What is NABERS UK?
NABERS UK is an operational energy rating scheme for office buildings in the United Kingdom, adapted from the Australian NABERS system. It rates a building's actual measured energy use over twelve months on a star scale, rather than its design, and is used by owners to show and improve real performance.
What it is
NABERS stands for National Australian Built Environment Rating System. The UK version focuses on offices and rates the base building, meaning the landlord-controlled services such as central heating, cooling, ventilation and lifts.
A rating uses twelve months of metered energy data, adjusted for factors such as hours of use and occupancy, and is verified by an accredited assessor. BRE administers the scheme in the UK.
A companion process, Design for Performance, lets developers set a target rating at design stage and then prove it in operation.
Who it applies to
Owners and developers of UK office buildings who want an operational rating, often to show investors and tenants that a building performs as well in use as it was designed to. It is voluntary.
How it is measured
A rating needs a full year of good quality metered data for the rated scope.
- Twelve months of metered energy for base building services
- Rated area and hours of use
- Assessment by an accredited NABERS UK assessor
- Supporting evidence for metering arrangements
How Aqueduct helps
Aqueduct supplies measured operational energy per building, tracked through the rating year.
- Submetered base building energy separated from tenant loads
- aQ EnergySmart weather-normalized trends showing where the rating is heading
- Faults in central plant found and routed for repair during the year
- Verified results and aQ Assurance exports for the assessor