Achieve a NABERS Waste Certification with InSight

How to Attain a NABERS Waste Certification with InSight

The built environment sector has a vital role to play in responding to the climate emergency, with buildings currently responsible for 39% of global energy related carbon emissions. To take action, a crucial first step is having the capability to measure standards across organisations, and then use the data to set milestones and facilitate improvements.

What is a green building certification?

A green building certification is a rating system used to evaluate and measure the environmental performance of buildings. Green building certifications are designed to promote and recognise buildings that are constructed, and operate, in an environmentally sustainable way.

The certification process evaluates several aspects of a building's performance, such as waste management, energy efficiency, water conservation, use of sustainable materials, and indoor air quality.

Overall, green building certifications encourage environmentally responsible organisations – better for employees, the bottom-line, and the planet.

What is NABERS?

NABERS (National Australian Built Environment Rating System) provides simple, reliable, and comparable sustainability measurement across building sectors.

The rating system is designed to help organisations accurately measure, understand, and communicate the environmental performance of a building, while identifying areas for cost savings and future improvements.

A NABERS rating implements a one-to-six stars system for measuring a building’s efficiency. The rating is valid for 12 months to ensure operational performance is current, across:

• Waste
• Energy
• Water
• Indoor environment

With an estimated 22 million tonnes of waste produced in Australia by the commercial and industrial buildings sector in 2018-19, it’s clear that waste minimisation is a top priority for businesses.

NABERS have developed a waste tool that can be used to measure how well a building manages waste generation, recycling and resource recovery, and supply chain management. Along with an online platform that provides visibility of recycling rates and the waste streams leaving a building, NABERS has made it simpler to understand waste data.

Attaining a NABERS Rating is a respected industry-standard certification that not only benefits an organisation’s reputation but also positively impacts the environment. NABERS rated buildings have saved over $400 million in energy bills since 2010, and have had an average improvement in emissions of 11.5%.

Why attain a green building certification?

Whether you are a property manager, developer, or sustainability manager, there are many reasons why an organisation would work to attain green building certification, some key benefits include:

1. Environmental benefits

Green buildings strive for energy efficiency, less water consumption, waste reduction, and the use of renewable materials. By adopting sustainable building practices, an organisation will reduce their pollution – a win for the environment, and helps with meeting carbon emissions regulations.

2. Positive public image

Eco-friendly buildings can demonstrate an organisations commitment to sustainability and their environmental responsibility. This can improve their reputation as a socially responsible organisation, motivate current employees, and attract new talent of the same mindset. Research shows, 80% of employees want to see more recycling in their workplaces, and 71% see recycling facilities as a sign of a responsible employer.

3. Enhance business value

High-performing buildings support high-performing business. Green building certifications help attract tenants who are willing to pay higher rents. Plus, research shows cleaner, greener, and healthier workplaces improve employee productivity.

4. Lower operating costs

Investing in systems to become an eco-friendly building is worth the upfront investment. Employing systems that run more efficiently can significantly reduce operating costs, such as savings on utility bills and waste management fees. According to the Better Buildings Partnership, better waste management delivers a 10% cost saving. Also, many green building certifications offer incentives such as tax rebates.

How do I get a green building certification?

To attain a green building certification an organisation must meet specific waste reporting criteria and requirements as set out by the certification program. Many certifications require verified reporting on the waste management of a building.

Improving your green building certification rating

Obtaining a green building certification does require time, patience, and dedication. In fact, it is not uncommon to receive a low rating the first time you apply – as with anything sustainability-related, there is always room for improvement.

To make improvements in your organisation consider reviewing your waste management practices, increasing the availability of recycling streams, and enhancing the quality of data collected.

If you are aiming to boost your NABERS Waste Rating, try implementing the recommendations below:

• Separate waste into seven mandatory streams: general waste, dry waste, mixed recycling, cardboard, paper, organics, and glass.
• If you already have the above, try adding optional streams into the mix: secure paper, green waste, soft plastics, polystyrene, cooking oil, e-waste, printer cartridges, light globes/tubes, batteries.
• Inform your waste management company and partners about your goals and recycling initiatives so they can support your progress.
• Educate and motivate staff to increase recycling rates.
• Communicate the benefits of recycling and the positive impact waste minimisation has on the environment.
• Introduce or improve signage at bin stations for clarity and to keep contamination at a minimum.
• Improve the quality of data by weighing waste on site.
• Ensure waste data reported conforms to NABERS formatting.

How InSight can help you get your green building certification

Achieving a green building certification proves your commitment to sustainable building practices and environmental responsibility – and it all starts with having access to good data.

InSight provides clear, accurate, and timely waste management data that is NABERS-compliant. The IoT sensor technology collects weight data and automatically converts it into meaningful and actionable information onsite. Each hour, bin-by-bin data is sent to the InSight portal over a secure cellular network to provide a detailed overview of your organisation’s waste in near-real-time. Plus, InSight's weight sensors are a modular design so can grow with your organisation’s needs.

Along with NABERS Accredited Assessors on the team, InSight’s world-leading data collection technology makes meeting ESG requirements and certifications more efficient and accurate than ever before.