Expansion of NABERS UK Energy for Offices for more inclusive ratings

The Building Research Establishment (BRE) has expanded the NABERS UK Energy for Offices rating scheme to include Whole Building and Tenancy ratings, in addition to the existing Base Buildings rating.

This means that both owners and occupiers can rate their spaces.

These ratings allow building owners and occupiers to assess their actual energy performance and target improvements in energy efficiency, using a Star Rating of 1 to 6.

NABERS UK Energy for Offices rates the actual energy performance of commercial offices based on metered energy consumption. Building owners can now undertake assessments and verify the energy performance of their whole building, which is especially relevant for owners who have single occupancy or for buildings where the metering configuration does not facilitate a base building rating (which covers owners central services, heating and cooling systems and shared services).

Office occupiers can also now use NABERS UK to assess the energy used by their tenanted space, which will typically include lighting and power, special tenancy requirements or local air conditioning.

Jen Dudley, senior product manager from 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.”

NABERS director Carlos Flores said: “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.”