NABERS Energy and Water For Hotel Rules For Collecting and Using Data

NABERS Energy and Water for hotels
Rules for collecting

and using data
VERSION 3.2
August 2015
Cover photo: IBIS World Square hotel has a 4 star NABERS Energy rating. It is owned by the Schwartz Family
Company who use NABERS to track energy efficiency improvements in their hotel. The IBIS World Square hotel
has implemented a range of energy efficiency projects, replacing all lighting with LED, installing energy efficient
HVAC package units and upgrading old mechanical and hydraulic equipment.
Formatting conventions used in this document
Note: Text appearing with a grey tint in the background is explanatory text only.
It is not part of the Rules.
Text appearing dark green and bold is a defined term, as explained in Section 2.2.
Only the first occurrence under each heading is emphasised in this way.
The Office of Environment and Heritage (OEH) has compiled this document in good faith, exercising
all due care and attention. No representation is made about the accuracy, completeness or suitability
of the information in this publication for any particular purpose. OEH shall not be liable for any damage
which may occur to any person or organisation taking action or not on the basis of this publication.
Readers should seek appropriate advice when applying the information to their specific needs. This
document may be subject to revision without notice and readers should ensure they are using the
latest version.
Published by
Office of Environment and Heritage
59 Goulburn Street
PO Box A290
Sydney South NSW 1232
Ph: (02) 9995 5000 (switchboard)

Ph: 131 555 (environment information and publications requests)
Fax: (02) 9995 5999
TTY: 133 677 then ask for 131 555
Speak and Listen users: 1300 555 727 then ask for 131 555
Email: nabers@environment.nsw.gov.au
Website: www.nabers.gov.au
ISBN 978 1 74359 783 5
OEH 2014/0745
August 2015
© 2014 State of NSW and Office of Environment and Heritage
2 NABERS Energy and Water for hotels

Contents
1 Introduction 8
1.1 About NABERS Energy and Water for hotels ratings ................................................ 8
1.1.1 NABERS Energy for hotels .........................................................................8
1.1.2 NABERS Water for hotels ...........................................................................9
1.1.3 Is the hotel rateable?...................................................................................9
1.2 About this document .................................................................................................9
1.2.1 Who the Rules are for .................................................................................9
1.2.2 1What’s new in this version ....................................................................... 10
1.2.3 Related documents ...................................................................................10
2 Key concepts 11
2.1 The assessment process ........................................................................................11

2.2 Definitions ...............................................................................................................12
2.3 Interpretation ..........................................................................................................16
2.3.1 Current version .........................................................................................16
2.3.2 Rulings ......................................................................................................17
2.3.3 Precedence ...............................................................................................17
2.4 Proposed new methods ..........................................................................................18
2.4.1 Standard for acceptable data .................................................................... 18
2.4.2 Documentation required ............................................................................ 18
2.5 Summary of data and documentation needed......................................................... 18

2.6 The Rating Period ...................................................................................................20
2.6.1 Definitions .................................................................................................20
2.6.2 Data must cover the same period.............................................................. 20
2.6.3 Time allowed for assessment .................................................................... 21
2.6.4 Older Rating Periods .................................................................................21
2.7 Acceptable data and estimates ...............................................................................22
2.7.1 Principles ..................................................................................................22
2.7.2 Standards for acceptable data and estimates............................................ 22
2.8 Site inspection ........................................................................................................23

2.9 Documentation and record-keeping ........................................................................ 24
2.9.2 Records to be kept seven years for audit .................................................. 24
Rules for collecting and using data | VERSION 3.2 | August 2015 3
2.9.3 Records to be kept by Assessors .............................................................. 24
3 Number of Guest Rooms 25
3.1 Summary ................................................................................................................25
3.2 Process overview....................................................................................................25

3.3 Count Guest Rooms ...............................................................................................26
3.4 Identify Out-of-Service Guest Rooms...................................................................... 26
3.5 Standard for acceptable data ..................................................................................26

3.6 Documentation required..........................................................................................27
4 Hotel Star Rating 28
4.1 Summary ................................................................................................................28

4.3 Check for Star Ratings Australia Assessment report............................................... 28

4.4 Validate Self-Assessed Hotel star rating ................................................................. 29
4.5 Calculating the average cost of a room ................................................................... 29

5 Laundry Serviced Rooms 31
5.1 Summary ................................................................................................................31

5.3 Check for On-Site Laundry .....................................................................................32

5.4 Identify internal Guest Rooms serviced by the On-Site Laundry ............................. 32
5.5 Identify external Guest Rooms serviced by the On-Site Laundry ............................ 33
5.6 Identify the Laundry Service Level for Laundry Serviced Rooms ............................ 33
6 Function Room Seats 35
6.1 Summary ................................................................................................................35

6.3 Check for Function Rooms .....................................................................................35
6.4 Determine maximum occupancy .............................................................................36

6.5 Determine the usage ..............................................................................................36

7 Area of Heated Pool 38
7.1 Summary ................................................................................................................38

7.3 Check for Heated Pools ..........................................................................................38

7.4 Measure Heated Pool area .....................................................................................39
7.5 Determine Heated Pool closure periods.................................................................. 39

8 Energy coverage 40
8.1 Interpretation of scope ............................................................................................40

8.1.1 Required minimum energy coverage ......................................................... 40
8.1.2 Unserviceable rooms.................................................................................41
8.1.3 Car Parks ..................................................................................................41
8.2 On-site generation ..................................................................................................43
8.2.1 Cogeneration and trigeneration systems ................................................... 43
8.2.2 Other on-site generation systems.............................................................. 43
8.3 GreenPower™ ........................................................................................................43

8.3.1 Treatment of GreenPower ......................................................................... 44
8.3.2 Application of separate purchases ............................................................ 44
8.3.3 Confirmation of separate purchases .......................................................... 44
8.3.4 Bulk purchases .........................................................................................44

8.4.1 Evidence of coverage................................................................................45
8.4.2 Evidence of classification and allocation ................................................... 45
9 Water coverage 46
9.1 Interpretation of scope ............................................................................................46

9.1.1 Unmetered supplies ..................................................................................46
9.1.2 Required minimum water coverage ........................................................... 46
9.1.3 Unoccupied spaces ...................................................................................47
9.1.4 Fire system consumption .......................................................................... 47
9.1.5 On-site capture and recycling .................................................................... 47
9.1.6 Treatment of externally supplied recycled water ........................................ 48
10 Metering systems 49
10.1 Summary ................................................................................................................49
10.2 High-voltage electricity metering .............................................................................49

10.3 Non-utility meter records .........................................................................................49
10.3.1 Minimum frequency of readings ................................................................ 49
10.3.2 Measurements and formats required ......................................................... 50
10.4 Non-utility metering system validation ..................................................................... 51

10.4.1 Metering systems requiring validation ....................................................... 51
10.4.2 Non-utility Meter Management Plans ........................................................ 51
10.4.3 Checking meter system validation ............................................................. 53
10.4.4 Validating a random sample of metering systems ..................................... 54
10.4.5 Validation checks ......................................................................................55
11 Consumption data 57
11.1 Summary ................................................................................................................57

11.2 Measuring consumption ..........................................................................................57
11.2.1 Process overviews ....................................................................................57
11.2.2 Confirm all sources ...................................................................................58
11.2.3 Assess the accuracy of the assumptions for each source ......................... 58
11.2.4 Determine energy consumption (NABERS Energy ratings) ....................... 59
11.2.5 Determine water consumption (NABERS Water ratings) ........................... 60
11.2.6 Determine recycled water characteristics (NABERS Water ratings) .......... 61
11.3 Including or excluding consumption ........................................................................ 62

11.3.1 Exclusions based on financially reconciled utility costs ............................. 63
11.3.2 Estimating small un-metered end uses...................................................... 63
11.3.3 Thermal energy measurements................................................................. 64
11.4 Batch-delivered supplies .........................................................................................64
11.4.1 Measurement and estimation .................................................................... 64
11.5 Utility bill units and formats .....................................................................................67
11.5.1 Utility units ................................................................................................67
11.5.2 Energy bill formats ....................................................................................68
11.6 Periods covered by utility data ................................................................................68

11.6.2 Adjusting for gaps at the start or end of the Rating Period......................... 69
11.6.3 Estimating unrecorded consumption ......................................................... 70
11.6.4 Using valid meter readings before and after missing data ......................... 70
11.7 Correcting non-utility meter readings ...................................................................... 73

11.7.1 Assessments where corrections can be made .......................................... 73
11.7.2 Assessments where corrections cannot be made ..................................... 73
11.8.1 Utility metering ..........................................................................................74
11.8.2 Non-utility metering ...................................................................................74
11.8.3 Batch deliveries .........................................................................................75
12 Appendices 76
12.1 Appendix A – Information checklist for accredited ratings ....................................... 77

12.2 Appendix B – Guide to non-utility metering system validation ................................. 81
12.2.1 Remote Meter Reading Systems............................................................... 81
12.2.2 Electricity meters .......................................................................................82
12.2.3 Gas meters ...............................................................................................85
12.2.4 Example of a validation record for electrical non-utility meters .................. 86
12.2.5 Example of a validation record for gas non-utility meters........................... 87
12.2.6 Example of a validation record for water non-utility meters........................ 88
1 Introduction
The National Australian Built Environment Rating System (NABERS) is a

performance-based rating system for buildings.
A NABERS rating for a building is based on a methodical assessment of the actual
environmental impact of operating it. For a rating to be accredited by NABERS, the
assessment on which it is based must be performed by a NABERS Accredited
Assessor and comply with a quality standard that sets out principles and rules for
gathering, interpreting and using data. Assessments may be audited for compliance.
The quality standard for an assessment is defined in the Rules for collecting and
using data (formerly titled Validation Protocol). The Rules are amended as required
by additional rulings, published on the NABERS website, which apply the principles
in the Rules to specific issues raised since the document was published.
These Rules are for assessing Hotels for accredited NABERS Energy and Water for
hotels performance ratings.
1.1 About NABERS Energy and Water for hotels ratings
NABERS ratings are expressed as a number of stars, for example:
NABERS rating Performance comparison

6 stars Market leading performance
5 stars Excellent performance
2.5 – 3 stars Market average performance
1.1.1 NABERS Energy for hotels
The more stars in a NABERS Energy rating, the more energy efficient the rated
premises is.
The NABERS Energy for hotels rating is calculated by first determining the average
energy consumption of a hotel with the same building characteristics as the hotel
being rated. The NABERS star rating is awarded based on how far the actual
energy consumption of the hotel deviates from the average energy consumption.
This consumption is based on 12 months of actual data.

Introduction
To ensure fair comparison, the industry average benchmark is adjusted for factors
such as the hotel Star Rating, the number of rooms, climate, extent of laundry and
function room facilities, the area of heated pools and the greenhouse intensity of the
energy source. GreenPower™ purchases are taken into account but the rating
without GreenPower is also displayed.
1.1.2 NABERS Water for hotels
The more stars in a NABERS Water rating, the more water efficient the rated hotel
is.
The NABERS Water for hotels rating is calculated by first determining the average
water consumption of a hotel with the same building characteristics as the hotel
being rated. The star rating is awarded based on how far the actual water
consumption deviates from the average water consumption. This consumption is
based on 12 months of actual data.
To ensure fair comparison, the industry average benchmark is adjusted for factors
such as the Star Rating of the hotel, the number of rooms, climate and the extent of
laundry and function room facilities. Water collected or recycled from on-site
sources such as rainwater tanks is not included in the rating. Externally supplied
recycled water is taken into account but the rating without externally supplied
recycled water is also displayed.
NABERS Water for hotels ratings can be conducted at the same time as a NABERS
Energy for hotels rating.
1.1.3 Is the hotel rateable?
A NABERS rating is an environmental benchmark comparison between similar

hotels. NABERS Energy and Water for hotels can rate standard, all suite, boutique,
conference, gaming/casino, ski and spa hotels from budget through to luxury.
While it may be possible to use the NABERS hotels tool for other hotel types such
as resorts, pubs, motels, backpackers (dormitory style rooms) or hotels where more
than 50% of rooms are serviced apartments, the resultant rating may not adequately
describe the performance of these hotels.
1.2 About this document
1.2.1 Who the Rules are for
This document is intended for use by NABERS Accredited Assessors and

Auditors while conducting and reviewing assessments.
1.2.2 1 What’s new in this version
This version of the Rules has been rewritten from the NABERS Energy and Water
for Hotels Validation Protocol for Energy and Water Ratings v2.1 to match the
improved presentation and language of the NABERS Energy and Water for Offices
Rules for collecting and using data v3.0. This brings the Rules in line with the office
rating in the interpretation of energy and metering data, in particular, and is intended
to make the Rules easier to read, understand and use.
Feedback from NABERS Assessors, Auditors and Trainers has been incorporated
and the following rulings integrated into the body of the document:
• ‘Data required for Hotel Star Rating' issued on 2 October 2013. This ruling
adjusts the Rules to allow for the fact that the Star Rating Scheme no longer
issues rating certificates.
1.2.3 Related documents
These Rules are part of the set of documents that govern how assessments are to
be carried out and audited for NABERS Energy and Water for hotels ratings. Other
documents in the set cover:
• additional rulings on specific issues
• auditing procedures for performance ratings
• a Code of Practice for Accredited Assessors.

Key concepts
2 Key concepts
2.1 The assessment process
An accredited NABERS rating is awarded when the NABERS National

Administrator certifies a rating lodged and completed by an Assessor. The
National Administrator may independently audit the rating and assist in resolving
complex technical issues
Figure 1: Overview of the assessment process
The main documents and tools used in preparing a rating application are:
Document or tool Description

Rules for collecting The quality standard for accredited ratings, specifying what
and using data information is required and how it is to be treated in preparing
(including additional a rating application.
rulings)
Rating Assessment A software-based tool used for entering assessment data and
Form performing some processing and analysis.
Online Rating An online tool on the NABERS website which calculates an
Calculator actual rating score based on the data collected during the
assessment.
2.2 Definitions
This section lists the terms with particular meanings which must be used when
interpreting this document.
Defined terms appear dark green and bold the first time they occur under each
heading. Some defined terms with special meanings can also be identified by the
use of initial capitalisation (for example, Guest Rooms). Other defined terms are not
capitalised because the defined meaning is one of their common meanings.
For convenience, the definitions of many key terms are repeated at the start of the
relevant chapter of the Rules.
Term Definition
Acceptable data Data which meets the applicable accuracy and validity
requirements of these Rules. Acceptable data does not
include estimates.
Acceptable estimate Values derived from an estimation method specified in or
permitted by these Rules, which may be used in place of
acceptable data but only in accordance with Section 2.7
Acceptable data and estimates.
Alternative Method A method for obtaining or interpreting data for an
assessment which is not the preferred method, but which
has been approved by the National Administrator as either:
• equivalent to the preferred method in terms of its results,
accuracy and validity, or
• acceptable in place of the preferred method, subject to the
data resulting from the Alternative Method being treated
as an estimate in accordance with Section 2.7.2
Standards for acceptable data and estimates, or other
specified conditions on the use of the data.
Assessor An Accredited Assessor of the NABERS scheme, authorised
by the National Administrator to conduct assessments for
accredited ratings in accordance with these Rules and the
NABERS processes and procedures.
Assumption A hypothetical value used in place of missing data in a
procedure (such as a calculation) to produce a conditional
result.
Auditor A person contracted to the National Administrator to perform
audits of NABERS rating applications.
Average Arithmetical mean.

