Warehouses and Cold Stores

How it works

Measure, compare and communicate the sustainability of your warehouse or cold store with NABERS.

A NABERS rating helps you quantify the environmental performance of your warehouse or cold store, reduce utility costs and support your supply chain sustainability goals.

A NABERS rating provides a result on a scale of 1 to 6 stars, with 3 stars being average and 6 stars being market leading. Your rating is based on how your performance compares to the industry benchmark.

A certification you can trust

NABERS is a trusted, government-backed sustainability initiative, providing independent and credible sustainability assessments since 1999. Our ratings are formulated based on your facility's actual operational performance, compared to the industry benchmark.

Reduce your operating costs

A rating is the first step towards strong gains in building performance. With help from your Assessor, use your rating to prioritise areas for operational improvements and cost savings.

Improve sustainability reporting

A NABERS rating is a simple way to demonstrate your facility's environmental performance. Use your rating to communicate your sustainability achievements to key stakeholders.

Ratings and tools for warehouses and cold stores

For existing warehouses and cold stores

Energy rating

A NABERS Energy rating is a measure of the energy efficiency of your warehouse or cold storage facility, giving you a fair reflection of how your facility is performing and compared against the industry benchmark. It includes the Renewable Energy Indicator, which shows what percentage of your facility’s energy has come from renewable sources.

Waste Verification and Platform

NABERS Waste tools measure how well your facility manages waste generation, recycling, resource recovery and supply chain management. NABERS can provide an independent measurement of the recycling and resource recovery performance of your hotel.

Carbon neutral

For warehouses or cold stores that achieve a minimum of 3 stars for NABERS Energy, NABERS offers a pathway to achieve Climate Active Carbon Neutral Certification.

For new or planned warehouses and cold stores

Embodied Carbon rating

Measure the upfront embodied carbon of your new warehouse build or partial rebuild with an Embodied Carbon rating. This tool is a certified measure of material, transport and construction-related emissions

Commitment Agreement

Commit to design, build and commission a warehouse or cold storage facility to achieve a specific Energy rating with a NABERS Commitment Agreement.

Agreement to Rate

If you’re building or refurbishing a warehouse or cold storage facility, you can commit to obtaining a NABERS rating once it becomes operational.

Resources for warehouses and cold stores

Downloads

Fact Sheets - Warehouses and Cold Stores

Learn more about NABERS for warehouses and cold stores

PDF • 783.17KB

Links

The Rules - NABERS Energy and Water for Warehouses and Cold Stores

Explore the detailed method and criteria Assessors must follow when certifying the energy efficiency of a warehouse or cold store.

Get started with NABERS

Take the first step towards measuring your warehouse or cold store's environmental performance. Select an Accredited Assessor to help you get certified.

Find an Assessor

Not ready to get rated?

Get in touch with our team to learn more about how NABERS can support your sustainability journey.

Frequently Asked Questions

For any other questions about NABERS for warehouses and cold stores please contact us.

At this stage, ratings are available only to warehouses and cold stores based in Australia.

For more information on eligibility, download the rules document for your desired rating type from our Publications page.

To find a NABERS Assessor for a warehouse or cold store, visit our Find an Assessor tool.

As service levels vary, we recommend sourcing quotes from two or three NABERS Assessors.

An NABERS rating considers factors that are unique to your facility to ensure a fair, likefor-like comparison. Factors that may be considered for warehouses and cold stores include:

Conditioned area
Non-conditioned area
Cold store and cool store volume
Weekly operating hours
Number of full-time equivalent workers
Annual turnover ratio

To prepare for a NABERS rating, you'll typically need to gather consumption data such as utility bills. Your NABERS Assessor will guide you through the process and assist with collecting more complex information such as staff levels or throughput data.

To learn more about pricing for warehouses and cold stores, visit Pricing and Offers.

The time required varies depending on data availability and the complexity of the site. Your Assessor can provide a timeframe - typically a few months to a year - once they understand your facility.

For a more detailed explanation of the how a NABERS rating is calculated, download the rules document for your desired rating type from the Publications page.

Validity periods vary by rating type. Refer to the page of your desired rating page to determine its validity period.

The latest news on warehouses and cold stores

30 Jul 2026