The Building Research Establishment (BRE) has expanded the NABERS UK Energy for Offices energy efficiency rating scheme for existing office buildings to include whole building and tenancy ratings.
NABERS UK Energy for Offices rates the energy performance of commercial offices based on metered energy consumption and thanks to the introduction of the additional ratings building owners can now undertake assessments and verify the energy performance of their whole building. Office occupiers can also now use NABERS UK to assess the energy used by their tenanted space.
Jen Dudley, senior product manager at the BRE, said: “Understanding building performance is critical in establishing the starting point of a building’s sustainability journey and where improvements can be made. This is another great NABERS UK milestone that will support office tenants and building owners on their journey to reduce their energy consumption.”
Carlos Flores, director at NABERS, added: “Until recently, NABERS UK ratings had been restricted to buildings with highly sophisticated energy metering. This 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.
“Building owners can now certify all their existing office buildings under NABERS UK, and use these to set improvement targets across their entire portfolios. It is an incredibly exciting moment for industry and the environment.”
Sarah Ratcliffe of BBP said: “We are delighted to see the whole suite of NABERS UK ratings now available to the market. Assessing and verifying the energy performance of buildings could not be more important as the industry strives to tackle energy efficiency and emissions reductions. This is a vital tool and we urge office owners and occupiers to use it fully to unlock the potential of their existing buildings.”