Key concepts
Term Definition
Data Information which depends for its accuracy on:
• measurements to a known standard of accuracy, or
• verified specifications with a given tolerance for accuracy,
or
• other objective evidence.
Data type A category of data used in a rating assessment. Data types
for NABERS Energy and Water for hotel ratings are:
• number of guest rooms
• hotel Star Rating
• number of laundry serviced rooms
• number of function room seats
• area of heated pool
• energy consumption:
− electricity
− gas
− fuel oil
• water consumption:
− externally supplied potable water
− externally supplied recycled water
− water from on-site sources.
End use A purpose or activity (or a group of related purposes and
activities) that water or energy is used for.
Where several instances of very similar individual end uses
occur together so as to form a single collection (for example,
luminaires in a lighting grid, taps in a washroom, or
emergency lighting in a stairwell) then the collection is to be
regarded as a single end use.
Estimate Information relying on an Assessor’s subjective judgement
of the values to be used in place of incomplete or uncertain
data.
External Guest A hotel room or suite in an external hotel that otherwise
Room meets the definition of a Guest Room.
Function Room A conference room, meeting room, function room, ballroom or
similar that is hired out to the public for meetings and
functions.
Term Definition
Guest Room An individual hotel room or suite (with multiple rooms)
available for individual sale. This room may contain any
number of beds, but these can only be used by a single
group of guests, i.e. not by multiple unassociated guests, as
would be the case for a dormitory. No consideration is
applied within NABERS for hotels as to the number of guests
occupying the room, the number of guests that could occupy
the room or the occupancy level of the room over time.
Heated Pool A swimming pool or spa that is provided with water heating
for 6 months or more during the Rating Period. To qualify,
pools and spas must be accessible from the common area of
the hotel without passing through a Guest Room.
Heated Pool Closure A period of 2 or more weeks during which a Heated Pool was
Period not at any time available for use.
Hotel The hotel being rated (refer to Section 1.1.3 for
requirements).
Star Rating A Star Rating is determined by 200+ criteria which have been
ranked by Australian travellers according to how important
they are to them. A Star Rated property has been
independently reviewed to ensure these criteria and
standards have been met according to three areas of
assessment; Quality & Condition, Cleanliness and Facilities &
Services.
Further information can be found at the Star Rating Australia
website.
Laundry Serviced A Guest Room or External Guest Room for which the rated
Room hotel’s On-Site Laundry provides laundry services.
Laundry Service The extent of laundry services provided. This is either:
Level • Half, being the laundry of the towels or bed linen from a
Guest Room or External Guest Room, but not both; or
• Full, being the laundry of the towels and the bed linen
from a Guest Room or External Guest Room.
Metering system A metering system for an individual measurement includes:
• the meter, and
• the processes that convert the initial meter signal into an
energy reading (for example, current transformers and K
factors for electricity meters, pressure correction factors
for gas meters), and
• the interface through which the meter reading is taken (for
example, manual readings, utility software or a Building
Management System).

Key concepts
Term Definition
Metering systems Non-utility metering systems providing measurements for a
requiring validation rating assessment which include:
• an electricity meter using a current transformer (CT), or
• a gas meter, or
• a Remote Meter Reading System (RMRS).
National The body responsible for administering the NABERS
Administrator scheme, in particular for:
• establishing and maintaining the standards and
procedures to be followed in all aspects of the operation
of the scheme, and
• determining issues that arise during the operation of the
scheme and the making of ratings, and
• accrediting Assessors and awarding accredited ratings in
accordance with NABERS standards and procedures.
The functions of the National Administrator are undertaken
by the NSW Government through the Office of Environment
and Heritage (OEH).
Non-utility meter A meter measuring distribution of energy or water in a
building, not operated by a utility supplier.
On-Site Laundry A facility for the processing of laundry items located within
the premises of the hotel. As a minimum the laundry must:
• Be operated by the hotel or a contactor to the hotel (i.e.
not a guest laundry) for the purposes of cleaning guest
room towels and/or bed linen.
• Be operated for the washing and drying of the guest room
towels and/or bed linen. It will typically also provide
ironing services.
Out of Service A Guest Room is counted as out of service if it is not
habitable. This will generally be because of refurbishment.
Note that a room that is habitable but vacant does not count
as being out of service.
Potential Error The total of all estimates (including assumptions,
approximations, and un-verified data) for a data type, used
in the Error Calculation worksheet of the Rating Assessment
Form.
Rating Period The continuous 12-month period covered by the data used
for NABERS Energy and Water ratings.
Some allowances and adjustments are possible for data that

does not exactly coincide with the Rating Period. See
Section 11.6 Periods covered by utility data
Term Definition
Rules NABERS Energy and Water for hotels Rules for collecting
and using data (including rulings).
Self-Assessed hotel A hotel star rating that has been assessed by a party that
star rating does not have the direct written endorsement of Star Ratings
Australia.
Source For NABERS Energy ratings: an individual fuel or energy
source type such as gas, electricity or diesel fuel.
For NABERS Water ratings: an individual water source type
such as mains water, bore water, externally reticulated grey
water or river water.
Standard Guest A restaurant that is used for the regular service of meals to
Room Restaurant hotel guests and/or casual diners. This does not include
banquet halls, which are set aside for the service of meals in
association with functions.
Un-validated Metering systems requiring validation without current
metering systems evidence of validation.
Utility A company recognised and regulated under legislation for
the supply of energy or water to a building and its occupants.
Utility meter A meter measuring supplies of energy or water to a building,
operated by a utility as the basis for billing its customer.
Validation When a metering system is checked, and if necessary
adjusted and re-checked, to ensure its measurements of
consumption are correct.
Verification Confirmation by examination and objective evidence that
specified requirements have been met (usually, that data is
accurate and correct), for example by:
• comparison of independent measurements or
observations, or of measurements and specifications, or
• logical or statistical analysis of data for consistency with
known requirements.
2.3 Interpretation
2.3.1 Current version
These Rules for collecting and using data are revised from time to time. Rulings on
specific cases are published as addenda when necessary, and periodically the
Rules document will be revised to incorporate the rulings.

Key concepts
Assessments for an accredited rating must comply with the version of the Rules for
collecting and using data (including rulings) current on the day the rating application
is submitted to NABERS, unless the National Administrator has specifically
approved otherwise.
All rulings and new versions of the Rules are published on the NABERS website
www.nabers.gov.au in the secure section for registered users.
2.3.2 Rulings
These Rules are intended to cover most hotels in Australia as defined in section
1.1.3 Is the hotel rateable? However, it is always possible that some aspect of a
building’s design or operation raises a new issue that is not clearly covered by the
existing rules.
Whenever Assessors are unsure how to apply the Rules to a particular issue or
situation, they must contact the National Administrator for technical advice or to
request a specific ruling on the case.
Once a ruling is published on the NABERS website it is effective from that date and
becomes part of these Rules.
2.3.3 Precedence
1 Rulings
A published ruling always takes precedence if there is any conflict with any other
provision of these Rules. If there is a conflict between rulings, the most recent takes
precedence.
2 Determining applicable requirements

Specific requirements of these Rules take precedence over any other general
requirements.
3 Secondary material
These Rules include some material which is secondary to the substantive
provisions, including:
• introductions and explanations (such as summaries, flowcharts, diagrams, notes,
examples and glossaries) intended only to help readers understand its
substantive provisions
• forms and notices intended only to assist in conducting an assessment.
The substantive provisions of these Rules (including rulings) always take
precedence if there is any misunderstanding or conflict 1 with:
• any other material contained in these Rules, or
1 Contact the National Administrator if you believe that a section of these Rules is inconsistent with
another section or with other documentation, forms or calculators for NABERS Energy and Water
ratings. See www.nabers.gov.au for contact details.
• any other documentation, forms or calculators for NABERS Energy and Water
ratings.
Note: The diagrams in this document are intended to provide an overview and
introduction to the processes they describe. They do not describe individual steps or
decision criteria in detail. Refer to the relevant substantive provisions in the text
when seeking guidance or making determinations in relation to any individual
assessment.
2.4 Proposed new methods
Assessors may find they need to use a new method for obtaining or interpreting
data for an assessment. For example, they may encounter a new technology or
system design such as on-site generation; or they may need to develop a new
Alternative Method to acceptably use available data.
Assessors who wish to use a new method must contact the National Administrator
to request approval beforehand. The request should include:
• a complete explanation of the circumstances, including the reason why an
existing method cannot be used, and
• a complete explanation of the method proposed and all calculations required, and
• an analysis of the possible error involved in use of the method.
2.4.1 Standard for acceptable data

The standard for acceptable data for a new method will be specified when the
method is approved by the National Administrator. In general, data must be
derived from measurements or records which have been independently verified and
are of a known degree of accuracy.
Note: Methods of estimation where the possible error is unknown are unlikely to be
approved.
2.4.2 Documentation required

The documentation required for a new method will be specified when the method is
approved by the National Administrator. In general, it must include copies of the
original records which the method requires for data, and documentation of all
calculations, assumptions, and interpretations involved.
2.5 Summary of data and documentation needed
The following information may be needed for a rating. Individual ratings may also
require additional information or documentation depending on the particular
circumstances of the premises.

Key concepts
A more detailed checklist is included as Section 12.1 Appendix A – Information

checklist for accredited ratings.
Topic Data and documentation needed

Information about Information about:
the rating application • the hotel to be rated; and
• the person or organisation obtaining the rating
Number of Guest Room schedules identifying the number of Guest Rooms
Rooms
Hotel records of the dates of availability for the Guest Rooms
Hotels Star Rating Star Ratings Australia Assessment report
Identification of nominated peer group hotels, their hotel Star
Rating, locations and average cost per night for comparison
against the rated hotel
Number of Laundry Hotel records demonstrating laundry service levels for the
Serviced Rooms Guest Rooms and availability of the laundry
Third-party records demonstrating laundry service levels,
number of rooms and availability of External Hotel Guest
Rooms served.
Number of Function Documentation demonstrating the maximum occupancy of
Room Seats each function room,
Documentation of bookings for each function room,
Area of Heated Pool Documentation of the area of each Heated Pool
Documentation of any periods of non-availability of each

Heated Pool
Energy and water Single-line diagrams, electrical circuit schedules and water
usage reticulation diagrams to ensure all energy and water sources
Information on are included.
sources and Evidence of accuracy and validation of high-voltage
allocations to electricity meters and all other non-utility meters, and
different end uses in records of readings of non-utility meters. This will include
the premises to be certificates of currency or other written evidence to confirm
rated; and that every metering system requiring validation has been
12 months of checked.
consumption data
covering the Rating Documentation of any agreements between the hotel
Period. owner/operator and third parties to allocate costs or
responsibility for consumption (for example, for shared
facilities or supplies).
Calculations or documentation confirming any consumption to
be excluded from the rating, and substantiating the grounds
for the exclusion. A wide variety of specific documentation
may be required.
Topic Data and documentation needed
Utility billing data (bills or a consolidated electronic record
showing consumption) covering the full 12 months of the
Rating Period for each energy or water source (as
appropriate) used in the rated premises.
Where bills are not available, permission from any affected
third parties to obtain energy or water consumption data for
the premises.
Bills for deliveries of any discrete (batch) supplies, showing
quantities delivered and how they were measured. If the data
does not include enough separate deliveries, then regular
records of storage capacity readings are used.
Documentation of any GreenPower purchases, including the
allocation of bulk purchases.
Climate The building’s postcode.
2.6 The Rating Period
2.6.1 Definitions
Rating Period
The continuous 12-month period covered by the data used
for NABERS Energy and Water ratings.
Some allowances and adjustments are possible for data
that does not exactly coincide with the Rating Period. See
Section 11.6 Periods covered by utility data .
2.6.2 Data must cover the same period

All data from all sources used in assessing hotel premises for a NABERS Energy or
Water rating must either:
• cover the same Rating Period, or
• meet the requirements specified in Section 11.6 Periods covered by utility data
Note: Section 11.6 Periods covered by utility data allows for a rating to proceed
although some utility billing periods may not coincide with the Rating Period.
Essentially, data for up to 20% of the total consumption may apply to a period up to
two months outside the Rating Period, and data for water consumption may also
apply to periods up to two months or four months (depending on the billing period)
outside the Rating Period.

Key concepts
2.6.3 Time allowed for assessment

An application for an accredited NABERS rating must be submitted within four
months of the end of the Rating Period unless:
• the rating is to be an ‘old’ rating as described in Section 2.6.4 below, or
• the National Administrator allows extra time to compensate for time taken to
issue technical advice or rulings before the application could be submitted.
Where a rating application is submitted within four months of the end of the Rating
Period, or a longer period approved by the National Administrator as above, the
NABERS rating certificate based on the assessment will be valid for twelve months
from the date the rating is certified by the National Administrator.
Figure 2: Currency of ratings lodged before and after end of time allowed
2.6.4 Older Rating Periods

Ratings may be undertaken using Rating Periods which ended more than four
months before the date the rating application was lodged, but only if adequate
information is available for all input data to cover the relevant Rating Period.
Where a rating application is submitted more than four months after the end of the
Rating Period, and the National Administrator has not approved an extension of
time to compensate for delay, the NABERS rating certificate based on the
assessment will be valid for twelve months from the end of the rating period.
If the expiry date has already passed then the rating results will not be published
online, and a certificate will only be generated on request.
2.7 Acceptable data and estimates
2.7.1 Principles
1 Data and estimates must be as specified

An assessment for an accredited NABERS Energy or Water for hotels rating must
be based on the data or estimates specified in:
• the relevant provisions of these Rules (including applicable rulings), and then
• the relevant sections of the Rating Assessment Form, and then
• the relevant sections of the Online Rating Calculator.
2 Data and estimates must be of acceptable standard

The decision process for determining acceptable data and estimates in Section
2.7.2 Standards for acceptable data and estimates must be followed, except where
another process is specifically allowed by a provision of these Rules.
Note: Some sections of these Rules provide that, if specific procedures are followed
for some input data, the requirement for compliance with Section 2.7.2 Standards for
acceptable data and estimates is then deemed to be satisfied.
2.7.2 Standards for acceptable data and estimates
1 Data
If accurate and verifiable data is available, it must be used. Where a section of the
Rules allows more than one type of data source to be used, and no particular
priority is given, the following order of preference applies:
1) data obtained directly by the Assessor
2) data provided by a third party without a significant interest in the operation or

performance of the building or its equipment (such as a utility or a consultant
engaged to provide independent advice):
a) documents or other records provided by a third party which can be verified
by the source (for example, utility bills) or by the Assessor (for example,
building plans showing Guest Rooms)
b) documents or other records which cannot be independently verified (for
example, third party hotel laundry records) but whose authenticity and
accuracy is attested to by a credible and responsible person, or
c) verbal information provided by a credible and responsible person, recorded
in writing by the Assessor with the full name, position, and contact details of
the person giving the information.
3) data provided by the Hotel owner or operator commissioning the rating, or a

third party with a significant interest in the operation or performance of the
building or its equipment (such as a technical contractor or equipment supplier):

