Changes to the Commercial Building Disclosure Program

Changes to the Commercial Building Disclosure ProgramComing into effect 1 September 2016, the Tenancy Lighting Assessment (TLA) validity period will be extended from one year to five years. This is to offset the reduction in the Commercial Building Disclosure (CBD) Program mandatory disclosure threshold to 1,000 square metres.Minor amendments to the ‘CBD Tenancy Lighting Assessment for Offices Rules’ (the Rules) will also come into effect on 1 September 2016. A copy of the new TLA Rules can be found here. Click on the links to further see a summary of the changes to the rules and guidance note summarising the changes to the validity period.The move to lower the mandatory disclosure threshold on commercial office buildings from 2,000 square metres to 1,000 square metres expands the scope of the program to cover smaller office buildings and spaces and will come into effect from 1 July 2017, after a one year transition period.Under the changes a Building Energy Efficiency Certificate will be required whenever an office space of 1,000 square metres or more is offered for sale or lease and a current NABERS Office Energy rating will need to be included in advertising.The reduction to the mandatory disclosure threshold to 1,000 square metres is projected to provide a reduction in end use energy consumption of 17,395 TJ, abatement of over 3.5 million tonnes of greenhouse gases and deliver around $60 million in benefits over the period from 2015 to 2019. It will see an additional 1,000 commercial buildings now disclose their energy efficiency when they sell or lease their property.It will provide prospective buyers and tenants of smaller commercial buildings the ability to make more informed choices about energy efficiency when purchasing or leasing a property.For more details click here.