Relevant energy-efficiency ratings will now need to be displayed alongside any advertisement for an office space of over 2,000 square feet under new laws being brought into effect.
The Australian government hopes that a ‘star-rating’ system for the energy efficiency of office buildings will encourage businesses to more carefully consider the impact their operations may have on the environment.
A statement from the Department of Climate Change and Energy Efficiency said: ”The aim of the scheme is to ensure that credible and meaningful energy efficiency information is given to prospective purchasers and lessees of large commercial office space.”
In an effort to emphasise the importance of sustainable office space, the department noted that close to 20 per cent of all energy used in Australia goes towards keeping its commercial buildings well-lit and fully air-conditioned.
It is hoped that the new regulations will encourage more businesses and public-sector operators to follow the lead of Energy Australia, whose Sydney headquarters already has a top-level rating for energy efficiency.
Meanwhile, in the UK, Britain’s energy and climate change secretary, Chris Huhne, is aiming to encourage greater sustainability and energy efficiency in the property sector through the government’s ‘green deal’ initiative, which was officially launched this week.
Editor’s notes: The energy efficiency measurement protocol developed by the Australian government was called NABERS, which stood for the National Australian Built Environment Rating System. As of 2023, 90 per cent of Australian office space is measured by NABERS, saving nearly 10 million tonnes of CO2.
To differentiate it from other rating systems, NABERS measures actual operational energy use rather than theoretical design efficiency.
In May 2022, NABERS published a guide introducing its rating systems to sustainability professionals and policymakers in overseas locations.
NABERS UK was launched in 2020, having been funded by property companies including British Land, Derwent London, Grosvenor and Landsec.
British Land was also a founding member of the UK Green Building Council (UKGBC)
As of June 2026, around 150 office developments and renovation projects have targeted a NABERS UK rating.