Published: 14 September 2010

Mandatory disclosure amendments welcomed by building industry

Wendy Pyper

Recent amendments to the Building Energy Efficiency Disclosure Bill 2010 have been welcomed by the Property Council of Australia who previously opposed key aspects of the Bill.

The mandatory disclosure scheme for commercial buildings requires owners of offices of more than 2000 square metres to reveal the energy rating of the base building at the point of sale or lease. Such ratings are based on ‘NABERS’, the National Australian Built Environment Rating System, which the Property Council says has ‘well known technical flaws’.

Prior to the amendments Property Council CEO, Mr Peter Verwer, said that the scheme ‘should focus on the base building performance and the tenant lighting aspect should be scrapped’.

Announcing the concessions to the Bill on June 16, Senator Penny Wong said that transitional arrangements will be extended so that only a NABERS assessment will be required for the first year of the scheme; that the lighting tool will become a mandatory component from the second year; and that penalties will be reduced.

Mr Verwer said that while closer monitoring and review of the scheme will be essential, ‘the changes mean a more workable and effective set of rules to guide disclosure and gives the industry a firm basis for moving forward’.

Commercial building under construction. Disclosure of information about the energy efficiency of large commercial office buildings is mandated at the point of sale, lease and sublease. Credit: Mark Fergus, CSIRO

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