Australian schools are getting smarter on their energy and water performance, meaning more comfortable classrooms for kids and securing savings for schools that can be invested back into their education.
The Australian Government is expanding Australia’s world-leading National Australian Built Environment Rating System, also known as NABERS, to include schools with a $1.5 million investment.
“Energy-smart schools make more comfortable classrooms for kids, lower energy bills for principals, and ultimately lower emissions, resulting in a more secure future for all of us,” Assistant Minister for Climate Change and Energy, Josh Wilson, said.
“NABERS benchmarks will help school administrators identify ways to improve and better manage building operations, empowering staff, students, and communities to participate in the net zero transition.”
NABERS measures buildings’ environmental performance and will give individual school campuses a rating of 1 to 6 stars based on the efficiency of energy and water services like lighting, ventilation, and air conditioning.
“Sustainability works best when we work together as a whole community. That’s why the Federal Government has joined forces with our Victorian Government and councils to deliver the NABERS program we support today,” Victorian Parliamentary Secretary for Education, Nina Taylor, said.
For 25 years, NABERS’s benchmarking has helped the owners of more than 5,000 buildings lower their bills with easy-to-use energy performance ratings. It’s also good for emissions, helping places like hotels, shopping centres, apartments, offices, and data centres better manage their energy and cut climate pollution.
“With buildings accounting for 18 per cent 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,” Mr Wilson said.
“NABERS is another cost-of-living measure helping lower energy bills and secure a more resilient, reliable and affordable energy system for all Australians.”
The NABERS for Schools initiative is part of the Government’s $6 million commitment to extend the rating system to assist more sectors, including retail, aged care, retirement living, warehouses and cold stores.
NABERS for Schools was created in close partnership with education departments from all states and territories, as well as many Catholic and independent schools.
“Our community cares deeply about sustainability and our environment, and the NABERS for Schools initiative not only allows schools to identify how they can improve their energy and water efficiency, but it inspires the whole school community to identify the role they can play in moving towards a more sustainable future,” Member for Macnamara, Josh Burns, said. “I am very proud to make this announcement at the fantastic Elwood Primary, a school and community who have long been committed to improving their energy efficiency and sustainability education.”
For more information, visit NABERS fact sheet: Schools