Key concepts
a) documents or other records provided by a party to an agreement or

transaction which can be verified by another party to the same agreement or
transaction (for example, contracts for third party hotel laundry)
b) documents or other records which cannot be independently verified (for
example, function room booking data) but whose authenticity and accuracy
is attested to by a credible and responsible person, or
c) verbal information provided by a credible and responsible person, recorded
in writing by the Assessor with the full name, position, and contact details of
the person giving the information.
2 Estimates
If acceptable data is not available, or where these Rules permit otherwise,
estimates (including assumptions, approximations and un-validated data) can be
used – but only if:
• the estimates satisfy any specific requirements applied in relevant provisions of
these Rules, and
• the combined effect of all estimates is within ± 5% of the overall rating, as
calculated using the Error Calculation worksheets in the Rating Assessment
Form.
3 Unacceptable data and estimates

If information is required for a rating but none of the requirements above in this
Section 2.7.2 can be satisfied, the premises cannot be rated.
2.8 Site inspection
Assessors are expected to inspect the premises to be rated during their

assessment, in order to:
• become familiar with the layout, services and features of the hotel
• confirm that documentation provided for the assessment is accurate, complete
and up-to-date
• visit plant rooms to ensure that all relevant equipment is covered under the
meters included in the rating, and
• resolve any other issues that arise.
An Assessor’s inspection of the premises is expected to include a physical check of
each Guest Room, function room facilities, laundry facilities and heated swimming
pools to verify the information collected is correct .
However, there may be limited circumstances where access to all or part of the
premises is refused on safety or security grounds. In this event the Assessor must
explain why they could not access these spaces, and fully document the reasons on
the rating application. If there are known impacts on the quality of the information
obtained for the assessment (for example, an estimate must be used in the
absence of verified data) then these must also be fully described.
Only Assessors can undertake a site inspection for a NABERS rating. If the
Assessor cannot physically conduct the site inspection, they may delegate this task
to another Assessor. The Assessor submitting the rating is responsible for the
accuracy of the data and must make sure that the inspection is conducted in
agreement with this section, and must obtain and retain all the evidence required to
prove their assumptions for auditing purposes.
2.9 Documentation and record-keeping

It is not essential that the records that contain data used for an assessment are the
original documents, such as original utility invoices.
While access to original documents is highly desirable, there may be practical
difficulties or delays in obtaining them. An assessment may therefore be based on
copies of utility bills, agreements and other records as long as the Assessor is
satisfied that they are, or can be verified to be, true and complete records of the
original documents or files.
Note that summaries, or other derivative documents that quote the original source
documents, are not the same as verifiable copies of the originals.
2.9.2 Records to be kept seven years for audit

Assessors must keep for audit all records on which an assessment is based,
including records of assumptions made and all information and calculations used
as the basis for estimates, for seven years from the date the rating application was
lodged.
2.9.3 Records to be kept by Assessors

The records kept must be the actual documents used for the assessment, or
verifiable copies. Summaries are not acceptable.
The records kept by Assessors must be to such a standard that it would be
possible for another Assessor or an auditor to ‘reverse engineer’ or accurately
repeat the rating from only the documents provided.

Number of Guest Rooms
3 Number of Guest
Rooms
3.1 Summary
In NABERS Energy and Water for hotel ratings, the size of the Hotel is measured
through the number of Guest Rooms. This figure is used (along with other factors
such as the hotel Star Rating, Laundry Serviced Rooms, Function Room seats
and Area of Heated Pool) to adjust the figures for energy and water consumption
so that a fair comparison can be made between hotels of different size or service
level.
The Number of Guest Rooms is determined through a process which:
• counts the number of Guest Rooms in the hotel
• adjusts the number of Guest Rooms based on the level of availability of the
rooms during the Rating Period.
3.2 Process overview
The number of Guest Rooms is determined from the total number of Guest Rooms
in the Hotel adjusted for any Guest Rooms that have been Out of Service for any
part of the Rating Period. This will require reference documentation from the hotel
and/or a physical inspection of the site by the assessor, plus hotel documentation on
room availability.
Step Reference
1 Determine the total number of Guest Rooms Section 3.3 Count Guest
in the hotel. Rooms
2 Determine the number and duration of Guest Section 3.4 Identify Out-of-
Rooms that can be counted as out of service Service Guest Rooms
3 Enter data into NABERS Rate
3.3 Count Guest Rooms
In the first step, the Assessor must determine the total number of Guest Rooms in
the Hotel on a floor-by-floor basis.
When counting Guest Rooms, the Assessor must take into account the definition of
Guest Room, which counts each room that can be offered for individual sale as a
room irrespective of the number of beds or the number of occupants in that room.
The Assessor should seek documentation from the hotel on the number of guest
rooms but must confirm the accuracy by comparing at least 20% of the levels
through a site inspection, to ensure the hotel records are accurate. Levels with the
largest number of rooms must be counted first. If no records are available, the
Assessor may determine the number of Guest Rooms by counting each room during
the site inspection.
3.4 Identify Out-of-Service Guest Rooms
To identify Out-of-Service Guest Rooms, the Assessor must obtain

documentation from the Hotel identifying which rooms were or were not available for
sale during the Rating Period.
For each Guest Room, the Assessor must obtain documentation to identify any
periods when rooms were out-of-service for more than one week. This must include
the start and end dates of each period of availability or non-availability.
When accounting for out-of-service rooms, the Assessor must only allow for rooms
that are uninhabitable. Rooms that are vacant but otherwise habitable are not
counted as being out-of-service.
If the hotel level has Out-of-Service Guest Rooms of differing weeks, then the
Assessor should break the level into separate components to enable the data to be
represented accurately when entering data into NABERS Rate.
NABERS Energy and Water for hotels adjusts for Out-of-Service Guest Rooms at
rate of 50%. Thus a hotel with 100 Guest Rooms of which 50 are out of service for
the whole Rating Period is allocated 75 rooms in the rating. This reflects the fact that
the number of Guest Rooms is also a measure of common area services and
facilities, which do not vary as rooms fall in and out of service.
3.5 Standard for acceptable data
If after checking these Rules (including rulings) the Number of Guest Rooms is still
uncertain, or the inclusion or exclusion of a room from the Number of Guest
Rooms is uncertain, then:
• the room may be wholly or partly excluded from the Number of Guest Rooms
but only if the total exclusion does not exceed 5% of the final Number of Guest

Number of Guest Rooms
Rooms. The Assessor must document the exclusion, the reasons for
uncertainty and include the exclusions in the error calculation.
If the room cannot be excluded as per above, contact the National Administrator
for technical advice or a specific ruling on the case.
Note: The energy or water consumption associated with an excluded room may still
need to be included in the assessment, in accordance with Sections 8 Energy
coverage and 9 Water coverage.
3.6 Documentation required
The Assessor must provide the following documentation, complying with Section
2.7 Acceptable data and estimates, to validate the Number of Guest Rooms:
• Data validating the total number of guest rooms include:
− Room schedules or floor plans of the hotel identifying all of the Guest Rooms,
verified by evidence of room counts while at site to show 20% of the levels
(levels with the largest number of rooms must be used first) matched up to the
documentation provided or;
− Room counts verifying the number of Guest Rooms as part of the site
inspection for each level of the Hotel if hotel documentation is not available
• Documentation complying with Section 3.4 Identify Out-of-Service Guest Rooms
demonstrating the periods when rooms were unavailable for sale.
• Hotel records documenting the start and end date of availability for each Guest
room counted within the total number of guest rooms
4 Hotel Star Rating
4.1 Summary
In NABERS Energy and Water for hotel ratings, the overall range and quality of
services is measured through the hotel Star Rating. This is based on Australia’s
official accommodation accreditation program, the Star Rating Scheme, managed by
Star Ratings Australia. The rating provides an index of the overall level of service,
with hotels generally rating between 2 stars (budget brands) and 5 stars (luxury
brands). A wide range of energy consuming services, features and facilities within
hotels correlate with this rating and is very important in determining the energy and
water consumption of the hotel.
Step Reference
1 Assess whether the Hotel has a current Star Section 4.3 Check for Star
Rating licence from Star Ratings Australia that Ratings Australia
assesses the hotel Star Rating. If it does, move Assessment report
to step 3; otherwise move to step 2.
2 Assess whether the Hotel has a Self-Assessed Section 4.4 Validate Self-
hotel star rating. Assess the hotel star rating by Assessed hotel star rating
comparison to other hotels with similar
locations, cost per night and services.
3 Enter data into NABERS Rate.
4.3 Check for Star Ratings Australia Assessment report
Assessor to request copy of the Star Ratings Australia Assessment report to

validate the hotel Star Rating. If the Assessment report cannot be found, evidence
the hotel is currently listed on the Star Ratings Australia website can be used.
For the report to be acceptable for the NABERS Energy or Water for hotels rating:
1) There must have been no construction of new rooms or new hotel facilities
since the date of the report (noting that this does not include refurbishment
and repurposing); and

Hotel Star Rating
2) The report must be no more than 4 years old.

If the review meets these requirements then the hotel Star Rating can be used for
the NABERS Energy or Water Rating by entering the data into NABERS Rate.
If the review does not meet these requirements then it must be validated as per
Section 4.4 Validate Self-Assessed hotel star rating.
4.4 Validate Self-Assessed Hotel star rating
Where there is no Star Ratings Australia Assessment report or evidence of listing on

the Star Ratings Australia website to validate the hotel Star rating, the Assessor
must undertake a Self-Assessed Hotel star rating in order to determine the
appropriate star rating.
To undertake a Self-Assessed hotel star rating, the Assessor shall:
1) Seek the opinion of the hotel operator on the unofficial hotel star rating for the
Hotel being rated;
2) Seek the opinion of the hotel operator on at least three similar quality hotels
considered to be in direct competition. Hotels with an official star rating to be
used as a preference;
3) Review available public data on the hotel Star Rating claimed, level of
services and location in relation to these similar hotels;
4) Identify the average cost of a standard room per night as per Section 4.5
5) Compare the average cost of a standard room per night and services provided
for the hotel being rated.
If the hotel star rating originally claimed by the hotel operator is found to have a
comparable cost per night, with similar services and location to the nominated
hotels, it is then used in the NABERS Energy or Water for hotels rating.
If these criteria show the hotels are not comparable, the lowest Star Rating from the
peer group is to be used for the hotel being rated.
If all hotels have the same star rating and the criteria show the hotels are not
comparable, another three hotels need to be selected.
4.5 Calculating the average cost of a room
The average cost of a standard room per night for the hotel being rated and the
hotels it is being compared to must be determined following the below steps:
1) Find two consecutive weeks of hotel room rates in each of the hotels being
compared from hotel booking websites or directly from the hotels.
• Ensure the rates of a standard room from each hotel are used (typically a
twin or double room).
• Ensure rates are collected for the same period of time
• Do not include any displayed discount prices, for example ‘hot deals’
which could skew the average cost. Additional days can be collected for
hotels which have discounted pricing. Be sure the same day is added to
the calculation when this occurs i.e. if a Monday rate is discounted collect
the Monday from before or after. Please be advised this can only be done
to a limited number of days
• Additional days can also be collected for days not displaying a price. This
can occur when all rooms are booked out.
• Do not use periods when room rates are affected by unusual periods,
such as school holidays, the Christmas season or local events.
2) Calculate the average room rate per night across the 2 week period for each
of the hotels being compared.
If after checking these Rules the hotel star rating is still uncertain, the Assessor
should contact the National Administrator for technical advice.
2.7 Acceptable data and estimates, to validate the hotel Star Rating:
1) When using the hotel's accredited rating, acceptable evidence includes a
copy of the Star Ratings Australia Assessment report or a current screen shot
from Star Ratings Australia website of the hotels rating
2) In the absence of an official rating, written evidence:
- From the hotel operator of the unofficial hotel star rating for the hotel
being rated
- From the hotel operator on at least three similar quality hotels
considered to be in direct competition
- Of public statements related to the hotel being rated, showing the
location, services and average cost per night for each day used in the
comparison period.
- Of public statements related to the nominated hotels, showing location,
services and hotel star rating; preference given to an official Star
Rating over a self-rating
- Of the room pricing used for the nominated hotels, including the
average cost per night for each day used in the comparison period. If a
hotel booking website is used, a screenshot of the relevant page
showing individual night pricing of a standard room for each day used
in the comparison period would be considered acceptable.

Laundry Serviced Rooms
5 Laundry Serviced
Rooms
5.1 Summary
In NABERS Energy and Water for hotel ratings, the potential impact of on-site
laundry services is measured through the Laundry Serviced Rooms. This figure is
compiled from the number of Guest Rooms that the on-site laundry services both
within the Hotel and within other hotels serviced by that laundry. This figure is
adjusted by the scale of service provided, being either full-service (towels and bed
linen) or half service (towels or bed linen).
Step Reference
1 Assess whether the hotel has an On-Site Section 5.3 Check for On-
Laundry Site Laundry
2 Determine the number of Guest Rooms within Section 5.4 Identify
the hotel serviced by the On-Site Laundry internal Guest Rooms
serviced by the On-Site
Laundry
3 Determine the number of External Guest Section 5.5 Identify
Rooms outside the hotel that are serviced by external Guest Rooms
the On-Site Laundry serviced by the On-Site
Laundry
4 Determine the Laundry Service Level for each Section 5.6
Laundry-Serviced Room Identify the Laundry
Service Level for Laundry
Serviced Rooms
5.3 Check for On-Site Laundry
The Assessor must validate whether laundry services provided to Guest Rooms
can be included within the rating.
For the laundry service of a Guest Room to be counted for the NABERS Energy or
Water for hotels rating it must be provided from an On-Site Laundry. Such a
laundry must:
• Meet the definition of an on-site laundry, i.e. be within the premises and be
used for laundering towels and/or bed linen
• Be covered by the energy consumption captured within the rating
Laundry service of a Guest Room is not permitted to be counted in the NABERS
Energy or Water for hotels rating if:
• The laundry does not meet the definition of an on-site laundry, for example it
is an off-site laundry; or
• The energy or water consumption of the laundry (as applicable) is not
included within the energy or water consumption for the rating.
Many hotels have one or more laundries that do not count as On-Site Laundries for
the purpose of a NABERS Energy or Water for hotels rating. Common examples of
such laundries are guest laundries and dry cleaning or valet service laundries.
While these laundries are counted within the energy coverage of the rating, there
have no bearing on the assessment of a Laundry-Serviced Room.
5.4 Identify internal Guest Rooms serviced by the On-Site

Laundry
For a Guest Room inside the Hotel to be considered as a Laundry Serviced

Room it must either:
• Have its towels or bed linen laundered by the On-Site Laundry; or
• Have its towels and bed linen laundered by the On-Site Laundry
The Assessor must validate that either of these is true by obtaining written
confirmation from the site as to the coverage of laundry services from the On-Site
laundry.
In addition, the Assessor must confirm that the On-Site Laundry provided laundry
services to the Guest Rooms for the entirety of the Rating Period. The start date
and stop date of any period in which the Guest rooms were not serviced by the on-
site laundry must be recorded. Written confirmation from the site is required for this.

Laundry Serviced Rooms
5.5 Identify external Guest Rooms serviced by the On-Site

Laundry
For an External Guest Room to be considered as a Laundry Serviced Room, it

must either:
• Have its towels or bed linen laundered by the On-Site Laundry; or
• Have its towels and bed linen laundered by the On-Site Laundry.
The Assessor must validate that either of these is true by obtaining written
confirmation from the external hotel as to the coverage of laundry services from the
On-Site laundry.
In addition, the Assessor must confirm the room availability for the external hotel
rooms in a manner similar to that described in Section 3.4 Identify Out-of-Service
Guest Rooms.
5.6 Identify the Laundry Service Level for Laundry Serviced

Rooms
A Laundry Serviced Room is considered to have either half or full service.

