The Commonwealth Department of the Environment, Water, Heritage and the Arts (DEWHA) recently proposed a mandatory disclosure scheme of commercial building energy efficiency. This scheme will apply to all commercial office buildings with NLA of greater than 2,000m2 that are to be sold, leased or sub-leased. The scheme requires the energy efficiency star rating to be included in any advertisement of sale or lease of applicable buildings.

It is anticipated that the new mandatory disclosure requirements will commence in 2010.

The National Australian Built Environment Rating System (NABERS) benchmarks the greenhouse performance of office buildings by awarding a star rating on a scale of one to five. A building with a high star rating will be more energy efficient and cheaper to run, and will result in lower greenhouse gas emissions.

To comply with the proposed reporting requirements and use the NABERS Trademark to promote a star rating, you will need to obtain an accredited Performance Rating through an Accredited Assessor.

In addition to meeting the requirements of the proposed mandatory disclosure scheme, gaining an accredited NABERS Performance Rating gives your company a competitive advantage:

• A high rating result means greater energy efficiency, hence lower energy consumption and costs. This assists building owners and managers to attract and retain tenants.

• Building owners and tenants can promote their greenhouse performance and environmental awareness.

• Many premises can save 20 to 40 per cent on their energy bills by implementing cost effective energy efficiency practices identified as part of an energy saving study.

• Companies that have achieved high NABERS Performance Ratings typically enjoy increased staff productivity and greater customer awareness.

• Several NSW Government organisations now require a minimum NABERS rating for their tenancies and buildings.

VOS Group has a team of accredited assessors that can provide you with an accredited Performance Rating and present you with the associated assessment report and certificate; giving you access to the NABERS Trademark and promotional tools. VOS Group is also able to provide you with additional services that can help you to improve your star rating and reduce your energy cost. These include options for improving the performance of HVAC systems, lighting, façade and monitoring systems.

Please contact us to organise an accredited Performance Rating or to find out more about NABERS. More information on what is required for accredited ratings can be found Here...

Yours faithfully INGE DIAMOND              TIMOTHY DUNN Senior ESD Engineer       Senior ESD Engineer

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