Industry input sought on extending NABERS rating scale

Australian buildings are becoming so much more energy efficient; the NABERS program has opened up a discussion on extending its traditional five-star rating scale.

NSW Department of Environment, Climate Change and Water (DECCW) Acting Built Environment Manager Mark Davis said a position paper canvassing industry views on extending the NABERS Energy for Offices rating scale to six or seven stars has just been released.

“I am very pleased to say the time has come to look at extending the NABERS Energy rating scale to accommodate the next generation of sustainable buildings,” Davis said.

“When the NABERS Energy rating scale was created 10 years ago, we thought five stars was the best any building could be possibly be. It was an aspirational target.

“A decade on, technology and management practices in the property sector have improved greatly, helped by the reliability of NABERS as a measure. “Today, approximately 5% of buildings are achieving five-star ratings and some developments are already targeting beyond five stars.

“As a result, DECCW is seeking industry and stakeholder input into the evolution of the NABERS Energy tool.

“To uphold the NABERS philosophy of providing aspirational targets, the time has come to consider introducing a sixth, or even a seventh, star,” said Davis.

DECCW administers the national NABERS environmental performance benchmarking tools on behalf of all other Australian governments. After 10 years in operation, NABERS is recognised as the industry standard in Australia and is regarded as a world-leading rating system for building environmental performance that has driven the improvement that we see today. Davis said the new stretch goals are being driven by both the industry and the NABERS national steering committee to ensure that NABERS continues to offer tools which drive and any change will be implemented across the three types of NABERS Energy ratings for offices: base building, tenancy and whole building ratings.

He said to cater for future building technologies and the zero emission building, while limiting the impact on the tool’s existing markets, the position paper canvasses three options:

• Recalibrating the current 5-star rating scale
• Extend to 6 stars in early 2011, introducing the seventh star in the future as needed
• Extend to 7 stars in early 2011

“There are currently no buildings that would achieve seven stars and perhaps eight around Australia that may reach beyond the existing five,” Davis said.

“One of the issues of concern for industry is that a 7-star benchmark may diminish the significant achievement of today’s commendable 4.5- or 5-star rating.

“However, introducing a 7-star scale at this stage will mean that industry only has to contend with one change which establishes aspirational targets for zero-emission buildings and it will provide certainty to the marketplace for the long term.”

NABERS is seeking industry input on the proposed changes. A decision is planned by early 2011. Copies of the position paper are available at the NABERS website www.nabers.com.au  or by contacting DECCW on (02) 9995 5000.

All written submissions must be addressed to:

NABERS Energy for Offices rating scale extension
Built Environment Section
Department of Environment Climate Change and Water
PO Box A290
SOUTH SYDNEY 1232

Or you can email nabers.energy@environment.nsw.gov.au.

All comments must be received by DECCW no later than close of business 18 February 2011.