• Half service means that either its towels or its bed linen are laundered by
the On-Site Laundry, but not both
• Full service means that both its towels and its bed linen are laundered by
the On-Site Laundry.
The Assessor must validate the Laundry Service Level for all Laundry Serviced
Rooms by obtaining written confirmation from the site for Guest Rooms or from the
external hotel for External Guest Rooms.
Laundry energy and water consumption is strongly determined by the mass of the
laundered items. However, the mass of laundry created by a given Laundry Service
Level is not considered in the determination of Laundry Service Level. Thus a hotel
that adopts practices to minimise the washing of unused towels and bed linen will
obtain an advantage in its NABERS Energy or Water for hotels rating relative to a
hotel that has no such practices.
Most laundries that qualify as On-Site Laundries will also carry out other laundry
activities related to the operation of the hotel, such as laundry of uniforms and table
cloths. These activities are not relevant to the determination of the Laundry Service
Level.
If after checking these Rules (including rulings) the number of Laundry Service
Rooms is still uncertain, including uncertainties in the number of rooms being
serviced, the level of service or the duration for which the service was provided, then
the Assessor shall use the lowest figure that can be justified from the available
materials.
Note: The energy or water consumption associated with an on-site laundry may still
need to be included in the assessment, irrespective of any issues with the
assessment of laundry serviced rooms, in accordance with Sections 8 Energy
coverage and 9 Water coverage.
2.7 Acceptable data and estimates, to validate the number of Laundry Serviced
Rooms:
• Documentation from the hotel demonstrating:
− The laundry service levels for the Guest Rooms
− The availability of the On-Site laundry to provide the claimed laundry services
− Start and stop dates for any periods when the On-Site laundary was not
available within the Rating Period
• Documentation from third party hotels demonstrating:
− The number of External Guest Rooms
− The start date and end date of availability for each External Guest Room
− Laundry Service Levels for the External Guest Rooms

Function Room Seats
6 Function Room Seats
6.1 Summary
In NABERS Energy and Water for Hotel ratings, the potential impact of on-site
Function Room facilities is measured through the Function Rooms Seats. This
figure is compiled from the maximum occupancy of the hotel’s function room
facilities with an adjustment for the level of usage of those facilities.
Step Reference
1 Assess whether the hotel has one or more Section 6.3 Check for
Function Rooms Function Rooms
2 Determine the maximum occupancy of each Section 6.4 Determine
Function Room maximum occupancy
3 Determine the usage of each Function Room Section 6.5 Determine the
during the Rating Period usage
6.3 Check for Function Rooms
The Assessor must validate whether the Hotel has Function Room Seats that can
be included within the rating.
To qualify, Function Room Seats must:
1) Meet the definition of Function Room Seats, i.e. be within meeting rooms,
function rooms, ballrooms or simular that are available for hire by the general
public;
2) Not be located in Standard Guest Room Restaurant spaces
No count can be made for facilities that do not qualify as Function Room Seats.
The Assessor must identify each function room by name or number to assist with
record keeping and auditing.
6.4 Determine maximum occupancy
For each function room, the Assessor must assess the maximum occupancy. This
can be determined from:
1) Records of current licence certificates or authority approvals for the maximum
number of seated guests; or
2) Publically available records such as from the Hotel’s website or Function
Room facility marketing materials that specify the maximum seating capacity
of the space. These records must be current and available publically for
prospective customers to make bookings for the function room facilities.
The Assessor must, in either case, seek the maximum seated occupancy
configuration.
6.5 Determine the usage
The Assessor shall determine the usage of the function rooms in order to adjust the
number of Function Room Seats to compensate for vacant periods.
The usage is determined from the number of weeks that a function room has at least
one booking. For the weeks where a room has no booking, the room is considered
not in use and the associated Function Room Seats are excluded from the rating for
that week. Evidence of the occupancy of these rooms is required to be sought, such
as function room booking system records.
Where a space is partitioned such that it can operate in many different modes, the
Assessor should refer to the example below.
Example: Partitioned Function Room

A hotel has a meeting room that can be configured as a single room (“Ballroom”)
with 300 seats or as two rooms (“Ballroom A” and “Ballroom B”) each of 120 seats.
There are 10 weeks in the year where the room is used at least once a week in
Ballroom configuration. Beyond these 10 weeks, there are 35 weeks in which
Ballroom A has bookings and 23 weeks in which Ballroom B has bookings.
Ballroom A also has bookings for 7 of the 10 weeks where the Ballroom
configuration has bookings.
The assessor would treat this as follows:
• Ballroom 300 seats, 10 weeks
• Ballroom A, 120 seats, 35 weeks
• Ballroom B, 120 seats, 23 weeks
For the 7 weeks where Ballroom A and Ballroom both have bookings, the Ballroom
configuration is only included to avoid double counting.

Function Room Seats
If after checking these Rules the number of Function Room Seats is still uncertain,
including uncertainties in the number of seats present or their availability during the
Rating Period, then the Assessor shall use the lowest figure that can be justified
from the available materials.
Note: The energy or water consumption associated with function rooms may still
need to be included in the assessment, irrespective of any issues with the
assessment of function room seats, in accordance with Sections 8 Energy coverage
and 9 Water coverage.
2.7 Acceptable data and estimates, to validate the number of Function Rooms
Seats:
• Documentation meeting the requirements of Section 6.4 Determine maximum
occupancy demonstrating the maximum occupancy for each function room for
which function room seats are being claimed;
• Documentation meeting the requirements of Section 6.5 Determine the usage
demonstrating the occupancy of each function room for the whole of the Rating
Period.
7 Area of Heated Pool
7.1 Summary
In NABERS Energy for hotel ratings, the potential impact of heated swimming pools
and spas is accounted for through the area of the Heated Pool. This figure is
calculated for all swimming pools (indoor or outdoor) that are heated for at least 6
months a year.
Step Reference
1 Assess whether the hotel has one or more Section 7.3 Check for
Heated Pools Heated Pools
2 Measure the surface area of the pool Section 7.4 Measure
Heated Pool area
3 Determine closure periods for the Heated Pool Section 7.5 Determine
Heated Pool closure
periods
7.3 Check for Heated Pools
The Assessor must survey the Hotel for the presence of Heated Pools.
To qualify, a pool or spa must meet the definition of a Heated Pool i.e. be a
swimming pool or spa that is heated for at least six months during the Rating
Period that is accessed from the common area of the hotel without passing through
a Guest Room;
The assessor must determine the period of heating either by enquiry to the hotel or
by viewing available records.

Area of Heated Pool
7.4 Measure Heated Pool area
For each Heated Pool, the Assessor must assess the area of the Heated Pool.
This is a measure of the exposed surface area of the pool in normal operation.
The Assessor may use site plans or on-site measurements for this purpose.
7.5 Determine Heated Pool closure periods
The Assessor shall determine the number of weeks that the pool has been
unavailable for use during the Rating Period.
In order to qualify as a closure period, the pool must have been not available at any
time during a period of 2 weeks or more. No consideration is made of whether the
pool was heated or not during the closure period.
The Assessor shall use Hotel records or written communications to determine the
closure periods, including the start and stop dates of any such closures.
If after checking these Rules (including rulings) the area of the Heated Pool is still
uncertain, including uncertainties in the Heated Pool area or closure periods, then
the Assessor shall:
1) Use available materials to determine the area of the Heated Pool to within
10%, or if this is not possible
2) Assume the area of the Heated Pool is zero if the area or closure period is
uncertain.
Note: The energy or water consumption associated with Heated Pool may still need
to be included in the assessment, irrespective of any issues with the assessment of
the area of the Heated Pool, in accordance with Sections 8 Energy coverage and 9
Water coverage.
2.7 Acceptable data and estimates, to validate the area of the Heated Pool:
• Identification of all Heated Pools within the facility by name or location;
• Documentation complying with Section 7.4 Measure Heated Pool area for each
Heated Pool to demonstrate the area.
• Documentation complying with Section 7.5 Determine Heated Pool closure
periods demonstrating the periods in available for use by guests.
8 Energy coverage
Correctly interpreting the scope of energy supply and consumption data is essential
to the accuracy of a NABERS Energy for hotels rating. The key principles are:
• An assessment for an accredited rating must include all sources of external
energy supplied to the rated premises, and must cover all of the energy
end uses specified for the rating type in Section 8.1.1 Required minimum energy
coverage.
• Utility and non-utility meters that meet the requirements of Section 10 Metering
systems may be used in any combination to achieve the required coverage,
subject to the accuracy requirements of Section 2.7.2 Standards for acceptable
data and estimates.
This section also covers some special conditions governing exclusions and
inclusions of small, unmetered end uses.
8.1 Interpretation of scope
Assessors must ensure that an assessment for an accredited rating covers:

• the consumption of every external energy source supplied to the rated premises,
and
• every end use of energy, including as a minimum the services listed in Section
8.1.1 Required minimum energy coverage.
The scope is not necessarily restricted to spaces directly related to the number of
Guest Rooms, Laundry Serviced Rooms, Function Rooms Seats or area of
Heated Pool data.
The Assessor must examine available single-line diagrams and electrical circuit
schedules, and visit the plant rooms to ensure that all relevant equipment is covered
under the meters included in the rating.
Any exclusion must only cover the specific item being excluded. This means that
every item to be excluded must be assessed separately, and the justification for its
exclusion included in the documentation.
8.1.1 Required minimum energy coverage

Energy consumed in the Hotel during the Rating Period, including:
1) Common area, guest room and back of house HVAC
2) Common area, guest room, exterior and back of house lighting

Energy coverage
3) Vertical transportation servicing the hotel

4) Car park lighting and ventilation, where provided for the exclusive use of hotel
guests or hotel staff
5) On site hotel kitchens and restaurants servicing guests with charge-to-room
facilities
6) Any on-site laundries
7) Any on-site heated indoor/outdoor pools for guest use
8) Small light and power for both front and back of house
9) Lighting, power and HVAC services to any function rooms on site.
10) Gyms for guest use or gyms with guest charge-to-room facilities, located
within the hotel
11) Day spas with guest charge-to-room facilities, located within the hotel
Retail Facilities
Often hotels have a degree of retail function on site, such as souvenir shops or
fashion shops. Any retail facility within the rated premises that has a charge-to-room
facility for guests is considered to be counted within the energy coverage of the
NABERS Energy for hotels rating.
8.1.2 Unserviceable rooms

The energy use of unserviceable rooms or any other out-of-use facility must always
be included, irrespective of the fact that the associated room count or other input
variable may have been excluded or discounted from the rating.
8.1.3 Car Parks

Energy use associated with hotel car parks is included within the coverage of the
rating except where it can be deomstrated that the car park is not for hotel use or
under the control of the hotel, as described below.
Note: Where parking is provided to the hotel by a third party (for example, a
standard contract with a public car park operator) that controls the operation of the
car park then the car park energy is not included in the rating.
1 Total exclusion
The energy use of lighting and ventilation in car parks used by the hotel may be
totally excluded from the rating where:
• the car park is not located on the site of the hotel, or
• both:
− the ownership and management of the car park are independent of the
ownership and management of the hotel to be rated, and
− there is a separate meter (or group of meters) that covers the entire energy
use associated with the car park, but does not cover any other aspect of the
building’s central services energy use that must be included in the
assessment.
Note: There is no total exclusion simply on the grounds that the car park is leased
to, or otherwise operated by, a manager separate from the hotel owner or operator.
2 Proportional exclusion of energy use

Where the hotel does not have use of all of the building's car park, then a proportion
of the energy use associated with the non-hotel car spaces may be excluded from
the rating in accordance with the following rules:
1) Proportional exclusion of car park energy use is only permitted where there is a
separate meter (or group of meters) that covers the entire energy use
associated with the car park, but does not cover any other aspect of the hotel’s
energy use that must be included in the assessment.
For example, it is not uncommon for car park metering to include other
basement services such as hydraulic pumping. In such cases proportioning is
not permitted.
2) Where a commercial agreements with one or more third party assigns a

proportion of the measured car park energy use, then the share(s) specified in
the documentation must be used in the assessment.
3) If no specific allocation of the energy use is given in third party commercial

agreements, the relevant proportion is calculated by dividing the number of
parking spaces allocated to the hotel by the total number of parking spaces.
Where pass cards or keys have been issued to the hotel, the number of parking
spaces allocated to the hotel is the greater of:
− the number of physically dedicated parking spaces, and
− the number of pass cards or keys issued (to a limit of the total number of
parking spaces).
Dedicated parking space, pass or key allocation data must be sourced from
third party commercial agreements.
4) If there are no third party commercial agreements available, then it is acceptable

to determine the proportions by obtaining documentation signed by third parties
that identifies the proportion of allocation.
5) If there is no documentation and no third parties are able or willing to identify

proportions, then all of the energy use associated with the car park must be
included in the assessment.
6) Regardless of the method used to proportion the energy use, the maximum that
can be excluded is 100% of the measured car park energy usage.
The Assessor must fully document both the method and all data used to proportion
car park energy usage.

Energy coverage
3 Standard for acceptable data

Compliance with this Section 8.1.3 Car parks is deemed to satisfy the accuracy
requirements of Section 2.7.2 Standards for acceptable data and estimates.
8.2 On-site generation
8.2.1 Cogeneration and trigeneration systems

Refer to the current information available on the NABERS website regarding how to
treat these systems, or contact the National Administrator if you require further
information.
8.2.2 Other on-site generation systems

Where energy is generated for use in the rated premises and is either:
• connected on the user side of the consumption meter which records the relevant
external energy supply to the premises, or
• used on site independently of utility-supplied systems
then it will reduce the amount of utility-supplied energy required.
By definition such on-site electricity generation is not included in the external
sources covered by a NABERS Energy for hotels rating, and will therefore improve
the rating when low-emission or renewable energy technologies are used. This is
permitted.
No adjustment is required. In effect this means that utility billing data must be used
without modification.
Externally supplied energy sources (such as gas, fuel oil, or electricity used by heat
pumps) used to generate on-site energy must be included within the energy
assessment.
Electricity generated inside the rated premises but exported to an external user
(such as a nearby building or the electricity grid) does not improve the energy
performance of the rated premises. The exported energy cannot be subtracted from
the utility-supplied consumption as it has no impact on the energy consumption of
the premises being rated.
8.3 GreenPower™
The GreenPower 2 program aims to decrease greenhouse gas emissions associated

with electricity generation and facilitate the installation of new renewable energy
generators across Australia, beyond compulsory renewable requirements. As such,
2 GreenPower™ is a trademark held by Sustainability Victoria on behalf of the National

GreenPower Accreditation Program, a joint initiative of ACT, NSW, SA, QLD, VIC and WA
government agencies.
the purchase of GreenPower, accredited under the National GreenPower
Accreditation Program, is considered to be the purchase of a zero greenhouse
emission energy source.
GreenPower may be purchased at the time of consumption, or retrospectively as a
separate purchase from the energy consumed. This process ensures that an
equivalent amount of accredited GreenPower is purchased and added to the
electricity grid. Visit www.greenpower.gov.au for further information.
8.3.1 Treatment of GreenPower

Two NABERS Energy ratings are calculated to represent the usage of GreenPower.
The first recognises the use of the GreenPower and does not include the associated
energy consumption in the rating (improving the rating). The second does not
recognise the GreenPower and is included in the rating as standard energy use to
reflect the actual energy efficiency of the building.
8.3.2 Application of separate purchases

The purchase of any GreenPower bought separately to offset actual energy
consumption must:
• have occurred before the date the rating application was submitted, and
• not be greater than the measured energy consumption of the period to which it
applies.
8.3.3 Confirmation of separate purchases

The Assessor must verify that the GreenPower was used in the space to be rated.
For assessments where a separate GreenPower purchase was made, the building
owner must provide written confirmation that the GreenPower purchase was used
for the hotel only.
In this situation the Assessor must assume that no GreenPower was used in the
base building unless written evidence demonstrates otherwise.
8.3.4 Bulk purchases

Where a bulk GreenPower purchase must be divided between a number of
properties, the Assessor must provide documentation from the building owner to
the National Administrator with a spreadsheet indicating the exact amount of
GreenPower (in kWh) allocated to each property.
This information must also be replicated on each Rating Assessment Form to allow
for cross-checking. Proof of the GreenPower purchase must be supplied with each
rating application.

