) such as HVAC and lighting systems via APIs. This allows building owners to adjust ventilation rates and filter settings based on the actual indoor conditions. This minimizes unnecessary energy consumption, increases savings on utility bills, and follows standards for NABERS’ Energy category.

Obtain your NABERS rating using uHoo.

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