NABERS energy performance rating hits the High Street

The Albanese Government is making it easier for businesses to become more sustainable, with the expansion of the world-leading National Australian Built Environment Rating System (NABERS) to cover retail stores.

The Assistant Minister for Climate Change and Energy Josh Wilson today visited an Officeworks in Sydney to launch a NABERS tool for retailers. This tool will help stores in shopping centres, precincts, and high streets across Australia to become more sustainable, and is part of the $6 million NABERS expansion program.

NABERS measures the environmental performance of buildings and will give individual retailers a rating of 1 to 6 stars based on the efficiency of energy services like lighting, ventilation and air conditioning.

Over the past 25 years, NABERS has provided simple, comparable voluntary ratings that business owners use to measure and manage their energy and water use across sectors including hotels, shopping centres, apartments, offices, and data centres.

The rating helps find cost savings and building improvements, as well as to establish and promote the business’s environmental credentials, with more than 5,000 buildings benefitting from the rating system.

The NABERS rating system has expanded into other sectors, including aged care, retirement living, warehouses and cold stores, and schools, so more Australians can benefit from cheaper bills and better energy performance.

Administered by the NSW Government for the Australian, state and territory governments, NABERS is overseen by a National Steering Committee with members from government and industry.

Comment attributable to Assistant Minister for Climate Change and Energy, Josh Wilson:

“A NABERS rating will help retailers bring down power bills and get better energy performance in their stores, while enabling them to do their bit to lower emissions.  

“A NABERS rating empowers customers with clear, trusted information to inform their shopping choices.”

For more information visit: NABERS fact sheet: Retail