In all cases the actual percentage or actual amount of GreenPower supplied must
be explicitly assessed from the bills or as advised in writing by the GreenPower
provider.

Energy coverage
1 Capped purchases
Assessors must check to see whether a GreenPower purchase was capped to a
specific amount, and if it was capped they must then check that the correct figure
has been used.
8.4.1 Evidence of coverage
1 Utility metering
Where the data for an energy source is based on utility metering only, the
Assessor must:
• check to ensure that the utility metering covers each of the required end uses for
the rating type as specified in Sections 8.1.1 Required minimum energy coverage
and 9.1.2 Required minimum water coverage; and
• retain evidence of these checks for audit.
2 Non-utility metering
Where the data for an energy source includes data from non-utility metering, the
Assessor must obtain current single-line diagrams or electrical circuit schedules for
the source that show:
• the location and identifier (meter number) of:
− each non-utility meter used for an inclusion in the rating, and
− each utility meter used in the rating, and
• the location of each of the major uses identified in Sections 8.1.1 Required
minimum energy coverage and 9.1.2 Required minimum water coverage.
Where no current single-line diagram is available for a source, the Assessor must
document, to the best of their knowledge, the different energy sources under the
various meters to ensure all energy sources are covered in the rating assessment.
The basis of this understanding must be documented, and the documentation
retained as a record for audit.
Note: It is recommended that building owners update their single-line diagrams as

part of the Non-utility Meter Management Plan under Section 10.4.2 Non-utility
Meter Management Plans
8.4.2 Evidence of classification and allocation

Where applicable, the Assessor must obtain documentation of:
• GreenPower purchases, including confirmation of the allocation of bulk
purchases, and
• any agreements by the hotel owner or operator and third parties, concerning:
− car park usage
− apportionment of utility costs for common or shared facilities.
9 Water coverage
Correctly interpreting the scope of water supply and consumption data is essential
to the accuracy of a NABERS Water for hotels rating. The key principles are:
• An assessment for an accredited rating must include all sources of external
water supplied to the rated premises, and must cover all of the water end uses
specified in Section 9.1.2 Required minimum water coverage. This includes
potable water and externally supplied recycled water.
• Utility and non-utility meters that meet the requirements of Section 10 Metering
systems may be used in any combination to achieve the required coverage,
subject to the accuracy requirements of Section 2.7.2 Standards for acceptable
data and estimates.
9.1 Interpretation of scope
Assessors must ensure that an assessment for an accredited rating covers:

• the consumption of every external water source supplied to the premises to be
rated, including ground water from the site, external surface water (not internal
rainwater capture), and externally supplied recycled water sources whether
potable or not, and
• every end use of water, including as a minimum the services listed in Section
9.1.2 Required minimum water coverage.
The Assessor must examine reticulation diagrams or visit plant rooms to ensure that
all relevant equipment is covered under the meters included in the rating.
Any exclusion must only cover the specific item being excluded. This means that
every item to be excluded must be assessed separately, and the justification for its
exclusion included in the documentation.
9.1.1 Unmetered supplies

Premises with consumption of water from un-metered sources (for example, river,
bore or well water) for end uses other than fire systems cannot be rated until
metering compliant with the Rules has been installed and 12 months of acceptable
data obtained.
9.1.2 Required minimum water coverage

All water uses within the building used to support the Hotel during the Rating
Period, including use in:
1) Water for taps and sinks, both back and front of house

Water coverage
2) Water used in air-conditioning and other base building services, for example
general cleaning, façade cleaning, etc.
3) All water used for services supplied for guests such as swimming pools and
gymnasiums etc.
4) Water use in fire services if metered,
5) Water used in on-site laundries,
6) Water used in restaurants and cafes located within the hotel floor plate that
have charge-to-room facilities for guests
7) Water used in spas and other facilities located within the hotel floor plate that
have charge-to-room facilities for guests
8) Water use in water features and irrigation associated with the hotel including
those areas outside the building, but within site boundaries, and
9) Water use for toilets.
Water consumption for non-hotel applications that do not have charge-to-room
facilities (such as podium retail stores) may be excluded. These may only be
excluded on the basis of meter readings specific to the application concerned. In the
absence of meter readings, no exclusions are permitted. No estimates are
permitted.
9.1.3 Unoccupied spaces

The water use of unoccupied spaces must always be included, even though the
space may have been excluded from or discounted in the Number of Guest
Rooms, Laundry Serviced Rooms, Function Rooms Seats or Area of Heated
Pool calculations.
9.1.4 Fire system consumption

Water consumption from the operation of a building’s fire system, whether
consumed in an emergency or during testing, is considered a cost of operating a
building and must be included in the calculation of water consumption if it is
metered. If it is not metered, fire system consumption need not be included.
Note: Metered fire system consumption that is re-used within the building will tend to
improve the rating.
9.1.5 On-site capture and recycling

Where water is collected or recycled at the premises to be rated (for example, by
rainwater harvesting or treatment of on-site waste water) and is either:
• connected on the user side of the meter which records the relevant external
water supply to the premises, or
• used on site independently of utility-supplied systems
then it will reduce the amount of externally supplied water needed.
By definition such on-site collection and recycling are not included in the external
sources covered by a NABERS Water for hotels rating, and will therefore improve
the rating. This is permitted.
No adjustment is required. In effect this means that supplier billing data must be
used without modification.
No discount of on-site water use is allowed against water exported from the site,
under any circumstances.
9.1.6 Treatment of externally supplied recycled water

Two NABERS Water ratings are calculated for externally supplied recycled water.
The first recognises the use of the externally supplied recycled water and does not
include the associated water consumption in the rating (improving the rating). The
second does not recognise the externally supplied recycled water and is included in
the rating as standard water use to reflect the actual water efficiency of the building.
• Evidence of coverage, water consumption data and associated documentation as

required under Section 11.9 Documentation required.
• Documentation of the source, quantities and any non-recycled component of
externally supplied recycled water.
• Documentation of any agreements by the hotel owner/operator and third parties
to apportion water costs for common or shared facilities.

Metering systems
10 Metering systems
10.1 Summary
This section deals with ensuring the accuracy and correctness of metering
systems which provide data to be used in rating assessments.
10.2 High-voltage electricity metering
NABERS Energy for hotels ratings are based on low-voltage metering. If a building’s
main electricity utility meters are situated on the high voltage (HV) side of the
transformers for the site, it is acceptable to use non-utility meters on the low
voltage (LV) side as the basis for the energy use measurements, provided that:
• those meters satisfy the documentation requirements of Sections 11.2 Measuring
consumption and 10.3 Non-utility meter records, and the accuracy and validation
requirements of Sections 10.3 Non-utility meter records and 10.4 Non-utility
metering system validation, and
• there are no connections to energy uses within the building between the
transformer and the LV meters that will bypass these meters – i.e. the meters
must cover 100% of building electricity end uses.
In addition, the Assessor must reconcile the LV metering against the HV metering
to ensure that no meters are missing or reading incorrectly. As a guideline,
transformer losses are expected to be less than 10%. Any apparent losses above
this figure should be re-investigated to find the source of the discrepancy.
If these requirements cannot be met then the premises cannot be rated.
10.3 Non-utility meter records
10.3.1 Minimum frequency of readings

All non-utility meters used to provide data for energy or water consumption
inclusions or exclusions must have a record of readings that is:
• at least as frequent as the utility meter under which the non-utility meter lies,
and
• at least quarterly (i.e. four readings with an average gap between readings of at
least 10 weeks).
The Assessor must retain this record of readings for audit.
10.3.2 Measurements and formats required
The following non-utility meter data must be recorded and retained for audit:
Data required Acceptable record Examples of

or format unacceptable records
All meters
Date of reading Day/month/year Month/year; day/month; month
Meter Meter number or label that No identification; label not
identification can be directly cross- clearly identifiable on single-
referenced to the single-line line diagram
diagram
Meter reading Meter reading, either direct No meter reading; ‘units used’
from the meter or from the without the actual meter
metering interface reading
Electricity meters
K factor Meter K factor No K factor
Calculated Calculated consumption Any figure that cannot be
electricity figure in kWh, based on derived from the meter reading
reading meter readings and k-factor and k-factor; any figure without
units
Gas meters
Meter pressure Meter pressure, with units No meter pressure; no units
Meter pressure Meter pressure correction No meter pressure correction
correction factor factor factor
Monthly energy Energy density of gas No energy density data; no
density (MJ/m³) from utility bill units on energy density data;
energy density data not
supported by evidence from
utility
Calculated Calculated gas consumption Any figure that cannot be
gas reading figure in MJ derived from the gas meter
reading, pressure correction
factor and monthly energy
density; any figure without
units
Water meters
Meter multiplier Meter multiplier to convert No meter multiplier
readings to kL or m³
Calculated Calculated water Any figure that cannot be
water reading consumption figure in derived from a meter reading
kL or m³ or meter multiplier; any figure
without units

Metering systems
10.4 Non-utility metering system validation
This section deals with non-utility meter reliability, especially electricity meters with
current transformers (CTs), and the correctness of Remote Meter Reading Systems
(RMRS).
Non-utility electricity meters can vary significantly in their ability to correctly measure
energy consumption, especially due to incorrect wiring of the meter and incorrect
meter multipliers (CT ratios). Remote Meter Reading Systems, such as a Building
Management System (BMS), can vary significantly in how they interpret the
measured consumption of a non-utility meter.
10.4.1 Metering systems requiring validation

All non-utility metering systems require validation if they include:
• a meter with a current transformer (CT), or
• a gas meter, or
• a Remote Meter Reading System (including an interface to a Building
Management System (BMS) used to transmit meter data).
Note: Direct connect meters with no RMRS, and pulse meters with an on-board
counting device and no RMRS, are exempt from these requirements.
1 Pulse meters
Consumption measurements from a pulse meter can only be used in a NABERS
rating assessment if the pulse meter has an on-board counting mechanism which
provides an absolute count (rather than a pulse to an external device) and is then
read manually or remotely.
Where a Remote Meter Reading System is used to record the pulse meter reading,
this must be validated in accordance with the non-utility meter validation
requirements in this section to ensure it is recording the measured consumption
correctly.
Note: Where the pulse meter is manually read, validation is not required.
10.4.2 Non-utility Meter Management Plans

Where a rating assessment uses readings from non-utility metering systems
requiring validation, the Hotel owner/operator must implement a Non-utility Meter
Management Plan to ensure that these metering systems correctly record
consumption.
There are two possible stages in a Non-utility Meter Management Plan, as
described below:
Initial validation This is a program to validate all un-validated metering

stage systems for the premises.
The time allowed to complete this stage depends on meter
type and on whether any of the metering systems included in
a random sample under Section 10.4.4 Validating a random
sample of metering systems are found to require correction.
• If any corrections are required, this stage must be
completed as soon as possible so that 12 months of
correct data can be made available for the next rating.
• If no corrections are required, then this stage must be
completed within three years.
If there are no un-validated metering systems for the premises

to be rated, this stage of the Plan is not required.
Ongoing re- This is a rolling program to re-validate all non-utility metering

validation stage systems requiring validation for the premises. This program
must ensure that every non-utility metering system requiring
validation is re-validated whenever it is altered, or otherwise
at least every 10 years.
As part of this validation, it is recommended that the manager
responsible for the premises should have all single-line
diagrams verified and updated to reflect the current meter
coverage and locations.
All validation checks undertaken as part of a Non-utility Meter
Management Plan must, as a minimum, comply with the
requirements specified in Section 10.4.5 Validation checks.
1 Standard for acceptable data

The Assessor may only accept evidence of validation of a non-utility metering
system in the form of a certificate of currency or other written evidence that:
• confirms that a metering system requiring validation has been checked in
accordance with Section 10.4.5 Validation checks and Section 12.2 Appendix B –
Guide to non-utility metering system validation, and found to be correctly
recording consumption, and
• confirms that the check took place within the last 10 years, and
• applies to the present condition and configuration of the metering system without
any alteration.
2 Documentation required
As a minimum, a Non-utility Meter Management Plan must:
• uniquely identify each applicable metering system, and
• show the details of the last validation check for that metering system, if any, and

Metering systems
• nominate the date by which the next regular validation check for that metering
system must be completed, and
• record the validation of any altered non-utility metering systems.
As part of this validation, it is recommended that the manager responsible for the
premises should have all single-line diagrams updated and verified to reflect the
current meter coverage locations.
10.4.3 Checking meter system validation
Where data used in a rating assessment includes readings from non-utility

metering systems covered by the validation requirements, the Assessor must
ensure that the applicable validation requirements have been met.
1 Checking compliance with a Non-utility Meter Management Plan

If the premises to be rated are already covered by a Non-utility Meter Management
Plan as specified in Section 10.4.2 Non-utility Meter Management Plans, then the
Assessor must:
• seek evidence of validation for all metering systems that, under the Plan, were
due to be validated since the last rating assessment, and
• identify any metering systems that have been altered since the previous rating
assessment, and seek evidence of validation for them, and
• for each meter that required adjustment as a result of the validation checks,
follow the procedure in Section 11.7 Correcting non-utility meter readings to
obtain acceptable corrected data or estimates where possible. If this is not
possible, the rating cannot proceed.
Note: The Assessor must also check that 12 months of acceptable data is available
for the spaces covered by any altered non-utility metering systems.
2 Instituting a Non-utility Meter Management Plan

If there is no Non-utility Meter Management Plan for the premises to be rated, or if a
Plan exists but the Assessor has not been provided with acceptable evidence of
compliance, then:
• the procedure for validating a random sample of non-utility metering systems as
specified in Section 10.4.4 Validating a random sample of metering systems must
be followed, and
• a new Non-utility Meter Management Plan as specified in Section 10.4.2 Non-
utility Meter Management Plans must be prepared and put into effect for the
premises to be rated.
Figure 17: Validating non-utility metering systems
Note: Examples of acceptable certificates of currency are included in Appendix D –

Guide to non-utility metering system validation.
10.4.4 Validating a random sample of metering systems
1 Selecting a random sample

All metering systems covered by the rating that require validation but do not have
evidence of validation (‘un-validated metering systems’) must be comprehensively
listed and categorised by meter type (such as pulse water meter, CT electrical
meter, or gas meter).
A random sample of at least 10% of each listed meter type must then be chosen
from the list, and the selected metering systems validated as specified in Section
10.4.5 Validation checks.
The Assessor must oversee or review the selection process and ensure that the
sample was randomly chosen. The Assessor must document for audit:
• the list of non-utility meters from which the sample was chosen, and
• the sampling method used, and
• which metering systems were selected, and
• the results of the validation checks for each meter checked.

