Auckland Council awarded 3.5 star NABERSNZ energy rating

Auckland Council’s Graham Street Service Centre has been awarded 3.5 stars for energy use under NABERSNZ™, the new office building energy measurement and rating scheme.

A 3.5 star Certified Rating reflects above average energy performance for New Zealand office buildings. It’s only the second Certified Rating released under the scheme which launched in June, and the first for a whole building.

Providing ratings from one to six stars, NABERSNZ is set to become an industry standard for benchmarking and improving office building energy performance in New Zealand.

Auckland Council Chief Executive Doug McKay says the Council has made a strong commitment to NABERSNZ, including getting an in-house staff member trained as a NABERSNZ assessor.

“We aim to set the standard for other building owners in the CBD. Rating the real-life energy performance of our buildings is a powerful tool to help us improve. Getting the rating is just the start – we’ll be looking at what we can do to boost energy efficiency.

“The region possesses around 3 million m2 of office floor space. Our aim of making Auckland the world’s most liveable city has to include measures to improve the sustainability and performance of buildings we work and do business in.”

A NABERSNZ Certified Rating involves a qualified Assessor examining 12 months of energy use data, taking into account equipment used, staff numbers and occupancy hours. Ratings can be obtained for tenancies, base buildings or whole buildings.

Doug McKay says Auckland Council intends to get NABERSNZ ratings for its other commercial properties, including the 135 Albert St property which is being retrofitted.

New Zealand Green Building Council chief executive Alex Cutler said the Council’s early adoption showed leadership for other Auckland owners.

“NABERSNZ creates a market value for good energy management – reducing costs for tenants and improving capital value for building owners. Smart design principles create a blueprint for energy efficient buildings, but how they’re commissioned, maintained and used is crucial in day-to-day energy performance.

“NABERSNZ has strong buy-in from business and the public sector. It’s off to a very promising start.”

EECA Chief Executive Mike Underhill says NABERSNZ ratings help building owners and tenants easily understand energy use information, providing a benchmark to compare and improve energy performance.

“Savings of up to 25% are achievable for most commercial office buildings and tenancies. This scheme helps simplify the process – getting and improving a NABERSNZ rating is the best way to make these savings.

The rating was carried out by NABERSNZ Assessors Michael Gray from Prendos and Adam Benli, who is Auckland Council’s in-house Assessor.

ENDS

Notes to editors

• NABERSNZ is based on the National Australian Built Environment Rating System, a scheme that has rated building energy performance for more than a decade.
• The scheme is licensed to the Energy Efficiency and Conservation Authority (EECA) and is administered by the New Zealand Green Building Council (NZGBC). The Energy Management Association of New Zealand (EMANZ) adapted it for New Zealand conditions.
• NABERSNZ has two commercial sponsors: DNZ Property Fund and Precinct Properties.
• The New Zealand commercial sector uses around $800 million in electricity each year. Annual energy savings are worth around $200 million to businesses and the wider economy.

• There are three types of Certified Rating:
• Base building - rating the energy use of central building services, such as air conditioning; and common areas, such as foyers.
• Tenancy - rating the energy used in the area occupied by a tenant
• Whole building - rating the combined energy use of base building and tenancies.
• What do NABERSNZ Certified Ratings mean?

0 stars = very poor
1 star = poor
2 stars = below average
3 stars = market average
4 stars = very good
5 stars = market leading
6 stars = aspirational

The typical NZ building would rate between 2.5 and 3 stars on this scale.

For further information visit www.nabersnz.govt.nz

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