The Complete Guide to NABERS Waste: Assessments, ESG Compliance & Strategies for Better Ratings
Content
While over 2,200 office buildings in Australia hold an Energy rating, only around 240 buildings (just 10%) have a NABERS Waste rating. With the national average sitting at just 3.3 stars, waste has become the easiest opportunity for office buildings to strengthen ESG reporting and tenant appeal.
This guide explains the assessment process step-by-step, shares strategies to improve your score, and shows how the right tools can make certification easier and more impactful.
What is NABERS Waste?
NABERS Waste is Australia’s benchmark for how well buildings manage waste. Introduced in 2018, NABERS Waste was created to tackle rising waste levels in buildings and ensure waste management becomes a central part of the sustainability agenda.
A NABERS Waste Verification is an independent measure of the recycling and resource recovery performance of a building. It is based on three factors:
- how much waste is produced
- how effectively it is separated
- how much is diverted from landfill.
A NABERS Waste Rating follows the same process as a Waste Verification and then expresses it on a star rating scale according to an industry benchmark. This allows you see how your building compares to others of a similar type. The NABERS Waste Rating is currently only available to office buildings. The rating adds transparency to a building’s sustainability performance, alongside NABERS Energy, Water, and Indoor Environment ratings. Because all data must be accurate, consistent, and verified by an accredited assessor, the results are trusted across the industry.
Waste: The Low-Hanging Fruit of ESG Compliance
Most investors, tenants, and regulators now look at ESG as a whole. If a building has strong Energy and Water scores but no Waste rating, it’s seen as an incomplete picture. Waste is often the missing piece; and in sustainability reports or GRESB benchmarking, that gap stands out. In FY24, out of 2,319 buildings in the NABERS system in Australia, only 240 hold a Waste rating (just over 10%). By contrast, more than 2,200 have Energy ratings and over 1,400 have Water.
However, Waste has become one of the easiest and most impactful areas for buildings to strengthen their ESG performance. The trend is clear: NABERS Waste ratings have grown steadily over the past four years (FY21–FY24), as more owners and managers realise the opportunity. A key reason is that improvement is genuinely within reach. The current national average rating sits at just 3.3 stars, which means most buildings have significant room to grow. Even modest changes, such as adding an organics stream, reducing contamination, or improving supplier data quality, can lift a rating by half a star or more.
Furthermore, a NABERS Waste Rating is valuable far beyond its “stars on a certificate”. A NABERS Waste Rating can be leveraged for Global Real Estate Sustainability Benchmark (GRESB), Australian Sustainability Reporting Standard (ASRS) AASB S2 (Scope 3 Emissions), Green Star Performance, corporate ESG reports. (View Section 9 for more details on different ratings and certifications).
In other words, waste is the “low-hanging fruit”: relatively untapped, highly visible, and often easier to improve than energy or water performance. For buildings looking to strengthen ESG credentials quickly, starting with waste is a smart move.
Understanding NABERS Waste Verification/Rating
NABERS Waste Verification/Rating uses a rigorous data collection and verification process. With a star rating (available for office buildings only), you get all the insights of the verification (including the detailed report) plus an easy-to-understand star rating certificate that you can use for marketing and compliance.
Key Drivers of Obtaining a Rating
A NABERS Waste Rating delivers benefits that go beyond environmental impact, helping with compliance, reporting, costs, and stakeholder trust.
- Credible ESG Reporting. NABERS Waste provides an independent, standardised measure of waste performance. It strengthens corporate ESG disclosures, supports green lease obligations, and is recognised in frameworks like Green Star and GRESB.
- Tenant & Government Requirements. Large corporate and government tenants increasingly expect minimum waste ratings as part of leases. For example, NSW government leases require at least 4 stars from FY26. Meeting these expectations helps secure and retain premium tenants.
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Cost Savings. Better waste separation reduces landfill disposal costs, which are rising due to levies. Ratings highlight inefficiencies, such as excessive pickups or bin sizes, enabling owners to renegotiate contracts and cut fees.
- Property Value & Reputation. High NABERS ratings make buildings more attractive to investors and tenants seeking sustainable spaces. A strong Waste rating signals leadership, boosts corporate image, and fosters pride among tenants and staff.