Metering systems
2 Results of validation
Where all the randomly selected non-utility metering systems meet the validation
requirements, then:
• the rating can proceed, and
• the hotel owner/operator applying for the rating must implement a program to
validate (and correct if necessary) the remaining un-validated metering systems
within the next three years, as part of a Non-utility Meter Management Plan as
specified in Section 10.4.2 Non-utility Meter Management Plans.
However, where one or more of the randomly selected non-utility metering systems
are found to require adjustment before they can meet the validation requirements,
then:
• all un-validated metering systems for the premises covered by the rating must be
validated so as to ensure that correct data is collected in the 12-month period
before the next NABERS Energy or Water for hotels rating (as appropriate), and
• the Assessor must determine any correction to be applied to the data collected
from the metering systems found to be incorrect, as specified in Section 11.7
Correcting non-utility meter readings.
10.4.5 Validation checks

All metering systems requiring validation must be checked, and if necessary
adjusted and then checked again, as specified in this section and in Appendix B –
Guide to non-utility metering system validation.
If a metering system requires adjustment then this must be done by appropriately
qualified and licensed persons according to the applicable standards and
procedures for the equipment.
1 Remote Meter Reading Systems

All Remote Meter Reading Systems (RMRS) used to record the measurements from
non-utility meters require validation by a competent person 3 with an
understanding of the meters and the RMRS, to ensure that they interpret the meter
data correctly.
The competent person must validate that a unit of consumption shown on the
Remote Meter Reading System corresponds to a unit of consumption as measured
at the meter. At least two readings of the non-utility meter and corresponding
Remote Meter Reading System should be undertaken at the same two time periods,
and the results documented.
2 Non-utility electricity meters

All non-utility meters with CTs require validation, and adjustment if necessary, by a
licensed electrician or electrical engineer to ensure that the CT ratio (meter
multiplication factor) and wiring are correctly configured.
3 A ‘competent person’ could be an Assessor with an understanding of the meter in question.
3 Non-utility gas meters
All non-utility gas meters require validation, and adjustment if necessary, by a
competent person with an understanding of gas meters to ensure that the pressure
correction factor corrects the measured volume of the non-utility meter to the same
pressure conditions used by the utility meter.
Note: When processing gas data, the Assessor must also correct for variations in
the energy content of gas by multiplying the pressure-corrected gas volume by the
gas utility’s energy per unit volume for each reading period. The relevant energy per
unit volume figures must be obtained from the utility if not documented on the gas
invoices.

Consumption data
11 Consumption data
11.1 Summary
This section deals with the measurement, processing and use of data on energy
and water consumption. It includes provisions to allow estimates to be made and
used in limited circumstances when actual measurements are not available.
11.2 Measuring consumption
11.2.1 Process overviews

Assessors must comply with the following processes:
1 NABERS Energy for hotels ratings
Step Reference
1 Confirm all energy sources entering the site. Section 11.2.2 Confirm all
sources
2 Assess the accuracy of the assumptions Section 11.2.3 Assess the
for each source. accuracy of the assumptions
for each source
3 Determine energy consumption. Section 11.2.4 Determine
energy consumption
2 NABERS Water for hotels ratings
Step Reference
1 Confirm all water sources entering the site. Section 11.2.2 Confirm all
sources
2 Assess the accuracy of the assumptions Section 11.2.3 Assess the
for each source. accuracy of the assumptions
for each source
3 Determine water consumption. Section 11.2.5 Determine
water consumption
4 Determine the characteristics of externally Section 11.2.6 Determine
supplied recycled sources. recycled water
characteristics
11.2.2 Confirm all sources

• Ask the building manager to identify all the energy/water supplies for the site,
including batch-delivered supplies.
Review service drawings, where available, to identify all supply points.
• Review the site to check for equipment requiring different types of energy/water.
• Review metering arrangements to ensure that all relevant utility and non-utility
meters have been included in the assessment.
Where a utility meter and non-utility meter could be used interchangeably, the
utility meter must be used in preference. However, if utility meter readings require
adjustment but are too infrequent to provide acceptable estimates (such as six-
monthly readings that do not coincide with the Rating Period), monthly readings
from non-utility meters that comply with all requirements of these Rules may be
used instead. Ensure that consumption data sufficient to cover the Rating Period
has been provided for each separate meter for each identified source.
11.2.3 Assess the accuracy of the assumptions for each source

1) Check if any of the bills for that source were estimated.
Consumption from utility-estimated bills is not considered acceptable data and

may not be used for NABERS Energy or Water for hotels ratings. If a utility bill is
estimated the Assessor must use Section 11.6.4 Using valid meter readings
before and after missing data to calculate or estimate the consumption.
2) Check whether the source includes any non-utility meters for inclusion or
exclusion of energy or water.
If non-utility meters are used in the assessment, the Assessor must check that
all necessary validation (and correction of data, if applicable) has been carried
out as specified in Sections 10.4 Non-utility metering system validation and 11.8
Correcting non-utility meter readings.
Note: If a non-utility meter has been found to require adjustment and acceptable
corrected data or estimates cannot be obtained for the relevant consumption over
the entire Rating Period, then the rating cannot proceed.
3) Check if any other assumptions were made about consumption.
If they were, the Assessor must calculate the total amount of consumption
affected by each assumption, and add it to the relevant Potential Error.
4) For the rating to be permitted, the total Potential Error must not exceed the limits
given in Section 2.7 Acceptable data and estimates.

Consumption data
11.2.4 Determine energy consumption (NABERS Energy ratings)

1) Check the data format and units for each energy source, and if necessary
convert to units compatible with NABERS Energy for hotels input formats as
specified in Sections 11.5.1 Utility units and 11.6.2 Energy bill formats
2) Check whether any fuel was batch-delivered.

Where fuel was batch-delivered, calculate the energy consumption using the
method specified in Section 11.4 Batch-delivered supplies.
3) If the energy source is electricity, check to see whether accredited GreenPower
was used.
Where GreenPower is used, confirm the total percentage of GreenPower in
accordance with Section 8.3 GreenPower.
4) For each source, ensure that acceptable energy use data is available to cover
the 12 months of the Rating Period, as specified in Section 11.6 Periods
covered by utility data.
a) If necessary, allow for missing data as specified in Sections 11.6.2 Adjusting
for gaps at the start or end of the Rating Period and 11.6.3 Estimating
unrecorded consumption.
b) If necessary, adjust the first and last bills to match the Rating Period using
the method specified in Section 11.6.2 Adjusting for gaps at the start or end
of the Rating Period.
c) If acceptable data is not available to cover the Rating Period, the premises
cannot be rated.
Figure 18: Determining the energy use for each energy source
11.2.5 Determine water consumption (NABERS Water ratings)

1) Confirm the data format and units for each water source, and if necessary
convert to units compatible with NABERS Water input formats as specified in
Section 11.5.1 Utility units.
2) Check that the data is from meter readings or capacity measurements for batch
deliveries, and does not rely on estimates by the supplier.
If the bill is not based on actual measurements, they must be sought. Estimated
consumption figures are unacceptable (refer to Section 11.6.4 Using valid meter
readings before and after missing data).
3) For each source, ensure that acceptable water use data is available to cover
the 12-months of the Rating Period, as specified in Section 11.6 Periods
covered by utility data.

Consumption data
a) If necessary, allow for missing data as specified in Sections 11.6.2 Adjusting

for gaps at the start or end of the Rating Period and 11.7.3 Estimating
unrecorded consumption.
b) If acceptable data is not available to cover the Rating Period, the premises
cannot be rated.
Figure 19: Determining consumption for each externally supplied water

source
11.2.6 Determine recycled water characteristics (NABERS Water ratings)

1) Check whether the source contains any non-recycled components.
− If it does not, the entire source can be counted as recycled.
− If there is a known non-recycled component, only the remainder may be
treated as being recycled.
− If there is an unknown non-recycled component, the entire source must be
treated as non-recycled.
Figure 20: Determining the characteristics of externally supplied recycled
water sources
11.3 Including or excluding consumption
The energy or water consumption measured for an assessment must include the
relevant minimum end uses identified in Sections 8.1.1 Required minimum energy
coverage and 9.1.2 Required minimum water coverage.
In achieving this, only the following methods of measurement for inclusion and
exclusion are permitted:
• use of a utility meter
• use of a non-utility meter meeting the requirements of Section 10.4 Non-utility
metering system validation
• batch delivery supply bills in which the supplier states the quantity supplied
• any combination of inclusion or exclusion of the above three items
• exclusions as described in Section 11.3.1 Exclusions based on financially
reconciled utility costs
• estimates as described in Section 11.3.2 Estimating small un-metered end uses
• data and estimates as described in Section 11.4 Batch-delivered supplies
• data and estimates as described in Section 11.3.3 Thermal energy
measurements.

Consumption data
11.3.1 Exclusions based on financially reconciled utility costs

Where:
• a utility meter measures the aggregate consumption for a variety of water or
energy end uses, some inside the coverage of a rating but others outside it, and
• there is no non-utility meter which only measures those end uses inside or
those outside the scope of coverage, and
• the utility costs associated with the meter are allocated to the various end uses
according to a fixed proportion of the meter readings, as specified under
Determining the fixed proportion below
then the Assessor may estimate the consumption for the end uses outside the
coverage by applying the fixed proportion to the metered consumption. The
estimated consumption may be excluded from the assessment if it is added to the
relevant Potential Error 4.
1 Determining the fixed proportion

It is acceptable to determine the proportion of energy or water allocated to the end-
use(s) in question from documentation, signed by the third parties affected by the
end uses in question, that identifies the end uses and the proportion of allocation.
If the fixed proportion cannot be determined from acceptable documentation, then
no exclusion is allowed and the entire consumption measured by the meter covering
the end uses in question must be included in the assessment.
11.3.2 Estimating small un-metered end uses
Note: The following methodology is intended to allow Assessors to estimate and

include a small amount of un-metered end use to enable a rating to proceed. Where
large end uses or a high number of small end uses are included through this
methodology, the rating may not comply with the accuracy requirements of Section
2.7.2 Standards for acceptable data and estimates. In such cases the rating cannot
proceed until appropriate metering is installed and 12 months of acceptable
consumption data is available to cover the Rating Period.
This rule does not apply to exclusions, or where acceptable metered data is
available for the end uses concerned.
If no metered measurement is available for an end use 5, the Assessor may
estimate the energy consumption for that end use by applying the following
methodology:
1) Identify all equipment or plant involved in the consumption to be estimated.
4 Where necessary, the estimate may be reduced so that the accuracy requirements of Section
2.7.2 Standards for acceptable data and estimates are still met. However, under no
circumstances is it ever permissible to increase an estimate to these limits.
5 Note that where several instances of very similar individual end uses occur together so as to form
a single collection (for example, luminaires in a lighting grid, taps in a washroom, or emergency
lighting in a stairwell) then the collection is regarded as a single end use.
2) Determine the power consumption at maximum capacity from nameplate data or
equipment specifications, for example 10 kW for an air conditioner.
3) Determine an appropriate duty cycle for the plant (as a percentage) from
equipment specifications, records of use, or records of availability (for example,
manually operated equipment such as washroom hand dryers cannot be used
when a space is unoccupied). If there are no suitable specifications or records,
use 100%.
Note: It is not permissible to simply estimate a duty cycle without reference to

verifiable specifications or records.
Estimate the annual consumption as:

consumption = name plate power x duty cycle x annual hours.
The Assessor must add the estimated consumption to the relevant Potential Error.
1 Documentation required
The NABERS Rating Assessment Form and the documentation retained for audit
must include a clear explanation of the method used to calculate the duty cycle,
justification of the annual hours used and the consumption for the end use, including
documentation of the values used.
11.3.3 Thermal energy measurements

Some buildings export or import energy by means such as thermal-energy-in-water
systems. An example is chilled water being pumped from one building to another.
These systems are complex, and it is difficult to measure the thermal energy in the
water, relate that back to energy input to the thermal plant, and then calculate
greenhouse gas emissions.
Due to this complexity and because such systems are uncommon, they are treated
in a separate document to these Rules entitled Validation Protocol for Thermal
Energy Exclusions.
11.4 Batch-delivered supplies
Energy or water supplies delivered in batches, such as diesel fuel, bottled gas, coal,
or tank-delivered water, must be included within an assessment if they are within the
scope defined in Sections 8 Energy coverage and 9 Water coverage, as
appropriate.
11.4.1 Measurement and estimation
In general, quantity data for batch deliveries must be taken from supplier invoices or
similar documentation, or from measurement systems (such as meters, scales or
unit counting) at the point of delivery. The documentation required for batch-
delivered supplies includes details of measurement methods.

Consumption data
To ensure that all applicable deliveries during the Rating Period are included in the
assessment for a rating, the Assessor must identify the supervisors or managers
responsible for each batch-delivered source and obtain from them:
• a written statement of what deliveries were received during the Rating Period,
and
• copies of the bills from suppliers, showing the details of the deliveries, and
• descriptions of the measurement or estimation methods used.
1 Estimating from a sample of bills

It is acceptable to estimate delivered quantities of batch-delivered supplies from a
sample of bills. A suitable person must be asked if there were deliveries, and a
written response received from them together with bills for each batch-supplied
source.
The minimum number of bills acceptable as evidence of delivered quantities
depends on what proportion the batch-delivered supply represents of the total
greenhouse gas emissions or water consumption for the premises to be rated.
These numbers are shown in the following table:
% of total emissions or Minimum number

water consumption of bills required
0–5% 2
6–15% 4
16–25% 8
26–50% 12
51–75% 18
76–100% 24
If insufficient bills from the Rating Period are available to satisfy the minimum
requirements above, then:
• the Assessor may also gather all of the billing data for the 12 months preceding
the Rating Period, and if there are then sufficient bills an estimate can be made
• otherwise, an estimate from capacity measurements must be made as specified
below.
The delivery quantities shown on the bills must be converted to an annual
consumption estimate: either by averaging, for non-seasonal uses, or by use of a
climate-based correlation of deliveries against relevant climate data for the Rating
Period.
If a climate-based correlation is used, the Assessor must provide details of the
correlation method and the climate data used, and explain why the correlation
method was chosen.
2 Estimating from capacity measurements
It is acceptable to estimate the quantity of a batch-delivered supply from capacity
measurements of on-site storage tanks if:
• there have been no recorded deliveries, or the minimum number of bills specified
in Section 11.4.1/1 above is not available, and
• the batch-delivered supply represents less than 5% of the total greenhouse gas
emissions or water consumption for the premises to be rated.
Acceptable methods are, in order of preference:
1) the use of regular capacity readings to determine consumption, or
2) if there are no regular readings, then one reading may be taken (by dip-stick or
sight gauges or other method) and the entire consumption (from full tank to
current level) is then allocated to the Rating Period, or
3) if a reading cannot be taken, the consumption for the Rating Period must be
taken as the total capacity of the tanks.
The Assessor must ensure that all tanks used for the source in the premises to be
rated are included in the capacity measurements (for example, ready-use, bulk and
reserve tanks).
If there have been any deliveries during the year then these must be added to the
estimate derived from the capacity readings or tank capacity.
3 Batch-delivered recycled water (NABERS Water ratings only)

Where recycled water is delivered to on-site storage tanks, the quantity of water
must be measured at the delivery to the on-site tank and not at discharge from it, as
otherwise the top-up water will be potentially be double-counted in the rating. The
Assessor must ensure that only delivered recycled water has been counted.
4 Batch-delivered water for direct uses (NABERS Water ratings only)

Where batch-delivered water is used on site without being stored in a storage tank
(for example, applied directly to landscaping or used for testing or direct filling of
sprinkler systems, cooling systems etc.) then all such water deliveries to the site
during the Rating Period must be included without averaging.

