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Archive for June, 2022

NABERS Energy and Water Certification for Residential Aged Care and Retirement Living

Released in late 2021 following demand for an environmental benchmarking tool for the aged care industry, two new rating types: NABERS for Residential Aged Care and NABERS for Retirement Living are now available for the industry which now allow portfolio or building owners to not only showcase the sustainability performance of their facilities but also highlight potential areas where significant improvements to both efficiency and costs can be made. Following a full desktop and in-person audit of your facility, your experienced Ausnviro assessor will be able to provide your facility with a NABERS Star rating of between 1 and 6, with 6 being the highest achievable rating awarded for maximum energy efficiency of your Aged Care or Retirement Living site.

Ausnviro is one of the leading providers of this new rating type, with several qualified assessors experienced in this tool.

Our experience is ongoing, with our first two certified ratings completed in early 2022 as seen below:

• HammondCare Wahroonga
• HammondCare Erina

NABERS Residential Aged Care Ratings

NABERS ratings for Residential Aged Care facilities quantify your building’s energy and water performance by comparing your energy profile to those of a similar size and climate. By reviewing the energy use of services such as occupied bed days, heavy laundries, meals cooked and shared facilities such as heated pools, as well as assessing your monthly electricity, gas, diesel and water profiles for a 12-month period, your Ausnviro assessor will complete a thorough audit of your site in line with the NABERS Protocol. Unlike other corporate auditing service providers, your allocated Ausnviro assessor will be available to guide you through the entire a process and answer any questions you have along the way.

NABERS Retirement Living Ratings

NABERS ratings for Retirement Living facilities quantify your building’s energy and water performance by comparing your energy profile to those of a similar size and climate. By reviewing the comparable variables within the common property areas of your site including number of dwellings and serviced apartments on site, the area of your retirement village, any provided meals and any pools onsite, as well as assessing your monthly electricity, gas, diesel and water profiles for a 12-month period, your Ausnviro assessor will complete a thorough audit of your site in line with the NABERS Protocol. Unlike other corporate auditing service providers, your allocated Ausnviro assessor will be available to guide you through the entire a process and answer any questions you have along the way.

NABERS Ratings for Co-Located Sites

If your site offers both residential aged care homes and a retirement living village within the same site boundaries, your Ausnviro assessor will be able to explain to you how you can complete a combined Energy Rating for your co-located sites.

Please enquire about this rating type through info@ausnviro.com.au or call 1300 622 377.

The Rating Process

1. To start things off, you’ll need 12 months’ historical data on your energy and/or water consumption and some evidence about the size and features of your building. Your Ausnviro assessor will advise you on what you need to provide through a comprehensive documentation request.

2. Once your assessor has processed through all of your documentation and has an early understanding of the site, they will contact you to book a date for a NABERS site inspection. You will need to organise access for your assessor to all back of house parts of your facility, including plant rooms, metering cupboards and functional spaces such as heavy laundries.

3. The site inspection will run over one day and the time taken will depend on the size of your site. Your assessor will use the site inspection to validate all of the site information provided and to locate any additional energy end uses. Please note: based on the sensitivities of these sites, your Ausnviro assessor will ensure your site inspection will be non-intrusive to any resident activities, nor will any personal resident areas need to be accessed.

4. Following the site inspection, your assessor will take some time to process all their notes and findings from site. They may request some further documentation from you at this time.

5. Once everything is processed and your assessor is happy with the level of evidence and information gathered, they will reach out to you start the lodgement process. At this time, you will be given your rating/s results, after which you will approve them and assist with lodging the ratings. You may choose to make your ratings publicly viewable or private.

6. Your rating/s will be then sent to the NABERS Department for a final review, after which your certified rating/s will be issued to you.