Enigin Update - New Zealand needs Mandatory Building Energy Scheme
ROB MURRAY-LEACH, Australian Energy Efficiency Council chief executive officer, advised New Zealand (NZ) that they should adopt a mandatory building energy rating scheme similar to Australia’s.
NZResources reports that Murray-Leach, said he understands that NZ and Australian commercial building sectors are different but he believes the economic case for mandatory building energy disclosure schemes is clear on both sides of the Tasman sea.
“We’ve done it and the benefits are clear – lower operating costs, higher return on investment, greater tenant attraction and enhanced marketability - it really is a common sense scheme.”
Currently there is no system in NZ to identify which buildings are energy efficient and which are not.
Murray-Leach said that voluntary schemes will not achieve the goals needed, “Introducing a mandatory disclosure scheme would address that. Commercial buildings would get an energy efficiency rating and tenants and future buyers can then judge for themselves whether they want to lease or buy that space.
“It’s another way of demonstrating a building’s quality enabling consumers to make more informed decisions.
“We need mandatory schemes so that all properties, not just the top performers, are rated.”
Ewan Gebbie, executive officer of New Zealand’s Energy Management Association, feels a mandatory scheme helps tenants in fully understanding their total operating costs, whether assessing potential office locations or in their current facilities.
Gebbie said: “Building owners and landlords would not be forced to make improvements if they didn’t want to because no minimum standards or requirements would be set. But, an energy rating scheme would ensure a level playing field and an open market for those looking at purchasing or letting property.”
Enigin have cutting edge technology that is designed to improve a buildings energy efficiency, with the Eniscope Real-time and Analytics system graphically reporting and displaying energy use and efficiency. Enigin Distributors are helping many business owners to become energy efficient, reduce energy use and hence costs through implementing Enigin Plc's solutions.
Picture of Auckland by zayzayem
