Climate change and environmental degradation are the world’s primary concerns, hence living sustainably is crucial now more than ever.
Among the many efforts to promote sustainability, one area of improvement is managing water resources in buildings. The Australian government introduced NABERS water rating system for commercial buildings in order to ensure that they are water efficient.
What is NABERS Rating?
National Australian Built Environment Rating System (NABERS) is a performance-based building certification program that measures environmental impacts and operational efficiency.
This was created by the Australian Government which reflects their drive towards sustainable development within its built environment sector.
NABERS rates different categories, which include:
- Energy
- Water
- Indoor environment quality (IEQ)
- Waste management
NABERS ratings are based on actual operational data rather than theoretical models thus making them more reliable as they reflect how well or badly a building performs in real life.
Significance of Water Management in Buildings
Water being one amongst many scarce resources calls for its proper utilisation if we are going to achieve sustainable development anywhere on earth. It has been noted that commercial structures use up huge amounts of this potable water.
Hence, commercial buildings need to adopt efficient methods through NABERS water rating aimed at conserving.
In addition to reducing operational expenses, adopting effective water conservation approaches help relieve pressure exerted on local supplies as well sewage treatment plants thereby fostering broader green goals too.
What Is NABERS Water Rating?
A NABERS Water Rating assesses your building’s water usage practices, such as consumption levels and recycling efforts made on the premises.
Depending on how much water your establishment uses compared with other similar or related structures, you’ll get a NABERS water rating between one and six stars.
Here’s what the rating signifies:
- 1 Star: Needs significant improvement in water efficiency.
- 2-3 Stars: Represents average water usage compared to similar buildings.
- 4-5 Stars: Indicates good water efficiency practices.
- 6 Star: The pinnacle of water efficiency – exceptional performance.
Presently, the average NABERS Water Rating of offices is 2.5 stars. This means there is still much scope for improvement to conserve this resource efficiently.
Who is eligible for the NABERS Water Rating?
NABERS Water ratings apply to various commercial buildings in Australia. These include:
- Offices
- Shopping centres
- Hospitals
- Schools
- Hotels
- Data centres
- Apartment buildings
How Does The NABERS Water Rating Work?
Here are the key steps in the NABERS Water rating process:
Data Collection
The NABERS water rating starts with data collection. All water consumption data over the past year are collected – bills, metre readings, and breakdown of water usage (toilets, showers, irrigation, laundry etc.).
Benchmarking
The figures are compared with a national average for similar building types and climates, which takes into account size, occupancy levels and weather conditions, ensuring equal comparisons.
Star rating
The number of stars awarded depends on how much water is being used per square metre per annum. This measurement is known as WUI (water use intensity). At present, an average Australian building has about a 2.5-star rating, but there’s lots of scope for improvement.
Report Generation
Just like NABERS energy, a report is generated that covers all aspects of a building’s water usage– where it sits against its peers and what could be done better.
This becomes a very useful document when planning improvements to help save water.
Advantages of NABERS Water Rating
The NABERS Water Rating has a lot of benefits for building owners and managers, tenants, and the wider community. Below are some advantages:
Better water efficiency
With this NABERS rating system in place, proprietors can identify where they use most water and make necessary changes to reduce wastage, which will lead to better utilisation of this important resource.
Saves money
When water is used economically it translates directly into saving costs. Reduced operational expenses such as lower bills on utilities affect greatly the profitability of any business establishment.
More environmental friendly
Having achieved high ratings under NABERS Water system shows commitment towards sustainability and ecological friendliness thereby attracting environmentally conscious occupiers/investors who are likely to be concerned about carbon footprints left behind by their buildings.
Legal conformity
Some areas have begun laying more emphasis on efficiency hence making them water rating mandatory requirements during construction or renovation process.
These laws can be met through compliance with the NABERS rating, thus preventing penalties from being imposed against property owners/managers.
Creates unique selling point
Having an excellent NABERS score could make your facility stand out among others when it comes down to sale/purchase decision making among potential buyers/investors who prefer green buildings over conventional ones.
Marketing one’s brand name
The higher the star earring awarded by NABERS energy and Water towards your organisation, the greater its chances of becoming a recognized social sphere.
This in turn raises public awareness regarding environmental issues while at same time helping shape positive attitudes among targeted audiences such as potential buyers/investors.
Strategies for Getting a High Rating
To increase your building’s water efficiency and obtain higher NABERS Water Ratings, the following are some of the approaches that can be adopted.
- Improve your fixtures and appliances: Purchase toilets, taps, shower heads as well as other appliances which are designed to save water. These modern options can save a lot of water while still working perfectly well.
- Detection of Leaks and Repair: Small leaks may waste lots of water. In order to reduce wastage, examine plumbing systems regularly and repair leakages immediately after finding them.
- Rainwater Harvesting: Tanks that may be used for flushing toilets and other non-potable purposes should be filled with rainwater collected from roofs by means of gutters. This method reduces reliance on municipal supplies greatly.
Conclusion
NABERS Water Rating serves as an excellent means through which sustainability within buildings may be fostered by enhancing efficiency in usage. It enables proprietors or supervisors to know where they could better their establishments so as to cut down expenses while displaying commitment towards environmental care. NABERS Water Rating helps the world move closer to becoming an environmentally conscious society.
