For developers, sustainability commitments don’t end at approval. They’re tested later when buildings are occupied and the energy bills start coming in.
This is especially true for NABERS Commitment Agreements. They lock in a prediction of future operational performance and once a building is running, that prediction is either confirmed or exposed.
The right advice early on can protect long-term asset value. The wrong assumptions can quietly compound into higher operating costs, reputational damage, and uncomfortable conversations down the track.
It’s also why long-term relationships matter in the built environment and our work with Banco began in exactly this context.
The first project: understanding what was really at stake
Co-Perform was initially brought into Banco’s team to support a NABERS Commitment Agreement for 31 Nelson Street, an office building.
We joined the team as a specialist consultant to help Banco aim for a 5‑star NABERS rating, which is a key differentiator for attracting high‑quality tenants, especially government and larger corporate occupiers.
The project required an independent review of the design and a clear assessment of whether the predicted performance would realistically hold once the building was operational.
We reviewed the architects’ and engineers’ documentation, then built a detailed energy model of the building and its HVAC systems in line with NABERS protocols.
There’s a lot that goes into this behind the scenes to ensure the modelling is as accurate as possible. We spoke directly with equipment suppliers to better understand how their systems perform and ran the required scenarios (like partial vacancy, infiltration rates and hours of operation) to show the design would still hold up under less‑than‑perfect conditions.
This is a design-stage prediction of how the building will perform, based on detailed energy modelling that’s peer‑reviewed and approved by the NABERS administrator.
A five-star NABERS rating is a genuine commercial asset, it attracts quality tenants and commands premium rents. But, for new works, developers can’t simply claim that rating without rigorous energy predictions to back it up; the NABERS administrator requires substantiation, and the legal exposure is real. That’s why, for new works, we invest in thorough verification from the start. Accurate modelling during the commitment agreement sets everyone up for success when operational performance is measured down the track.
The submission then went through an independent NABERS design review, which focuses on method and rigour as much as the result. Apart from a few technical clarifications, the reviewer was very positive about the clarity, structure and quality of the work, and the 5‑star Commitment Agreement was approved.
That experience gave Banco confidence not only in the rating, but in the way we worked with them, enough to trust in us to deliver on subsequent projects.
Building on 31 Nelson: an ongoing partnership with Banco
Since 31 Nelson Street, Banco have brought us in on three more substantial projects: 240 Chapel Street, East Brunswick Village and 115 Cotham Road. Together, they show how the relationship has evolved from a one‑off modelling assignment into an ongoing partnership where we’re helping Banco shape and improve the performance of their portfolio.
On 240 Chapel Street and the office component of East Brunswick Village, we were engaged during design, not just at the end. That meant we could influence decisions about glazing, shading, photovoltaic systems, and the way electrical infrastructure and metering are set up.
Those details matter: if, for example, a shared car park or common area is metered the wrong way, NAEBERS will allocate more energy to the office than it should, and the rating suffers even if the design is otherwise strong.
We captured this in a detailed NABERS Action Checklist: a line‑by‑line action list for the whole team, from architects and engineers through to leasing agents and whoever writes the tenant guidelines, so key decisions don’t fall through the gaps.
This isn’t standard in the industry; it’s something we’ve developed because we kept seeing critical actions fall through the gaps between teams. For Banco, it means there’s a single, shared checklist that keeps architects, engineers and even leasing agents pulling in the same direction.
Lifting an established office building from 3 stars to 5
At 115 Cotham Road, an older office building already in operation, the challenge is different again. The building currently sits at around 3 stars, and Banco want to lift it to 5 stars.
The work on this project has been closer to forensic investigation than desk‑based modelling. With a 15‑year‑old building, we had to reconstruct how the systems really work, then verify that against live data from the building management system. Energy-wise the building has “good bones”. By logging into the BMS at unusual times, we discovered operational features that needed attention and, with relatively little effort would show large energy improvements . It’s often this type of hidden behaviour that quietly drives up energy bills and drags down a NABERS rating.
From there, we’ve been able to give Banco a clear “shopping list” of changes, from metering corrections to HVAC recommissioning and plant upgrades. For each item, we spell out what it’s likely to do for the NABERS rating, and this feeds into the cost and complexity implications. The developer can pick the mix of actions that best fits his budget and programme, knowing how each one will move the needle.
Together, these projects tell a single story: Banco now come to us not just to “get a rating”, but to help them design, operate and upgrade buildings in a way that genuinely supports the NABERS outcomes they’re targeting, and gives them confidence in what they’re putting in front of tenants and investors.
Working with advisors whose guidance holds up in practice reduces uncertainty. It allows teams to make confident decisions early, knowing they won’t need to be re-explained or defended later.
That’s how relationships turn into partnerships and it’s how one project becomes four.
If you’re planning a project where performance commitments matter beyond completion, we’d be happy to talk.