Elwood Primary School in Victoria has become the first public school in Australia to receive a NABERS Schools rating, marking a significant milestone in sustainable education. The school hosted today’s official launch of the NABERS Schools Energy rating tool, which allows schools across the country to measure and improve their energy and water efficiency.
Developed with input from schools and education departments nationwide, the NABERS Schools Tool rates campuses from 1 to 6 stars based on their environmental performance. This initiative aims to help schools' lower energy costs, reduce emissions, and enhance their sustainability credentials.
Victoria is the first state to adopt the NABERS Energy and Water for Schools tool, which has been developed through a national collaboration that began in 2020. The project, supported by the Commonwealth Government, included extensive consultation with schools in diverse climates, data from nearly 75 per cent of Australian schools, and pilot programs in over 45 campuses to ensure fair benchmarks for performance.
The event at Elwood Primary School was attended by Josh Wilson, Federal Assistant Minister for Climate Change and Energy; Nina Taylor MP, Victorian Parliamentary Secretary for Education; Josh Burns MP, Federal Member for Macnamara; and Monique Alfris, Acting Director of NABERS.
Federal Assistant Minister for Climate Change and Energy Josh Wilson said the tool could significantly improve sustainability in Australian schools.
NABERS benchmarks will help school administrators identify ways to improve and better manage building operations, empowering staff, students and communities to be part of the net zero transition.
With buildings accounting for 18 percent of our emissions, Australia’s net zero transition depends upon achieving state of the art energy performance from Australian buildings of every size, shape and purpose.
Monique Alfris, Acting Director of NABERS, highlighted the scale of the opportunity for Australian schools.
“Although we are new to schools, the things that use energy are the same – lighting, air conditioning, heating, computers. With almost 10,000 schools across the country, the potential for energy savings over the next decade is enormous. With this in mind, the Australian Government funded NABERS to work with public, private and systemic schools across the country to collect data from thousands of schools to create the NABERS star rating,” Alfris said.
Elwood Primary School was recognised at the event for achieving a 5-star NABERS Energy rating and a 5-star NABERS Water rating showcasing its strong commitment to sustainability and setting a strong example for others.
NABERS is working with other states to roll out the tool more broadly, paving the way for nationwide impact across Australia’s schools.
Read more from The Hon Josh Wilson, Federal Assistant Minister for Climate Change and Energy here.
