Norman Disney & Young achieves double NABERSNZ ratings

Monday 4 April, 2016
Norman Disney & Young achieves double NABERSNZ ratings for NZ tenancies

Engineering consultancy Norman Disney & Young (NDY) has pinned its sustainability colours to the mast, by achieving NABERSNZ ratings for its two offices in Auckland and Wellington.

NABERSNZ is an independent benchmark of office building energy efficiency over one year, with a scale of one to six stars.

NDY’s Auckland tenancy in the AMP Centre on Customs Street East has been rated 4 stars under NABERSNZ which denotes ‘excellent’ energy efficiency. Its Wellington tenancy at 1 The Terrace has achieved a 3 star ‘good’ NABERSNZ rating.

NDY Sustainability Leader New Zealand Anita Milne said the consultancy has been a strong supporter of the NABERSNZ tool since it was introduced, and felt it was important to ‘walk the talk’.

This is the second NABERSNZ rating for NDY’s Auckland tenancy – it also achieved an ‘excellent’ energy rating last year. Ms Milne said over that time the company had increased staffing by more than 10% and extended its average hours of operation – so maintaining energy use at ‘excellent’ was a pleasing outcome.

“We’re delighted that our second NABERSNZ rating in Auckland shows we’ve maintained excellent efficiency. However, we are keen to keep improving – for example, we’re looking at occupancy sensors and daylight harvesting controls to improve our lighting energy use.”

She said the 3 star ‘good’ NABERSNZ rating of the Wellington tenancy was an initial benchmark, and the company would examine how it could improve efficiency at that site.

“NABERSNZ is all about transparency and improving energy use – that’s our intention.”

NDY has also recently moved into new premises in Christchurch. That office will also be NABERSNZ rated when sufficient energy use data is available, she said.

Because of their work around sustainability, staff were aware of the impact of small actions such as turning computers and lights off at night, which also made a difference.

Tony Arnel, NDY’s global director of sustainability, said the New Zealand offices’ NABERSNZ ratings were a clear example of NDY’s corporate commitment to sustainability.

“It’s at the heart of everything we do and our workplaces need to show that. In New Zealand, commercial buildings use one-fifth of the nation’s electricity, so it is crucial that we are able to measure our performance and track improvements. NABERSNZ allows us to do that. It also helps us to benchmark against others and importantly, improve our brand and reputation.”

As well as carrying out NABERSNZ assessments, NDY has been involved with making Green Star submissions since that tool was introduced. (Green Star is an independent rating system that assesses buildings’ environmental aspects during design and build.) Among the projects NDY has completed Green Star submissions for in Auckland are Britomart East 1, 2 and 3 (the Westpac building complex) and Zurich House at 21 Queen Street.

NABERSNZ is licensed to the Energy Efficiency and Conservation Authority (EECA) and administered by the New Zealand Green Building Council (NZGBC).

NZGBC Chief Executive Alex Cutler said the result was great news for NDY, and proof that achieving excellent energy efficiency is within the reach of all tenants.

“NABERSNZ rewards good building management, and shows that tenants are able to have a much bigger influence on their energy efficiency – and costs – than many realise. NDY have shown vision with their involvement in both NABERSNZ and Green Star, and we hope others will be inspired by their work.”

ENDS

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