Australia’s freight and logistics industry will benefit from new energy ratings announced today to improve the energy performance of warehouses and cold stores and reduce their emissions.
The new Warehouses and Cold Stores Energy Ratings are part of the Albanese Government’s investment to expand the NABERS Energy ratings to new types of commercial buildings.
NABERS provides energy ratings based on annual energy use and helps owners understand their building’s performance compared with other buildings, providing a benchmark for improvement. Since its inception, it has saved over $1 billion in energy bills and avoided 9 million tonnes of emissions.
The new Warehouses and Cold Stores ratings can be used for any building or part of a building where goods are stored, whether it is temperature controlled or not.
Energy uses covered by the new ratings include general lighting and power, air conditioning systems, refrigeration systems and internal transport associated with warehouse operations.
Announcing the new ratings, Assistant Minister for Climate Change and Energy Jenny McAllister said the freight and logistics industry was key to Australia’s economic growth and emissions reduction goals.
“The new NABERS ratings will enable warehouses and cold stores across Australia to benchmark and promote their energy performance, cut energy use and bills, and reduce their carbon footprint,” Assistant Minister McAllister said.
“Improving energy efficiency will lower costs for industry, while reducing pressure on the energy system and climate.
“The freight and logistics industry are an essential part of our nation’s economy, accounting for about 8.6% of Australia’s GDP, and the industry is set to grow.
“Overall, the commercial building sector in Australia is responsible for around 25% of the nation’s electricity consumption and 10% of our total carbon emissions.
“The expansion of NABERS into cold stores and warehouses means this sector is joining in on the broad effort of industry, business, and communities across the country in securing the future of our energy system, our economy, and our climate.”
It is estimated that a 1-star improvement from the industry’s mid-range standard of 3-stars to 4 stars and a 2-star improvement to 5-stars will cut emissions by nearly 24% and 47% respectively.
NABERS is a national program administered by the New South Wales Government on behalf of the Australian Government and state and territory governments. NABERS Energy ratings have been effective in driving efficiency improvements in individual buildings.
The new energy ratings were developed and piloted in collaboration with industry.