If the method of measurement or estimation complies with the requirements of this
section then the consumption measurement for the source will be deemed to
comply with the accuracy requirements of these Rules.
Otherwise, the Assessor must add the entire consumption to the Potential Error
for water as an estimate.

Consumption data

When an assessment includes batch-delivered supplies, the Assessor must make a
note of the method of measurement or estimation for each source in the Rating
Assessment Form.
The documentation to be retained for audit must include for each source:
• the statements of what deliveries occurred during the Rating Period, including
contact details for the responsible person who supplied the information
• a description of the measurement or estimation method(s) used
• all data used to calculate the measurements or estimates, and
• details of all calculations.
1 Batch-delivered recycled water (NABERS Water ratings only)

Where some or all of the batch-delivered water is from a recycled or reclaimed
source, whether potable or not, the following documentation is also required:
• written confirmation from the supplier that states:
− that the water supplied is recycled or reused, including the percentage of
recycled or reclaimed water within the supply, and
− the source of the water (such as the location of the supplier), and
− that the identified supply has been delivered to the rated site, and
• written confirmation of delivered quantities to the site being rated (i.e. bills) and
the measurement methods used to determine these quantities.
11.5 Utility bill units and formats
11.5.1 Utility units

The units of consumption that Assessors should seek on utility bills are:
Utility Units
NABERS Energy for hotels ratings:
Electricity kWh (kilowatt hours) or MWh (megawatt hours); GJ
(Gigajoules)
Coal t (tonnes); GJ
Natural Gas m3 (cubic metres) at standard temperature and pressure;
MJ (Megajoules) or GJ
LPG LPG 6 must be entered into the Online Rating Calculator in
MJ, not in litres or cubic metres.
Fuel oil (diesel, L (litres); GJ
heating oil, etc.)
6 LPG is entered into the calculator as Gas.
Utility Units
NABERS Water for hotels ratings:
Water, all sources kL (kilolitres) (=m³)
11.5.2 Energy bill formats

Some electrical energy bills are presented in the following format:
Total Energy = Energy (kWh) + Losses (%)
In this case the losses are actually the equivalent of network distribution charges
expressed as an additional consumption instead of an additional cost. The amount
of energy to be used in the rating is the energy excluding losses, which is in effect
the raw energy consumption.
11.6 Periods covered by utility data

Utility consumption figures must cover one complete and continuous year, allowing
for missing data as specified in Sections 11.6.2 Adjusting for gaps at the start or end
of the Rating Period and 11.7.3 Estimating unrecorded consumption.
1 Stand-alone NABERS Energy or Water for hotels ratings

Where it is not possible to gather data for exactly the same period for different utility
supplies, the following provisions apply:
• The utility bills that account for at least 80% of the rating result (in kg/m² or kL/m²)
must be adjusted to exactly match the Rating Period, as specified in Section
11.6.2 Adjusting for gaps at the start or end of the Rating Period, and
• The utility bills that account for the balance of a NABERS Energy rating must
together cover one continuous 12-month period that is displaced from the Rating
Period by no more than two months, and
• The utility bills that account for the balance of a NABERS Water for hotels rating
must, for each source of supply, cover a continuous 12-month period that is
displaced from the Rating Period by no more than:
− two months for water supplies that are billed monthly or quarterly (three
monthly), and
− four months for water supplies that are billed biannually (six monthly).
2 Combined NABERS Energy and Water for hotels ratings

When an assessment is being undertaken for both NABERS Energy and Water for
hotels ratings, the same Rating Period must apply to both ratings. If it is not possible
to gather utility data for exactly the same period for both ratings, the Rating Period
should be the data-gathering period for the NABERS Energy rating. The following
provisions apply:

Consumption data
• The energy utility data must meet the same criteria as given above for a stand-
alone NABERS Energy rating, and
• The utility data for each water source must cover a continuous 12-month period
that is displaced from the Rating Period by no more than:
− two months for water supplies that are billed monthly or quarterly (three
monthly), and
− four months for water supplies that are billed biannually (six monthly).
11.6.2 Adjusting for gaps at the start or end of the Rating Period
If an energy or water source is missing a valid meter reading by the utility at the
start or end of the Rating Period (for example, because the bill is missing or the
reading was estimated), the consumption for the full Rating Period cannot be
calculated from the 12 months of utility billing data alone.
If accurate bills are available from before or after the Rating Period, the Assessor
may use the meter readings in these bills to calculate the consumption using the
procedure outlined in Section 11.6.4 Using valid meter readings before and after
missing data. Otherwise, the Assessor may use a manual meter reading from
before or after the Rating Period to calculate consumption – but only if all of the
following conditions apply:
• The Assessor is able to reconcile the manual meter reading with a history of
meter readings that measure the consumption to a date after the end of the
Rating Period, either as meter readings from utility bills or as manual readings
meeting the frequency and data recording requirements of Section 3 Non-utility
meter records where applicable.
• The reading must be treated as if it was taken on the first or last day (as
appropriate) of the Rating Period, regardless of the actual period of time between
the day of the reading and the start or end (as appropriate) of the Rating Period. 7
• The reading must clearly align with the consumption history for the meter.
If these requirements are met, the manual meter reading can be used in the
assessment without it being included as an error for the purposes of Section 2.7.2
Standards for acceptable data and estimates. If these requirements cannot be met,
the manual meter reading is not acceptable data.
7 This means that the reading will always tend to err on the side of overstating the consumption for
the Rating Period.
Figure 21: Adjusting for gaps at the start or end of the Rating Period
11.6.3 Estimating unrecorded consumption
The purpose of this section is to enable a rating to proceed if the record of bills
throughout the Rating Period is not continuous.
Where there is an unresolvable gap in the primary billing data (for example, caused
by a change of supplier or meter) the Assessor may estimate the unrecorded
consumption by interpolating between adjacent bills – but only under the following
conditions:
• If the consumption of the relevant source is climate-independent, the
interpolation must be based on the average daily consumption figures of the
adjacent bills.
• If the utility consumption is climate-dependent, then the interpolation must use a
climate-based correlation.
Full details of the associated calculations must be included in the Rating
Assessment Form. If a climate-based correlation is used, the Assessor must provide
details of the correlation method and the climate data used, and explain why the
correlation method was chosen.
Regardless of the interpolation method used, the Assessor must add the entire
estimate of unrecorded consumption to the relevant Potential Error.
Under no circumstances is it permissible to extrapolate outside available data. If the
bills do not cover a full 12-month period the premises cannot be rated.
11.6.4 Using valid meter readings before and after missing data
If an energy or water source is missing a utility bill, a utility bill has been estimated,
or valid meter readings are not available, special consideration must be taken.
When one or more consecutive meter readings are missing or estimated by the
utility and valid meter readings are available for the period immediately before and
immediately after the missing or estimated readings, the total consumption for the
period can be accurately determined using the method described in this section.

Consumption data
The calculated consumption is considered to be acceptable data and may be used

in the assessment without being added to the relevant Potential Error.
1 Energy sources other than natural gas

• Calculate the total metered consumption in the period by using the meter
readings before and after the missing or estimated reading(s), and
• obtain any relevant factor required to convert the metered consumption to actual
consumption and use the actual consumption as the total consumption for the
period.
Assessors are to exercise care when performing these calculations, and to obtain
written documentation to confirm the use of any conversion factors if not
documented on the relevant utility bills.
2 Natural gas
Missing gas consumption can also be determined using meter readings; however,
additional guidance is required due to the complexities of converting gas meter
readings to energy consumption.
In the case where a bill or a valid gas meter reading is missing or estimated, but
valid meter readings are available before and after the missing period, the gas
consumption can be determined by using the following methodology:
• Calculate the total metered gas flow in the period by using the readings before
and after the missing or estimated reading(s).
• Obtain the correction factor (CF) for the gas meter from:
− the estimated bill for the period (if available), or
− the utility bills before or after the missing period, or
− written documentation provided by the utility.
Note. The correction factor is used to convert the metered consumption from the
meter pressure to standard atmospheric pressure. It can be found in the utility bills
under alternative names, such as pressure correction factor and conversion factor.
• Obtain the Heating Value (HV) at atmospheric pressure for the gas during the
period between the valid readings. This value must be obtained from one of the
following sources, listed in order of preference:
a) written documentation provided by the utility for the period between the two
readings, or, if not available
b) the average heating value for the period between the two readings, in the
case there are utility bills (estimated or actual) fully covering such period, or,
if not available
c) the following default values must be used for period between the two
readings, depending on the state where the premises are located:
State/Territory Heating value (MJ/m3)
ACT 38.3
NSW 38.3
NT 40.5
QLD 39.5
SA 38.3
VIC 38.8
WA 41.5
• Calculate the gas consumption by using the following formula:
Gas Consumption = (RE − RB )× CF × HV

where:
RB and RE = the meter reading at the beginning and end of the period,
respectively
CF = the correction factor, and
HV = the heating value (MJ/m3).
Example
Two consecutive monthly bills have been estimated by the utility. Estimated
readings were taken on 31 March and 30 April. Valid meter readings for the period
immediately before and immediately after the estimated readings were available in
adjacent utility bills. The reading for 1 March was ‘10,000’ and the reading for
31 May was ‘12,150’.
The pressure correction factor was obtained from the utility bills and was equal to
1.1. The average heating value for all the bills between the two accurate readings
(this includes the two estimated bills) was 39 MJ/m3.
The total gas consumption between 1 March and 31 May can be calculated as:
(12,150 -10,000) x 1.1 x 39 = 92,235 MJ

Consumption data
11.7 Correcting non-utility meter readings
This section covers the steps to be followed if a non-utility metering system has
been found to give incorrect measurements of consumption when validated as
specified in Section 10.4 Non-utility metering system validation.
Where a non-utility metering system has been found to require adjustment as a

result of validation checks, the Assessor must investigate the type of fault found
and the consumption data available, and determine whether or not it is possible to
accurately calculate (not estimate) the correct values for the consumption data from
the metering system.
11.7.1 Assessments where corrections can be made

The rating can proceed where the Assessor can calculate the correct values for the
consumption data. The rating application must include full documentation of the
error found, the incorrect records from the metering system, and the calculations
used to correct the data.
In the absence of any other evidence, a correction must be based on the

assumption that the error in the metering system is applied to all data collected for
the current rating assessment.
For example, if the CT ratio for an electricity meter was out by a factor of +20%, the
overall electricity consumption data for that meter can be corrected by -20%.
Similarly, if the CT wiring of an electricity meter was incorrect but the consumption
for each phase was recorded by the meter, this can be used to reconstruct the
actual consumption and the reconstructed data can be used as acceptable data.
However, consumption data cannot be reconstructed if the CT wiring of an electricity
meter was incorrect and the meter also did not record the energy consumption for
each phase.
11.7.2 Assessments where corrections cannot be made

Where it is not possible to calculate the correct values from incorrect metering
system data, then:
• for exclusions, the rating can proceed if the consumption is included in the rating
(to ensure a conservative result).
• for inclusions, the rating can proceed if the consumption is estimated using
Section 11.3.2 Estimating small un-metered end uses. However, if the estimate
does not comply with the requirements of Section 2.7.2 Standards for acceptable
data and estimates, the rating cannot proceed and the premises cannot be rated
until a full Rating Period of accurate data has been obtained.
Figure 22: Correcting non-utility metering system data
11.8.1 Utility metering

Where utility metering data is included in an assessment, the following
documentation must be obtained by the Assessor, used in the assessment, and
retained for audit:
• utility bills showing consumption records for the Rating Period, or
• a spreadsheet or other electronic record from the utility showing consumption for
the Rating Period, with a clear indication of the meter identification and reading,
and at least one utility bill that can be shown to reconcile against the electronic
data.
11.8.2 Non-utility metering

Where non-utility metering data is used for inclusions or exclusions, the following
documentation must be obtained by the Assessor, used in the assessment, and
retained for audit:
• records of meter readings and associated factors as specified in Section 10.3
Non-utility meter records, and

Consumption data
• evidence of non-utility metering system validation as specified in Section 10.4

Non-utility metering system validation.
11.8.3 Batch deliveries

Where any energy or water supplies are batch-delivered, the documentation must
include bills showing the quantities delivered and how they were measured. If the
data does not include enough separate deliveries, then the documentation must
include any records of storage capacity readings used to estimate consumption.
12 Appendices
Summary
Appendix A – Information checklist for accredited ratings Page 80

Appendix B – Guide to non-utility metering system validation Page 814

12.1 Appendix A – Information checklist for accredited ratings
The following information may be required for a rating. It should be obtained from the building
owner/manager before a site visit, and then confirmed during the site visit and subsequent
assessment.
This checklist covers most of the information needed, but individual ratings may require
additional information or documentation depending on the individual circumstances of the
premises.
Information checklist
Number of Guest Rooms  Room schedules or floor plans identifying all of the Guest Rooms and Section 3.3 Count Guest Rooms
verification of a physical count upon site inspection of 20% of the
floors (the largest floors must be counted first)
 If not available Assessor’s records verifying the presence of all of the Section 3.3 Count Guest Rooms
identified guest rooms including (as a minimum) a count of the number
of Guest Rooms on each floor
 Assessor’s records confirming that none of the Guest Rooms are Section 3.4 Count Guest Rooms
operated as dormitories
 Hotel records documenting the start date and end date of availability Section 3.4 Identify Out-of-Service
for each Guest Room Guest Rooms
Hotels Star Rating  Copy of the Star Ratings Australia Assessment report to determine the Section 4.3 Check for Star Ratings
Hotels Star Rating Australia Assessment report
 Indentification of nominated peer group hotels including : Section 4.4 Validate Self-
• Location Assessed Hotel star rating
• Evidence of their official or claimed hotel Star Rating Section 4.5 Calculating the
average cost of a room
• Evidence of cost per room per night for the days used in the
comparison period
• The location, claimed hotel star rating, and cost per room per
night for days used in the comparison period for the Hotel rated
Laundry Serviced Rooms  Documentation from the Hotel demonstrating the: Section 5.3 Check for On-Site
• The number of Internal Guest Rooms Laundry
• Laundry Service Levels for the Guest Rooms Section 5.4 Identify internal Guest
Rooms serviced by the On-Site
• Availability of the On-Site Laundry to provide the claimed laundry
Laundry
services
Section 5.6 Identify the Laundry
• Start and stop dates for any periods of laundry non-availability
Service Level for Laundry Serviced
within the Rating Period
Rooms
 Documentation from third party hotels demonstrating Section 5.5 Identify external Guest
• The number of External Guest Rooms Rooms serviced by the On-Site
Laundry
• The start date and end date of availability for each External
Guest Room
• Laundry Service Levels for the External Guest Rooms
Function Room Seats  Documentation of the maximum occupancy of each function room for Section 6.4 Determine maximum
which Function Room Seats are being claimed occupancy

 Documentation for each function roomdemonstrating the bookings for Section 6.5 Determine the usage
the whole of the Rating Period
Area of Heated Pool  Documentation of the surface area of each pool Section 7.4 Measure Heated Pool
area
 Documentation demonstrating the periods during which the Heated Section 7.5 Determine Heated
Pool(s) were available for use by guests during the Rating Period. Pool closure periods
Energy and water usage  Single-line diagrams, electrical circuit schedules and water reticulation Section 8 Energy coverage
Information on sources and diagrams to ensure all energy and water sources are included. Section 9 Water coverage
allocations to different end
 Evidence of accuracy and validation of high-voltage electricity meters Section 10.2 High-voltage
uses in the premises to be
and all other non-utility meters, and records of readings of non-utility electricity metering
rated; and 12 months of
meters. Section 10.3 Non-utility meter
consumption data covering
the Rating Period. records
Section 10.4 Non-utility metering
system validation
 Documentation of any agreements between the Hotel and third parties Section 8 Energy coverage
to allocate costs or responsibility for consumption of facilities outside Section 9 Water coverage
the Scope of the Hotel rating..
 Calculations or documentation confirming any consumption to be Section 8 Energy coverage
excluded from the rating, and substantiating the grounds for the Section 9 Water coverage
exclusion.
 • Utility billing data covering the full 12 months of the Rating Section 11.6 Periods covered by
Period for each energy or water source (as appropriate) used in utility data
the rated premises. This must be either: utility bills showing Section 11.8 Documentation
consumption records for the Rating Period, or required
• a spreadsheet or other electronic record from the utility showing
consumption for the Rating Period, with a clear indication of the
meter identification and reading, and at least one utility bill that
can be shown to reconcile against the electronic data.
 Where bills are not available, permission from any affected third parties
to obtain energy or water consumption data for the premises.
 Bills for deliveries of any discrete (batch) supplies, showing quantities Section 11.4 Batch-delivered
delivered and how they were measured. If the data does not include supplies
enough separate deliveries, then obtain any regular records of storage
capacity readings.
 Documentation of any GreenPower purchases, including the allocation Section 8.3 GreenPower
of bulk purchases.
It is always necessary for a site inspection to confirm that the information provided is accurate, current and complete.

