Chartered Institute of Building Services Engineers picks up licence agreement for influential operational energy tool

The Chartered Institute of Building Services Engineers (CIBSE) has been named as the new administrator for operational energy tool NABERS UK.

CIBSE will take over from the Building Research Establishment (BRE), which ended its licence agreement for the scheme in September last year to focus on the BREEAM rating.

Introduced in the UK in 2020, NABERS provides owners of commercial buildings with data on energy usage which can be used to attract occupiers seeking low-carbon office space.

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NABERS UK is a tool for measuring operational energy in commercial buildings

CIBSE was one of the founding members of the scheme’s steering committee and supported it through its development. It said it will work closely with the BRE to ensure a smooth transition to its new administrator.

The institute said the move was a “strategic decision” aimed at enhancing the scheme’s effectiveness.

“While BRE has played a valuable role in the scheme’s administration, the transition to CIBSE reflects our desire to leverage the organisation’s extensive expertise and leadership in energy efficiency and decarbonisation within the UK building sector,” CIBSE Certification ltd director Kieran O’Brien said.

> Also read: NABERS: the energy ratings system that goes further than Part L

> Also read: Navigating NABERS

Carlos Flores, director at NABERS, added: “CIBSE has an illustrious history of leadership in building sustainability and decarbonisation, and an unmatched track record in certification and the development of technical standards. 

“Buildings in the UK can and should lead the world in tackling the climate crisis, and we are excited about the role NABERS UK can play with an organisation of CIBSE’s calibre at the helm.”

Nearly 150 new and refurbished office buildings have set NABERS UK Design for Performance targets, representing a significant portion of UK office developments.

Last month the City of London formally approved plans to require all major office developments in the borough to have a minimum NABERS UK rating of five stars under plans to achieve net zero  by 2040.

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