Change will increase 鈥榠nclusivity鈥� of building efficiency rating scheme, says director

The energy efficiency rating system NABERS is expanding so that both owners and occupiers of office building can rate their spaces. 

The 黑洞社区 Research Establishment, which developed NABERS, has announced that the scheme will now include both whole building and tenancy ratings. 

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Source: Shutterstock

Ratings had previously been restricted to buildings with highly sophisticated energy metering

Commercial offices are given a one-to-six-star rating based on their actual energy performance as assessed by metered energy consumption, helping them to target efficiency improvements. 

>> Also read: NABERS: the energy ratings system that goes further than Part L

Under the new division, owners will be able to assess the performance of their whole building, which will benefit owners who have a single occupancy or for buildings where the metering configuration does not facilitate a base building rating, which covers owners鈥� central services, heating and cooling systems and shared services.  

Meanwhile, occupiers can also now use NABERS to assess tenanted space, which will typically include lighting and power, special tenancy requirements or local air conditioning. 

NABERS director Carlos Flores said: 鈥淯ntil recently, NABERS UK ratings had been restricted to buildings with highly sophisticated energy metering.  

鈥淭his expansion makes a huge leap forward in terms of inclusivity in the scheme, providing an easy path for any office building to receive a NABERS UK Energy rating, even those with simpler metering arrangements.鈥� 

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