The Assistant Minister for Climate Change and Energy has announced the release of the Roadmap to Expand the Commercial Buildings Disclosure (CBD) Program. The roadmap outlines how the program will support the decarbonisation of Australia’s commercial building sector under the Built Environment Sector Plan, part of the Government’s Net Zero Plan.
The Australian Government has allocated $10 million to expand the CBD program and a further $10 million to accelerate investment in the National Australian Built Environment Rating System (NABERS). The commercial building sector is a significant energy user, accounting for 24% of Australia’s electricity use and 10% of total greenhouse gas emissions.
The roadmap details how expanding the CBD program will help the sector improve energy efficiency, reduce emissions, lower operating costs, and support the transition to a net zero economy. The current program, operating since 2011, requires disclosure of energy performance information for office spaces larger than 1,000 square metres being sold or leased. This transparency has already helped reduce emissions, cut business costs, and encourage energy-efficient investment.
The planned expansion will be implemented in stages and may include:
- Extending the program to large hotels and certain office tenants;
- Lowering the size threshold for covered buildings; and
- Expanding coverage beyond corporate ownership to other property owners.
Further information about the roadmap, the CBD expansion, and the existing program is available at the Commercial Building Disclosure website.