Appendices
12.2 Appendix B – Guide to non-utility metering system

validation
Section 10.4.1 should be used as a guide by a competent person 8, licensed

electrician or electrical engineer to ensure that the Remote Meter Reading
System (RMRS) is interpreting the non-utility meter data correctly.
Section 10.4.2 should be used as a guide by the licensed electrician or electrical
engineer for non-utility electricity meters with current transformers (CTs) to
ensure they are properly installed, functioning correctly and interpreted correctly.
Section 10.4.3 should be used as a guide by a competent person to verify that
the pressure correction factor corrects the measured volume of the non-utility gas
meter to the same pressure conditions used by the utility gas meter.
Where errors with a non-utility metering system are identified it is expected that
the non-utility meter or RMRS will be adjusted and re-tested as part of the
validation, and the adjustment documented.
If a metering system requires adjustment then this must be done by appropriately
qualified and licensed persons according to the applicable standards and
procedures for the equipment.
12.2.1 Remote Meter Reading Systems
RMRS are used to read the meters from a remote location. They are used to
simplify the reading process or because of accessibility issues with manually
reading a meter. RMRS are common for both electricity and water metering.
The RMRS can record the consumption of the meter through a pulse output or
through a protocol that directly reads the meter register. The connection to the
meter can be through a hard-wired, wireless or radio frequency connection.
Most remote water reading systems use pulse output type meters, either hard-
wired or via radio frequency transmitters. Electricity meters use a combination of
pulse output and direct reading of the meter consumption.
The RMRS can be part of an existing Building Management System (BMS) or a
dedicated system.
To ensure that a RMRS is interpreting the meter data correctly, confirm that a
unit of consumption on the RMRS corresponds to a unit of consumption as
measured at the meter.
8 A ‘competent person’ could be an Assessor with an understanding of the meter in question.
At least two readings of the non-utility meter and corresponding RMRS must be
undertaken at the same two time periods, and the results documented. Where
the results identify a discrepancy between the non-utility meter and RMRS, the
RMRS must be adjusted and at least two more readings taken to confirm it is
accurately measuring consumption. All readings and any adjustments must be
documented.
12.2.2 Electricity meters
Electricity meters can be single-phase, commonly used for residential or small

tenancies, or three-phase used for larger tenancies. They can be basic electro-
mechanical meters or fully electronic with analog (dial) or digital displays.
They are either ‘whole current’ (direct connect) where all the electricity flows
through the meter, or current transformer (CT) meters where the transformer
reduces the current flow through the meter by a defined ratio.
A whole current meter is typically used for loads up to 100 amps and CT meters
for larger loads. The more recent exception to this is where small panel-mounted
electronic meters are installed that use CTs regardless of the current flow.
CT ratios are expressed as a ratio of the primary current to the secondary
current. For example, a ratio of 300:5 means that when 300 amps flows through
the CT then 5 amps flows through the meter. If the meter does not have the
ability to program this ratio through some configuration, then the meter reading
would need to be multiplied by this ratio to arrive at the actual consumption
recorded by the meter.
This ratio is also known as the meter multiplier, meter factor or K factor. In the
case of a CT ratio of 300:5, the multiplier or K factor would be 60. As a note all
CTs have a ratio of the ‘value’:5 with the ‘value’ generally indicating the maximum
current for the circuit that is metered.

Appendices
Analog electromechanical meter Typical three-phase electronic meters

available in either whole current available in either whole current (direct
(direct connect) or CT type meters. connect) or CT type meters with little to
distinguish them other than the labelling
on the meter, unless the cover has been
removed. CT type meters have 10
connections, while whole current meters
have 7 connections.
Panel-mounted electronic meter using CTs
1 Exemption for manually read whole current meters

Whole current (direct connect) meters without CTs that are manually read, with
no interpretation by a RMRS, are excluded from these rules.
2 Checking the Current Transformer (CT) ratio and meter wiring

Record the CT ratio and verify, where appropriate, that the meter is correctly
configured to this ratio. Where the CT ratio is not programmed into the meter,
verify that the CT ratio has been correctly applied to the meter readings to arrive
at the actual consumption.
Cross check the wiring of the meter and the CTs for:
• CTs not connected
• reverse CT connection errors, which will significantly reduce the recorded
consumption
• cross phase CT connection errors, where CTs are not matched to the same
phase voltage
• phase sequence connection errors
• faulty or missing potential fuses, which can significantly reduce the recorded
consumption and may cause failure of the meter.
Record the CT ratio or multiplier that is required to convert the meter reading to
kWh.
Where it is not possible to identify the CT ratio, a qualified electrician can use a
power meter to confirm the reading by measuring the actual current flow through
the circuit being metered and the corresponding phase to the meter. The
following calculation would then apply to determine the CT ratio:
measured circuit amps (e.g. 120 amps)

The CT ratio (‘value’:5) = x 5:5
measured meter amps (e.g. 2 amps)
= 300:5
3 Checking meters in place to avoid shutdown

If wiring and CTs associated with non-utility meters cannot be safely accessed
and visually checked without a partial or total shutdown of the building, the
following methods can be used to confirm that each non-utility meter is properly
installed, functioning correctly and interpreted correctly.
If a meter checked by these methods is found to require adjustment, then the
check after adjustment must fully comply with Section 10.4.2/2 above.
Note: A shutdown to allow safe access may then be unavoidable.
Verification using A qualified electrician can verify the operation and accuracy of the
a power meter non-utility meter using a portable power meter to record the
consumption of the metered circuit over a period. This is achieved
by taking meter readings at the start and end of that period and
comparing the measured consumption over the same time period
on the power meter.
Where the difference in the power meter and non-utility meter
readings is greater than 10% this indicates a problem with the
non-utility meter wiring or CTs, which requires correcting.

Appendices
Verification from A qualified electrician can identify the average current in the circuit
measured current being metered using a clamp-on ammeter or similar device. At the
time of the measurement the consumption being measured must
be indicative of the average usage in the metered circuit, and must
be relatively constant in the usage at that time. For each phase,
select a test period of at least one hour and read the non-utility
meter at the start and end of this period.
The readings taken by the electrician within this period can be
converted to an average kilowatt (kW) value:
• divide the average amps by 1.4 for three-phase supply
• multiply the average amps by 0.24 for a single-phase supply.
The kW reading is converted to kilowatt per hour (kWh) based on
the time of the period and compared to the non-utility meter
consumption for that same period. Where the difference between
the value derived from the clamp-on ammeter readings and the
non-utility meter reading is greater than 10% this indicates a
problem with the non-utility meter wiring or CTs, which requires
correcting.
Where either of these methods are used for validation, the CT ratio and meter
multiplier programmed in the non-utility meter must be recorded.
Example
A three-phase circuit with a non-utility meter was measured for one hour and the
amps were recorded at an average of 14 amps per phase. This reading was
converted to 10 kW i.e. 14 amps divided by 1.4 for three-phase supply. The
difference between this figure and the non-utility meter readings should therefore
be 1 kWh (i.e. 10%) or less over that one hour period. Any greater difference in
the meter readings would indicate that the meter must be corrected.
12.2.3 Gas meters

Record the meter pressure and the correction factor required to adjust the
reading to m³ under standard pressure. This data can be collected from the non-
utility meter and compared with the utility meter, or obtained from the gas
supplier.
12.2.4 Example of a validation record for electrical non-utility meters
Building name: Building address:
Name of person undertaking validation: Qualification and/or certified licence number:
Date of validation:
Non- Non-utility Meter Remote meter reading CT ratio Meter Power meter
utility meter wiring Confirmation of the accurate interpretation of system reading the non- (only multiplier; check (kWh)
meter ID description checked* utility meter at the same two time periods (where applicable) applicable K factor; or (only required
for CT type meter factor where it is not
(meter no. (meter brand
or tenancy / and type) Time A Time B meters) possible to
(only applicable
unit no.) identify the CT
Remote Corresponding Remote Corresponding for CT type
ratio)
Metering manual non- Metering manual non- meters)
Reading utility meter Reading utility meter
System readings from System readings from
readings meter face readings meter face
Example Example Yes Time A: 12:25 Time B: 12:32 300:5 60 1600 kWh
12357.90 12357.90 18256.31 18256.31
Time A: Time B:
Time A: Time B:
*The meter wiring check for CT type meters should check for: reverse CT connection errors; cross phase CT connection errors;
phase sequence connection errors; and faulty or missing potential fuses.
Signed to record that the above non-utility meters
are correctly configured and have been validated: ..............………………………………………………………..

Appendices
12.2.5 Example of a validation record for gas non-utility meters

Hotel name: Hotel address:
Date of validation: Name of person undertaking validation:
Non-utility Non-utility Remote meter reading Meter Correction

meter ID meter Confirmation of the accurate interpretation of system reading the non-utility meter at the same two time pressure factor
(meter no. or description periods (where applicable) (kPa)
tenancy / unit (meter brand and
no.) type) Time A Time B
Remote Metering Corresponding manual Remote Metering Corresponding manual
Reading System non-utility meter Reading System non-utility meter readings
readings readings from meter readings from meter face
face
Example Example Time A: 12:25 Time B: 12:32 116.372 1.1485
12357.90 12357.90 18256.31 18256.31
Time A: Time B:
Time A: Time B:
Time A: Time B:

12.2.6 Example of a validation record for water non-utility meters
Hotel name: Hotel address:
Date of validation: Name of person undertaking validation:
Non-utility Non-utility meter Remote meter reading

meter ID description Confirmation of the accurate interpretation of system reading the non-utility meter at the same two time periods (where
(Meter no. or (Meter brand and type) applicable)
tenancy / unit
no.) Time A Time B
Remote Metering Reading Corresponding manual non- Remote Metering Reading Corresponding manual non-
System readings utility meter readings from meter System readings utility meter readings from
face meter face
Example Example Time A: 12:25 Time B: 12:32
12357.90 12357.90 18256.31 18256.31
Time A: Time B:
Time A: Time B:
Time A: Time B:


NABERS Energy and Water For Hotel Rules For Collecting and Using Data

Uploaded by

Document Information

Original Title

Copyright

Available Formats

Share this document

Share or Embed Document

Sharing Options

Did you find this document useful?

Is this content inappropriate?

Copyright:

Available Formats

NABERS Energy and Water For Hotel Rules For Collecting and Using Data

Uploaded by

Copyright:

Available Formats

NABERS Energy and Water for hotels

Rules for collecting

Formatting conventions used in this document

Ph: (02) 9995 5000 (switchboard)

© 2014 State of NSW and Office of Environment and Heritage

2 NABERS Energy and Water for hotels

2.1 The assessment process ........................................................................................11

2.5 Summary of data and documentation needed......................................................... 18

2.8 Site inspection ........................................................................................................23

3 Number of Guest Rooms 25

3.1 Summary ................................................................................................................25

3.2 Process overview....................................................................................................25

3.5 Standard for acceptable data ..................................................................................26

4 Hotel Star Rating 28

4.1 Summary ................................................................................................................28

4.3 Check for Star Ratings Australia Assessment report............................................... 28

4.6 Standard for acceptable data ..................................................................................30

5 Laundry Serviced Rooms 31

5.1 Summary ................................................................................................................31

5.3 Check for On-Site Laundry .....................................................................................32

6 Function Room Seats 35

6.1 Summary ................................................................................................................35

6.2 Process overview....................................................................................................35

4 NABERS Energy and Water for hotels

6.6 Standard for acceptable data ..................................................................................37

7 Area of Heated Pool 38

7.1 Summary ................................................................................................................38

7.3 Check for Heated Pools ..........................................................................................38

7.6 Standard for acceptable data ..................................................................................39

8.1 Interpretation of scope ............................................................................................40

8.3 GreenPower™ ........................................................................................................43

8.4 Documentation required..........................................................................................45

9.1 Interpretation of scope ............................................................................................46

10.1 Summary ................................................................................................................49

10.2 High-voltage electricity metering .............................................................................49

10.4 Non-utility metering system validation ..................................................................... 51

11.1 Summary ................................................................................................................57

11.3 Including or excluding consumption ........................................................................ 62

6 NABERS Energy and Water for hotels

11.7 Correcting non-utility meter readings ...................................................................... 73

12.1 Appendix A – Information checklist for accredited ratings ....................................... 77

The National Australian Built Environment Rating System (NABERS) is a

1.1 About NABERS Energy and Water for hotels ratings

NABERS ratings are expressed as a number of stars, for example:

NABERS rating Performance comparison

1.1.1 NABERS Energy for hotels

8 NABERS Energy and Water for hotels

1.1.2 NABERS Water for hotels

1.1.3 Is the hotel rateable?

A NABERS rating is an environmental benchmark comparison between similar

1.2 About this document

1.2.1 Who the Rules are for

This document is intended for use by NABERS Accredited Assessors and

1.2.3 Related documents

10 NABERS Energy and Water for hotels

2.1 The assessment process

An accredited NABERS rating is awarded when the NABERS National

Figure 1: Overview of the assessment process

Document or tool Description

12 NABERS Energy and Water for hotels

14 NABERS Energy and Water for hotels

Some allowances and adjustments are possible for data that

2.3.1 Current version