Rating building energy efficiency

Use of NABERS in Australia has saved $792 million in energy bills and 5.4 million tonnes of CO2 emissions that’s enough to power 494,000 homes for one year.

Content prepared by our friends at the New Zealand Green Building Council

What is NABERSNZ?

NABERSNZ is a system for rating the energy efficiency of office buildings. It is an independent tool, administered by the New Zealand Green Building Council (NZGBC), backed by the New Zealand government. Ratings are carried out by trained assessors. A NABERSNZ Certified Rating gives a star rating, from 0 to 6, that clearly shows your building’s energy performance compared to others.

The scheme is based on National Australian Building Environmental Rating System (NABERS). NABERSNZ has been adapted for New Zealand conditions by the Energy Management Association of New Zealand (EMANZ). 

NABERSNZ ensures your building is compared fairly against its market peers. NABERSNZ is a straightforward way to measure the performance of your building, helping to make offices smarter, healthier, and more energy efficient.

NABERSNZ Rating Process

Obtaining a Certified Rating generally takes six to eight weeks from start to finish. The best way to ensure an Assessor completes the rating quickly is to keep good records and have all the appropriate data on hand. 

Here’s the rating application process:

  • The client (building owner/manager/ tenant) engages an Assessor to carry out a NABERSNZ Certified Rating.
  • The Assessor compiles data, including a site visit to the building for verification, and inputs data into the Certified Rating tool.
  • The Assessor submits the rating for client authorisation.
  • Client reviews and approves/declines the rating to be proceeded.
  • NZGBC receives and registers certification payment.
  • NZGBC audits, verifies and certifies the rating.
  • Client is notified of certification and receives an electronic Rating Certificate and Rating Report. 
NABERSNZ-rated buildings are published on nabersnz.govt.nz.

Benefits of a NABERSNZ Rating

This year the New Zealand government will make its annual budget statement – including for the very first-time, well-being measures. Globally, scientists are warning us that we will only avoid some of the worst ravages of climate change by slashing pollution right now. And there is a surge in green financing schemes, such as green bonds. 

What does this mean for buildings in Aotearoa? It means we will be focusing heavily on our energy use and managing our buildings even closer than ever, the wellbeing co-benefits of this are proven. NABERSNZ facilitates the understanding, improving and comparison of our office buildings energy use, part of the solution for our buildings future. 

A NABERSNZ rating helps building owners and tenants to understand, compare and improve energy performance. Along the way it can help building owners and tenants develop ongoing assessments and improvements to building energy performance. 

A good Certified Rating is a strong indicator of market appeal. International experience has shown the benefits are more than just financial benefits, such as reduced operating costs, increased value, increased rental income and reduced vacancy rates. It also provides market recognition and a competitive advantage for building owners and tenants who operate in an environmentally efficient manner; helps to create a better work environment for employees; and provides a credible, independently verified means for benchmarking and monitoring actual improvements in performance.

Get started on your NABERSNZ journey by talking to Vivien Li, Senior Technical Coordinator at New Zealand Green Building Council on 09 951 0732.