From 1 November 2010 most sellers or leasers of office space greater than 2000m2 will be required to obtain and disclose an up-to-date energy efficiency rating . This is a Commonwealth government initiative with full support from state governments and is called the Commercial Building Disclosure (CBD) program.
There is a transition period for the first year of the CBD where a valid National Australian Built Environment Rating System (NABERS) base or whole building rating can be disclosed, but from 1 November 2011 disclosure of a full Building Energy Efficiency Certificate ( BEEC) will be mandatory.
BEEC’s are valid for 12 months, must be publically accessible on the online Building Energy Register, included in advertising and include:
• A NABERS Energy star rating for the building
• An assessment of tenancy lighting in the area being sold or leased
• General energy efficiency guidance
Upgrading the star rating of office space may include insulation of internal walls, soffit or underslab, HVAC and ventilation systems.
NABERS assessors will need to become accredited under the CBD and will be the lead specifiers in upgrades to achieve higher star ratings.
Bradford have an extensive range of product solutions, including lower density higher R-Value insulation, to achieve higher star ratings in newly constructed buildings, so contact Bradford for more information about construction solutions to meet BCA requirements and higher star ratings.