NABERS UK: a commercial energy rating system that will see investment returns like no other
Beneficial for the planet, people and budgets, NABERS UK is the new way forward for commercial energy ratings.
The built environment is a significant contributor to carbon emissions, using 40% of the world鈥檚 energy.
The National Australian Built Environment Rating System (NABERS) is Australia’s mandatory model for measuring commercial energy efficiency, first established in 1998. The NABERS rating requirements look at four categories when assessing a building鈥檚 rating: Energy, Water, Waste, and Indoor Environment Quality (IEQ).
The new model in the UK, managed by the Building Research Establishment (BRE), will assimilate the existing one, requiring an annual assessment of a commercial building鈥檚 energy usage when in operation.
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The implementation of NABERS is significant in reaching net zero targets. Often, the actual energy usage in buildings is much higher than the amount calculated in the design stage, meaning the full potential of buildings in combatting net zero challenges is rarely achieved. This is where NABERS helps to solve these issues, helping to close the performance gap.
海角视频 became a partner in October 2022. With our expertise in developing estimates for building energy consumption based on HVAC models and representation on the UK Independent Design Review Panel, we are in a good position to help our clients achieve the best possible outcome for their buildings. Clients utilise this new system, which assists them in reducing operating costs and increases environmental benefits, which in turn, will see huge benefits for both people and the planet.
Benefit one: Being able to make informed decisions through active measurement to ensure building potential can be met
Currently in the UK, there is no requirement to accurately monitor building energy efficiency, and it could take up to four years for a new building before an Energy Saving Opportunity Scheme (ESOS) building audit is required. This is a lengthy waiting time to be able to make any informed decisions about optimising a building鈥檚 energy efficiency.
Through the NABERS requirement of needing an annual assessment of a building鈥檚 energy use when in operation, this formalises the process to ensure buildings are achieving their full potential and creating active measurement.
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This is why regular and accurate reporting is so essential in helping to close the performance gap, and building owners should act to undertake more regular assessments, which is where NABERS UK will help to do so through the Design for Performance process.
It also creates a cultural shift towards a model which encourages best practice by providing realistic but aspirational benchmarks that incentivise owners to improve their management of buildings, and move away from regulation compliance models.
Benefit two: Financial benefits to property owners
The implementation of NABERS allows for a number of financial benefits to building owners, such as reduced operating costs, increased value, increased rental income and reduced vacancy rates. Tenants are looking for the best performing buildings to align with their sustainable objectives. The NABERS scheme shows that this is being delivered, and the building is performing to a certain standard on a year-by-year basis, therefore increasing the value of a building and making it more desirable to potential tenants
This, in turn, increases the lengths of tenancies compared to buildings not using the NABERS rating scheme.
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The NABERS rating system can also help to identify cost saving opportunities over time, as property owners can use it to inform them of the performance of buildings and identify the weaknesses and areas for improvement. This better manages their impacts on the environment through targeted resource allocation, with NABERS stating that their customers have saved an average of 30-40% on their energy over 10 years.
Benefit three: Environmental and health benefits and the move towards achieving Net Zero
An example of NABERS in practice and the benefits of this rating system, can be demonstrated through statistics from Australian offices which were rated using the NABERS scale. These offices saw reduced greenhouse gas emissions of 53% and average energy savings of 42%.
These statistics are an example of how the NABERS system would be significant in helping to drive the built environment sector towards the UK鈥檚 2030 net-zero targets. Ultimately, the move to net zero can only be achieved if energy efficiency across the board is achieved.
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Not only, however, is NABERS efficient in improving environmental issues within the built environment, but it also addresses health issues often associated with being in an indoor environment. This includes issues such as indoor air quality, where the NABERS Indoor Environment Tool which rates indoor air quality, acoustic quality and other markers of a healthy indoor environment can be used. Whilst the UK model will only focus on energy ratings for now, there may be room for an expansion of the rating system in the future.
Value
Beneficial to people, budgets, and the planet, the NABERS system is a significant step in helping the built environment reduce emissions and get the sector on track towards net zero.
