SPI index reveals top sustainability performers

NABERS has released its Sustainable Portfolios Index for 2023, showing an increase in participation and high levels of performance.

Now in its fifth year, the index was developed as a benchmarking tool to allow portfolios to compare their overall sustainability performance with their competitors. According to NABERS, the SPI offers the only publicly available, whole-of-portfolio view of actual performance of Australia’s offices and retail assets. It contains ratings information across energy, water, indoor environment, and waste.

The 2023 Index captured 64 office and shopping centre portfolios, up from 53 in 2022. Mirvac and Elanor Investments joined the index in 2023, taking the total companies participating to 27. The SPI Office Energy Index now includes ratings on 418 assets, amounting to 8,560,000m² of rated area, or 27 per cent of the national office market.

The SPI Office Water Index covers 385 assets representing 8,220,000m² of rated area, or 26 per cent of the total national office market.

Lendlease’s Barangaroo International Tower portfolio of five assets covering just under 271,000m² ranked first for energy and water, with a result of 6 stars – the highest possible rating. This was the first time an average 6-star NABERS Energy rating was awarded across 100 per cent of a portfolio.

Reflecting an increased interest in indoor air quality, the number of funds disclosing in the SPI Indoor Environment index performance grew by 38 per cent, with eight new funds listed. Meanwhile, two new funds disclosed their NABERS Waste ratings, driving a 20 per cent increase in the Waste Index.

“Investors and property owners want efficient, resilient and sustainable assets – and the 21 per cent growth in participating portfolios confirms this trend,” says NABERS Director Carlos Flores, M.AIRAH.

“The number of portfolios disclosing their ratings is important – as it not only confirms the clear trajectory of industry leadership, but also strengthens the value of the NABERS SPI.

“We know data drives good decision-making. The SPI provides business intelligence that enables property owners to compare their portfolios against their peers.”

The NABERS Sustainable Portfolios Index 2023 can be viewed at the NABERS website.

Photo by Tom Rogerson on Unsplash