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Mar
06th

Australian Indoor Environment Rating Tools and the Future of Building Health, Wellbeing and Productivity

At AIRAH’s 2017 Future of HVAC conference I made a presentation to the industry professionals about the impact they can have on the wellbeing of building occupants and the ratings that buildings are awarded for indoor environment and wellness.

It’s a large industry to get the word out, and whilst all the big players were there at the conference this article is a recap for the 6,400 other businesses in the air conditioning and heating services industry within Australia.

In order to compete in such a competitive market, it is essential to stay ahead of the latest trends to ensure you stay relevant to your clients. As Albert Einstein once said "Try not to become a man of success. Rather become a man of value."

Understanding the True Costs of a Building

When most tenants think about the costs associated with a building they usually factor in energy usage, maintenance costs and the mortgage or rent.

However in reality these costs only make up 10% of the true costs of a building. It is the salaries and benefits of the people within the building that make up the remaining 90%.

Building Ratings

Thus it makes sense that improving the productivity of these employees can have a much greater impact on a company’s bottom line than getting a small discount on the rent or reducing energy costs by a few percent.

As demonstrated in “The Impact of Green Buildings on Cognitive Function” study, the indoor environment plays a crucial role in productivity and as a result savvy tenants are now paying more attention than ever to this fact.

For more information on this topic read our whitepaper “The impact of indoor environment quality on cognitive function”.

What Makes Up the Physical Office Environment?

The office environment is made up of several factors, which can be measured or evaluated in numerous ways.

Indoor air quality & ventilation

  • Pollutants, including VOC’s
  • CO2
  • Aroma
  • Ventilation rate or fresh air
  • Moisture content

Thermal Comfort

  • Indoor air temperature
  • Mean radiant temperature
  • Air velocity
  • Relative humidity
  • Clothing
  • Activity

Lighting & Daylighting

  • Quantity
  • Quality
  • Glare
  • Daylight
  • Task type

Noise & Acoustics

  • Background noise
  • Privacy and interference
  • Vibration

Interior Layout & Active Design

  • Workstation density
  • Task based spaces and ergonomics
  • Breakout spaces and social features
  • Active Design

Biophilia & Views

  • Connections to nature
  • Views outside

Look & Feel

  • Design character and brand ethos, including colour, shape, texture and art
  • Cultural, gender and age sensitive design

Location & Access to Amenities

  • Access to amenities
  • Transport
  • Quality of public realm

Why are Indoor Environment rating tools gaining traction?

There are 3 main indoor environment rating tools used in Australia.

  1. NABERS
  2. Green Star Performance
  3. Well Building Standard

Click this link for a more detailed review of these indoor environment rating tools or watch our short video.

Some of the key reasons these rating tools are becoming so much more prevalent include:

  • Higher returns on investment
  • Attract and retain tenants for building owners
  • Increase building efficiencies
  • Boosts productivity of staff
  • Assists in meeting WHS legislation compliance
  • Minimises liability for litigation from health hazards
  • Demonstrates leadership in social and environmental sustainability
  • Provides a benchmark for improvement and budget allocation

Why HVAC Professionals Should Pay Attention

HVAC professionals influence a significant number of credits within these Indoor Environment Ratings.

HVAC systems are included in design, commissioning and ongoing operation of buildings and building services.

As more and more tenants become familiar with these rating tools and the impact they can have on their business your property owner clients will increasingly look to you for advice, compliance and performance improvements.

Our advice, be prepared, get to know it and look to add value to further secure the ongoing relationships with your client base.


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