What is NABERS UK

Unlike design-based energy ratings, NABERS UK measures and rates the actual energy use of offices, helping building owners to accurately track and communicate the energy performance of their buildings. It also helps identify areas for savings and improvements.

Governance

NABERS UK is administered by BRE, who is responsible for the day to day operations of the scheme. The strategic operations of NABERS UK are overseen by a steering committee comprising BRE, the Better Buildings Partnership and NABERS, as scheme owner on behalf of Australia’s New South Wales Government. The Better Buildings Partnership has been an integral partner in the development of NABERS UK and acts as scheme ambassador to support its uptake and success.

These three members have voting rights within the Committee. The NABERS UK Steering Committee is also made up of non-voting stakeholder members from bodies representing the wide range of NABERS stakeholders. They influence key decisions within the committee, and will be responsible for providing feedback and advice to BRE Group to ensure NABERS UK delivers against the needs of the commercial real estate industry.

The eight current stakeholder members are shown below:

• British Council for Offices (BCO) – Peter Williams, Technical Advisor, Stanhope
• British Property Federation (BPF) – Rob Wall, Assistant Director
• BSRIA – Michelle Agha-Hossein, Building Performance and Soft Landings Lead
• CIBSE – Julie Godefroy, Technical Manager
• IWFM
• RIBA – Alex Tait, Head of Technical Practice
• RICS – Paul Bagust, Head of Property Standards
• UKGBC

Background

NABERS UK is an adaptation of the highly successful rating programme NABERS that operates in Australia. Launched in 1999, NABERS is widely considered to be a world leading environmental performance rating tool for commercial buildings.

The work required to adapt and deliver NABERS for the UK was pioneered by the Better Buildings Partnership via its Design for Performance initiative, in partnership with NABERS.

The initiative was focussed on building market interest and demand, identifying and establishing a UK scheme administrator (now BRE) and creating the technical infrastructure to ensure the scheme is appropriate for the UK. This technical work was delivered by Verco and Delta Q.

The initiative was funded by the following major project developers:

• British Land
• Derwent London
• Federated Hermes / MEPC
• Great Portland Estates
• Grosvenor Great Britain & Ireland
• Landsec
• Legal & General Investment Management
• Lendlease
• Nuveen Real Estate
• Royal London Asset Management
• Stanhope
• The Crown Estate

As a result of its crucial role in making NABERS UK a reality, the Better Buildings Partnership continues to act as an ambassador for NABERS UK and plays a key role in the ongoing governance of the scheme.

Future Development

The NABERS UK scheme has recently expanded to include Whole Building and Tenancy ratings. These two additional ratings joined the NABERS UK Base Buildings rating to complete the NABERS UK Energy for Offices suite.

NABERS UK currently rates the energy performance of offices only. However, in Australia NABERS ratings are used to understand and track the performance of apartment buildings, data centres, shopping centres, public hospitals and hotels. The types of ratings also extend beyond energy and cover water, waste, indoor environmental quality and carbon neutrality.

We hope to continue expanding the scope and offering of NABERS UK and are keen to hear from users of the scheme on how the expansion of NABERS UK ratings to other areas can support their needs.

Need support?

Contact one of our specialists and they will support you with your NABERS UK questions.

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NABERS UK Supporters work in collaboration with the NABERS UK Team and contribute to the successful delivery of the Scheme. The below grid displays our NABERS UK Supporters;