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One of the five action strategies in the NSW Government Sustainability Policy is the Office Building Strategy. The strategy applies to all office buildings owned or occupied by NSW Government budget dependent agencies, being predominantly office buildings. For a list of agencies covered by the strategy click HERE.
Delivery of the Office Building Strategy is coordinated by the Department of Environment, Climate Change and Water and supported by the State Property Authority.
Under the Office Building Strategy, all Government owned office buildings and leased office premises over 1,000m2 and occupied by budget dependent agencies are required to:
- Obtain a NABERS rating (National Australian Build Environment Rating System)
- achieve and maintain a NABERS rating of 4.5 stars for energy and water by 1 July 2011, where cost effective
- where new or refurbished, achieve and maintain 2011 targets from 18 months of the first occupancy, where cost effective.
Initiatives in the Office Building Strategy include environmental performance benchmarking (using NABERS), green lease schedules, tenant fitout brief templates and sustainability tool kits. To date, the State Property Authority has:
- worked with DECCW to facilitate best value for money ratings for Government office premises by establishing a panel of assessors to undertake NABERS ratings for Government tenant agencies at a fixed cost.
- developed, in consultation with the Government Architect Office and DECCW, a draft template fitout brief for office tenancies to assist agencies meet the requirements of the NSW Government Sustainability Policy.
- undertaken NABERS ratings for all SPA owned buildings and work undertaken on specific buildings that has delivered improved ratings.
- developed Green Lease Schedules for use in tenancies in non Government owned buildings in consultation with key state and national stakeholders including DECCW and the Government Property Group.
