Mandatory disclosure of office energy efficiency - Australia
27 Nov 2009

BEEC Prepared

Environment Minister Peter Garrett recently announced an agreement between State and Territory Governments to implement a national scheme requiring building owners to provide energy efficiency information when selling or leasing. The scheme is intended to promote the uptake of energy efficiency measures in commercial buildings. Impacting only on office buildings, the current program will be implemented in the second half of 2010.

Applicable to buildings or parts of buildings greater than 2000m2 NLA that are to be sold, leased or sub-leased, owners will be required to disclose a Building Energy Efficiency Certificate (BEEC) which includes the following information:

• A Base Building NABERS Energy Star rating (or Whole Building rating where a Base Building rating is unavailable);
• Tenancy lighting details; and
• Base building and tenancy energy efficiency guidance.

Adequate lead time should be allowed for collating this information when preparing sale or leasing documents. A Building Energy Efficiency Certificate (BEEC) requires 12 months of continuous energy and occupancy data. Now is the time to start collecting data and looking for ways to improve your building's rating.

Meinhardt’s ESD and Energy specialists can assist.