As energy prices rise and the demand for sustainable practices grows, improving your store’s energy efficiency has never been more important. The NABERS Retail Stores tool is here to help you achieve that.
The new tool is designed to cover a wide range retail stores, including department stores, bank branches, electronics, hair and beauty salons, clothing stores, pharmacies and more. The tool can help rate stores inside shopping centres, on street arcades or standalone.
The NABERS Retail Stores tool gives you a star rating from 1 to 6 based on your energy efficiency. The ratings help you benchmark your energy performance, identify cost-saving opportunities and reduce your environmental impact.
Why energy efficiency in retail matters
Retail sector accounts for over 16% of the total energy used by buildings in Australia. Improving energy efficiency in the retail sector can make a real difference to the planet.
By improving your store’s energy rating, you’re contributing to this positive impact, reducing operating costs and enhancing your store’s resilience against energy price fluctuations.
Did you know?
- increasing your NABERS rating from 3 starts to 4 stars can reduce your store's emissions by nearly 27%
- a leap from 3 stars to 5 starts can cut emissions by 53%.
How the NABERS Retail Stores tool works
The NABERS Retail Stores tool simplifies the process of tracking and improving your energy performance. Here’s how it helps:
- Enhance your reputation: Your NABERS rating showcases your commitment to sustainability by measuring and monitoring energy consumption. It demonstrates your dedication to a better tomorrow for your customers, staff and community.
- Boost operational efficiency: Accurately measuring your energy performance is the first step toward managing consumption and reducing emissions.
- Lower energy bills: Discover where your store uses the most energy and uncover opportunities to reduce use and lower your bills.
- Minimise your environmental impact: Use the tool to track and manage your environmental footprint, contributing to a healthier planet.
- Benchmark your performance: Compare your store’s energy consumption against similar stores, giving you targets to aim for and tracking your progress over time.
- Meet community expectations: Today’s customers expect sustainably. A NABERS rating shows your commitment to responsible business practices.
- Validate your progress: The NABERS rating provides independent verification of your store’s energy performance, adding credibility to your internal tracking and improvement efforts.
- Lead the industry: Position your store as a leader in sustainability, setting an example for others.
NABERS ratings will help retailers better understand their carbon footprint and energy consumption, helping to make energy-conscious decisions. Energy-efficient retail stores will create long-term sustainable value and help achieve carbon emission reductions for retail businesses.
Athena Savvas – Sustainability and Projects Manager at M.J. Bale
The development of the NABERS Retail Stores tool
The NABERS Retail Stores tool was developed with the needs of the retail industry at its core. The tool is part of $6 million investment from the Australian Government for expanding NABERS to more building sectors.
We collaborated with stakeholders, including retailers, industry bodies and consultants to design a robust and practical tool. We analysed data from over 4,000 retail stores, focusing on factors that impact energy consumption, like building characteristics, area and operating hours. We also conducted pilot ratings across a variety of store types and climates. The result is a tool that provides actionable insights, helping diverse stores of different sizes and types make measurable improvements in energy efficiency.
Build a sustainable future for your retail business
Energy efficiency doesn’t mean just upgrading your heating, cooling, lighting equipment and appliances. You might be able to drive sustainable change by making better use of your existing systems.
As part of your rating process, a NABERS-accredited assessor will work with you to collect information about your store or portfolio, helping you see the complete picture of your current energy use. These experts can also guide you with bespoke advice to drive real, sustainable improvements where they’re needed most. Be sure to discuss your needs with your assessor, including the options for recommendations and action plans they can provide.
Ready to start? Here’s what to do next
Ready to start your journey to a more energy-efficient retail store? Here’s what to do:
- Engage an assessor: Head here to find a NABERS-accredited assessor. We recommend getting two or three quotes to understand the scope of the work. Their quotes will include certification costs, such as assessment time, any additional reports or plans, and the NABERS rating fee, which is currently offered at a 50% introductory discount of $730 (usually $1,460). Your chosen assessor will comprehensively evaluate your store’s energy performance.
- Gather data: You’ll need to give your assessor 12 months of historical energy consumption data and information about your store’s size and features.
- Receive your rating: Once the assessment is complete, you’ll receive a NABERS star rating and report. Certification is valid for 12 months.
- Use the insights: Use your rating to set energy efficiency targets, make improvements, and re-rate annually to track your progress over time.
- Contact NABERS if you want to know more: Get in touch with the NABERS Team if you have any questions. You can send an email to nabers@environment.nsw.gov.au.
Take the first step towards energy efficiency today
Every store, big or small, can contribute to a greener future. With a NABERS Retail Stores energy rating, you can improve your energy efficiency, reduce costs and showcase your commitment to sustainability. Start your journey today and see how small changes can lead to big results.
For more information, visit the NABERS Retail Stores page.
If you have any questions, please get in touch with our team by sending an email to nabers@environment.nsw.gov.au.