NABERS & Green Star Cleaning

NABERS and Green Star are Australia’s two most important sustainability rating systems for commercial buildings, and cleaning practices directly influence performance outcomes in both frameworks. Building owners, facility managers, and tenants pursuing higher sustainability ratings must implement cleaning programs specifically designed to support these environmental performance benchmarks.

Understanding NABERS Ratings for Commercial Buildings

The National Australian Built Environment Rating System (NABERS) measures the actual operational performance of existing buildings across energy, water, waste, and indoor environment categories. Administered by the NSW Department of Planning and Environment, NABERS uses a zero to six star scale where six stars represents market-leading performance.

NABERS ratings are based on measured operational data rather than design intent, meaning the day-to-day cleaning practices within a building directly affect its rating outcome. The NABERS Indoor Environment rating specifically evaluates indoor air quality, thermal comfort, lighting, and acoustic conditions, all of which are influenced by cleaning chemical selection, equipment operation, and maintenance schedules.

Commercial buildings with a net lettable area exceeding 1,000 square metres must disclose NABERS Energy ratings under the Commercial Building Disclosure program established by the Building Energy Efficiency Disclosure Act 2010. This mandatory disclosure has driven significant market demand for higher-rated buildings, with premium tenants increasingly specifying minimum NABERS ratings in their lease requirements.

Green Star Certification and Cleaning

The Green Building Council of Australia (GBCA) developed Green Star as a comprehensive sustainability rating system that assesses building design, construction, and operational performance. Unlike NABERS, which rates operational outcomes, Green Star evaluates the design framework and management systems that enable sustainable performance.

Green Star Performance ratings specifically credit buildings that implement environmentally responsible cleaning programs. The Indoor Environmental Quality category awards points for using cleaning products with low volatile organic compound (VOC) content, implementing integrated pest management programs, and maintaining indoor air quality within specified parameters.

The Green Star Materials category recognises the use of cleaning products certified by accredited ecolabel programs. Good Environmental Choice Australia (GECA) certification under the cleaning products standard (GECA 27) is the most widely recognised Australian ecolabel for cleaning chemicals, with products meeting strict criteria for biodegradability, aquatic toxicity, human health impact, and packaging sustainability.

How Cleaning Affects Indoor Environment Ratings

VOC emissions from conventional cleaning products are a primary indoor air quality concern for both rating systems. Standard commercial cleaning chemicals including multi-purpose sprays, glass cleaners, floor sealants, and disinfectants release VOCs that contribute to poor indoor air quality, occupant discomfort, and reduced cognitive performance.

Switching from conventional to GECA-certified or equivalent low-VOC cleaning products typically delivers measurable improvements in indoor air quality within weeks of implementation. Buildings that have made this transition report NABERS Indoor Environment rating improvements of 0.5 to 1.0 stars within 12 to 18 months when combined with cleaning schedule optimisation and air quality monitoring.

Cleaning schedules also affect NABERS Indoor Environment outcomes. Daytime cleaning during occupied hours can disturb occupants through noise, odour, and airborne particle generation. Transitioning to after-hours cleaning or implementing quiet, low-disruption daytime methods supports better indoor environment performance scores.

Cleaning Product Selection for Green Star Compliance

Green Star Performance Version 1.3 requires documented evidence of cleaning product environmental credentials. Acceptable certifications include GECA, EU Ecolabel, Nordic Swan, and other ISO 14024 Type I ecolabel programs recognised by the Global Ecolabelling Network.

Product categories requiring environmental certification for Green Star compliance include general-purpose cleaners, bathroom and toilet cleaners, glass and surface cleaners, floor care products including strippers and sealants, hand soaps and sanitisers, and laundry detergents used for cleaning textile items such as microfibre cloths and mop heads.

Concentrated cleaning products offer additional sustainability advantages including reduced packaging waste, lower transport emissions per cleaning dose, and decreased storage space requirements. Many GECA-certified products are available in concentrated formats with measured dosing systems that ensure correct dilution ratios while minimising product waste.

Waste Management and Recycling Credits

NABERS Waste ratings assess a building’s operational waste management performance, with cleaning operations generating a significant proportion of commercial building waste. Effective recycling programs implemented through cleaning teams directly improve NABERS Waste outcomes.

Green Star credits waste management practices including source separation, recycling stream contamination management, and organic waste diversion. Cleaning teams are typically responsible for managing waste streams at the collection point level, making their training and compliance critical to achieving waste management targets.

Single-use cleaning products including disposable wipes, paper towels for cleaning purposes, and non-refillable chemical containers contribute to building waste volumes. Transitioning to reusable microfibre systems, refillable chemical dispensers, and washable mop heads reduces waste generation while supporting both NABERS Waste and Green Star Materials outcomes.

Water Conservation in Cleaning Operations

NABERS Water ratings measure total building water consumption, with cleaning activities contributing through floor mopping, pressure washing, window cleaning, and equipment rinsing. Water-efficient cleaning methods including microfibre flat mop systems, water-fed pole window cleaning with recirculation, and measured dosing systems help reduce cleaning-related water consumption.

Green Star Water credits recognise buildings that implement water-efficient cleaning practices as part of their broader water management strategy. Documenting water consumption by cleaning activity helps identify optimisation opportunities and demonstrates continuous improvement to rating assessors.

Energy Efficiency Considerations

Cleaning equipment energy consumption, while modest compared to HVAC and lighting systems, contributes to building energy profiles assessed under NABERS Energy ratings. Energy-efficient vacuum cleaners, auto-scrubbers, and burnishing machines certified under relevant energy standards reduce this contribution.

After-hours cleaning scheduling must consider the energy implications of operating building systems including lighting, HVAC, and lifts outside normal occupied hours. Coordinating cleaning schedules with building management system programming minimises supplementary energy consumption, supporting both NABERS Energy performance and operational cost reduction.

Documentation and Reporting Requirements

Both NABERS and Green Star require documented evidence of cleaning practices for rating assessments. Essential documentation includes cleaning product registers with environmental certification evidence, cleaning schedules and scope of work specifications, staff training records covering environmental procedures, waste audit data showing recycling rates and contamination levels, and chemical Safety Data Sheets for all products used on-site.

Regular cleaning audits against Green Star and NABERS criteria identify compliance gaps before formal rating assessments. Professional cleaning companies experienced in sustainability-rated buildings maintain audit-ready documentation systems that streamline the evidence collection process for building managers.

Implementing NABERS and Green Star aligned cleaning programs across Sydney’s commercial building stock represents a practical, measurable contribution to Australia’s built environment sustainability objectives while delivering tangible benefits in indoor environmental quality, occupant health, and operational efficiency.