DISPLAY ENERGY CERTIFICATES COMMERCIAL BUILDINGS
Benchmarking will be the catalyst for improved behaviour. A comparative measure will incentivise companies to improve energy performance Justin Snoxall
Partnership (BBP), which is currently working on a new rating system for landlords and tenants based on the DEC’s methodology. ‘We all want a mandatory system in the
UK, but we’re going to implement a voluntary system anyway to iron out the bugs,’ he adds. This voluntary Landlord Energy Rating
Property with high ratings in Australia can see a 6% uplift in asset value
(LER) will be based on the National Australian Built Environmental Ratings Scheme (NABERS) system, which has transformed the multi-let offi ce market there (see box, left). It accounts separately for occupier energy use – small power and lighting – and for the energy landlords supply for common parts, such as lobbies and lifts, and shared services – heating, ventilating and air conditioning systems. ‘This provides a far greater level of understanding of how energy is used and supplied between owner and occupier,’ says Keith Bugden, executive programme director of the BBP. ‘It will enable occupiers to compare buildings they are interested in and see how effi ciently they are operated.’ British Land is closely involved with the
LER and Snoxall says it will provide vital benchmarking data that will show comparative performance between lettings. ‘Benchmarking will be the catalyst for improved behaviour,’ says Snoxall. ‘A comparative measure will incentivise companies to improve energy performance.’ BBP asked Verco and the Usable Buildings
Trust to study NABERS and help establish a specifi cation and benchmarking method. LER is expected to be available later this year. CIBSE is among many organisations calling
Energy down under
The Better Building Performance Landlord Energy Rating system is based on the National Australian Built Environmental Ratings Scheme (NABERS), which rates buildings according to actual performance using energy data. The system takes account of how well the building is designed and managed, and rates buildings from zero (poor) to six stars. NABERS is available for offi ces, hotels, housing and retail. NABERS, fi rst launched as the Australian Building Greenhouse Rating (ABGR) in 1998, became mandatory for government agency offi ce buildings measuring more than 2,000 m2 in 2006. In that year, Green Lease Schedules were created to commit building owners and tenants to make improvements in energy effi ciency.
Due to the huge number of government buildings, the scheme gained traction and, in 2010, NABERS was made mandatory for commercial buildings of more than 2,000 m2. They are valid for 12 months and must be
30 CIBSE Journal February 2013
disclosed on a publicly accessible register. ‘One of the biggest driving factors for the signifi cant improvements witnessed in Australia is the part played by the government as an occupier,’ says Keith Bugden, executive programme director of the Better Buildings Partnership. ‘By stipulating that they will not occupy any building that has a lower than 4.5- star NABERS energy rating, they have forced landlords to improve both their stock and their management practices.’
NABERS can be awarded for the tenanted spaces and central services, as well as the whole building and central services. This means energy use can be separated for landlords and tenants, enabling building owners to target energy performance for tenants. The fi rst major study on NABERS3
reveals
a positive impact on property values, vacancy rates and yield, while economist Professor Neil Fox says offi ces with 4.5 stars or more enhances asset value by 6%.
for the government to improve and extend DECs (see page 7). The DCLG appears to be intent on eroding DECs. The only buildings that require an annually updated DEC are public buildings of more than 1,000m2
, but
the government has now announced that this ‘gold plated’ measure will be consulted on to see whether it will remain. The government’s attitude will not deter the commercial sector, while it sees DECs saving energy and increasing the value of its portfolio. ‘Building owners understand the benefi ts of DECs, and these are hard-nosed business people who have got shareholders to keep happy,’ says Davies. CJ
References 1
Energy Performance Certifi cates guidance, DCLG www.
gov.uk/government/organisations/department-for- communities-and-local-government/series/energy- performance-certifi cates
2 New York City Local Law 84 Benchmarking Report
www.nyc.gov/html/gbee/html/plan/ll84_scores.shtml
3 Better Building Returns: Graeme Newell, John MacFarlane and Nils Kok
www.api.org.au/assets/media_ library/000/000/219/original.pdf?1315793106
www.cibsejournal.com
GEORGEMPHOTOGRAPHY / SHUTTERSTOCK
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