1. Understanding NABERS Indoor Environment (IE)
NABERS IE is a component of the NABERS system that measures and benchmarks the quality of the indoor environment in office buildings.
Key Focus Areas & Objectives:
Evaluation Factors: IE evaluates conditions that directly affect occupant well-being, including air quality, thermal comfort, lighting, and acoustics.
Rating Scale: Performance is assessed on a 1–6 star scale, with higher stars reflecting market-leading performance.
Dual Assessment: The star rating is determined by combining quantitative on-site measurements (for temperature, air pollutants, acoustics) with an occupant satisfaction survey. Note that occupant dissatisfaction can lower the final score, even if measured parameters appear satisfactory.
Business Value: A robust IE rating helps differentiate assets, attract and retain tenants, and serves as a tangible signal that the space supports health and well-being. This ties directly into health and productivity-oriented ESG strategies.
Balance: NABERS explicitly supports high IE ratings without compromising energy efficiency.
2. PEAK for Driving IE Improvements
CIM's PEAK platform and services facilitate the continuous-improvement loop (measure → act → rate → measure again) required for successful IE certification. Since many improvements stem from better operations and data-driven adjustments rather than just capital projects, real-time monitoring is critical.
PEAK Functionality | NABERS IE Strategy Alignment |
Real-Time Data Collection | CIM helps clients obtain monitoring and real-time data by installing sensors for key indicators like CO₂, PM, temperature, humidity, and acoustics. PEAK integrates this data (e.g., thermal comfort data shown in PEAK). |
Proactive Optimisation | Real-time data helps staff pre-empt poor IE conditions before they impact occupants. Data is used to inform operational decisions, such as adjusting ventilation rates, implementing purge strategies, and demand-controlled ventilation to optimise fresh-air ventilation. |
Operational & Maintenance Support | CIM advises on operational practices, including continuous review of HVAC maintenance and system calibration, which are essential for maintaining indoor air quality. |
Feedback Integration | Operational adjustments (e.g., temperature changes) are driven by feedback gathered from occupant satisfaction surveys. |
System Upgrades | CIM services support strategic investments in upgrading HVAC filtration to reduce particulates (PM10, TVOCs) and implementing necessary lighting improvements and acoustic design solutions. |
3. Latest Regimes and Alignment
Recent updates to the NABERS IE standard require stricter adherence to measurement protocols, which CIM's data monitoring capabilities help support.
Rules v3.0: The latest version of the NABERS IE Rules (v3.0) has been released, which updates measurement requirements and clarifies sampling windows for factors like CO₂, PM10, and acoustics.
Equipment Standards: The updated rules require revised minimum equipment requirements for testing air pollutants, including PM10, formaldehyde, TVOCs, and CO.
ESG Link: High IE ratings are increasingly linked to broader ESG and sustainable financing goals.