NABERS ratings, prepared from measured energy and water
NABERS is Australia's national rating system for the measured environmental performance of buildings, covering energy, water, waste and indoor environment. Ratings are based on 12 months of actual data and are carried out by an accredited assessor. Aqueduct supplies the measured side: metered energy and water split by base building and tenancy, coverage checks and monthly tracking toward the rating.
What NABERS is and who it applies to
NABERS, the National Australian Built Environment Rating System, rates buildings on how they actually perform, not how they were designed. It is run by the NSW Government on behalf of the Australian federal, state and territory governments. Ratings cover energy, water, waste and indoor environment for offices, shopping centers, hotels, data centers, apartments and other building types, on a star scale. Versions of NABERS also operate in New Zealand and the United Kingdom.
A rating uses 12 months of measured data and is carried out by an accredited assessor, who checks meters, areas, hours and other inputs. Under the Commercial Building Disclosure program, many office spaces offered for sale or lease must carry a current NABERS Energy rating. Thresholds and program rules change, so check current NABERS and CBD guidance for your building.
NABERS rating inputs and the evidence Aqueduct supplies
Aqueduct supplies measured data. The accredited assessor verifies it and issues the rating.
| Requirement | Evidence needed | How Aqueduct supplies it |
|---|---|---|
| 12 months of energy data | Complete consumption by fuel for the rating period | Metered electricity and gas by site, with bills uploaded to cover any period before meters went in |
| Correct rating scope | Base building, tenancy or whole building separated correctly | Sub-meters mapped to base building and tenancy in aQ Core so each scope adds up on its own |
| Meter evidence | Meters identified and their coverage understood | A meter register per building with device health and data coverage per meter |
| Water consumption | 12 months of water use for the water rating | Main and sub-metered water in WaterGuard, with leak flags so a burst does not quietly cost stars |
| Building inputs | Rated area, hours of use and other inputs the method asks for | Occupancy and operating hours recorded alongside consumption; areas stay with your assessor |
| Data gaps | Missing periods identified and handled by the method | Gaps per meter shown before the assessment, not discovered during it |
| Performance tracking | Knowing where the rating is heading before the period closes | Monthly consumption against last period, with drivers such as after-hours HVAC called out |
How to prepare for a NABERS rating
Confirm the rating type and scope
Decide with your assessor whether you are rating the base building, a tenancy or the whole building, and which meters belong to each.
Audit the meter map
Check every meter against the scope. Aqueduct's meter register shows what each meter feeds and whether it reported all period.
Close the gaps early
Fix offline meters and missing bills months before the period ends, while estimates are still avoidable.
Track monthly
Watch consumption against the last period. After-hours plant running and water leaks are the usual surprises.
Hand the assessor a clean pack
Export 12 months by meter and scope, with bills and the meter register, so verification goes quickly.
What stays with you and your assessor
NABERS rates performance. Aqueduct helps you measure it.
The assessment
An accredited NABERS assessor verifies inputs and lodges the rating. Aqueduct does not issue ratings.
Areas and hours
Rated area, hours of occupancy and other method inputs are confirmed by you and your assessor.
Disclosure
Building Energy Efficiency Certificates and CBD obligations stay with the owner.
sites in 21 countries run on Aqueduct.
and 9 clinics in one of India’s top hospital chains.
US airport running water intelligence on Aqueduct.
of commercial real estate under Aqueduct.
FMCG manufacturing campus.
operations run on Aqueduct.
Related
Common questions
A NABERS rating measures the actual environmental performance of a building over 12 months, on a star scale. Ratings cover energy, water, waste and indoor environment. Aqueduct supplies the metered energy and water data behind them.
Accredited NABERS assessors. They verify meters, areas, hours and other inputs before the rating is certified. Aqueduct does not perform or issue ratings.
A base building rating covers central services the owner controls, such as HVAC and lifts. A tenancy rating covers the tenant's own lighting and power. Getting the meter split right is essential, and Aqueduct maps each sub-meter to its scope.
Most gains come from operations: HVAC running outside occupied hours, simultaneous heating and cooling and poor setpoints. Aqueduct finds these in the data, and acts on them where control is enabled, with owner approval.
The rating uses building water consumption, typically from the utility meter. Sub-metering helps you find where water goes, such as cooling towers or leaks, and Aqueduct reads both.
Yes. NABERS operates in New Zealand and the United Kingdom, where NABERS UK is used for offices. Check the local program rules for each country.
Yes. Aqueduct tracks rolling 12-month energy and water by scope, so you can see whether consumption is trending above or below the last rated period well before the assessor arrives. Your assessor still calculates the rating.
See Aqueduct on your own facility.
Bring a site, a utility bill or a question. We will show you where the loss is.