Types of NABERS Waste Ratings
There are two rating scopes available for offices:
- Base Building rating: measures only the waste streams that the building owner/manager controls (typically the common area or building-managed waste services). This option isolates how all streams controlled by the building management are performing, and is useful if you want to baseline the building operations
- Whole Building rating: covers all waste leaving the building, including tenant-organised streams, provided it can be reliably measured. This approach requires engaged tenants (and often coordination so that all waste is funnelled through a central system), but it gives a complete picture of the building’s total waste performance. Whole-building ratings are ideal for buildings with highly engaged tenants, or tenants that have high secure paper volume.
Both base building and whole-building ratings use the same star scale (0-6 stars), but they have different benchmark bands. Whole-building ratings have higher thresholds for achieving the same star ratings. The benchmark for Whole Building Rating is 6% higher than Base Building Rating.
Data Types
There are two types of data sources for NABERS Waste Rating process: Primary Data and Secondary Data.
Primary Source can be one of the following:
- Internal data (aggregated bag weights- tenant data)
- External data (bin weights- serviced by waste contractor)
- Supplier waste data (noting data quality penalties will apply due to assumed densities
Important: From 1 January 2026, external bin weight becomes mandatory (refer to section 3 or NABERS Waste Rules V2.1).
Secondary Source is Daily Bin Count, highlighting movements per service across one full calendar month. NABERS allows for <20% variance to pass.
The preferred approach is to capture external bin weights from on-site scales: this allows the assessor to also complete the secondary source bin count (reconciling the QTY of bins from supplier data) and is the most accurate/granular weighing system.
Both data types are required to pass the verifications checks and receive no penalties to overall recycling rate.
New NABERS Waste Ruling V2.1 (June 2025 Updates)
NABERS has released version 2.1 of the Waste Rules, introducing several important changes that building owners, facility managers, and assessors need to be across. These updates are designed to tighten data quality, reduce inconsistencies, and bring assessments closer to “real-world” waste outcomes. Here’s a snapshot:
- External Bin Weighing Becomes Mandatory. From 1 January 2026, internal tenant-level bag weights will no longer be accepted as primary data. Instead, sites must weigh full external bins at the Base Building collection point before they are serviced. Sites have until 31 December 2025 to implement, with extensions by request only.
- Dry Waste Recycling Tightened. To include Dry Waste as a valid recycling stream, a site must now demonstrate that both General Waste and Organics streams are active and functional. Previously, having one or the other was sufficient.
What this means for you: These rule changes put a sharper focus on data integrity. External bin weighing and verified dockets reduce the risk of inaccurate reporting, while expanded Dry Waste requirements align assessments more closely with circular economy goals. Sites that prepare early (i.e., updating waste contracts, engaging cleaners, and ensuring robust data capture) will be better positioned for smooth NABERS assessments in 2026 and beyond.
Eligibility and Prerequisites for Getting Rated
Before diving into the NABERS Waste process, it’s important to confirm that your building is eligible and to understand what prerequisites must be in place:
Is My Building Type Eligible?
Most building sectors (e.g. shopping centres, hotels, hospitals) can use the NABERS Waste Platform and are eligible to get a Waste Verification report. At present, only commercial office buildings can receive a NABERS Waste Rating. Both base building and whole-building options are available.
Do I Have Enough Data?
A full 12 months of operational waste data is required, covering all core streams such as general waste, mixed recycling, paper/cardboard, organics, and glass. New buildings or those under refurbishment may need to wait until stable data is available.
Our Accredited NABERS Waste Assessors often ask our clients for the following:
- Waste contract – supplier name, contract start and end date (all relevant suppliers), services on site.
- Primary Source data (either on-site weighing system or supplier data)
- Secondary Source data (optional but necessary to receive excellent data quality/no penalties to rec. rate) – this would include both on site data & supplier data bin count (QTY of bins per service, per stream, per bin size)
- Scale calibration certificate (must be calibrated annually) applicable for on-site weighing system
- Cleaners contact details for waste audit access and organising waste to come down preferably before 7pm
- Any relevant induction links for on-site audit
Tip: Start tracking your waste as early as possible. Our platform, Bintracker, allows for daily lodgements of waste volumes/weights by stream. If you only have partial data currently, plan to gather the rest before seeking a formal rating.
Do I Have the Appropriate Waste Infrastructure?
To participate effectively, your building should have a waste management setup that separates waste into appropriate streams. NABERS Waste ratings expect data on several core streams: General Waste, Co-mingled (mixed) Recycling, Paper & Cardboard, Organics, Glass, Metals and Composite.
Tip: Work with your contractor to ensure you have data for each stream available. If something was not tracked (say you didn’t measure organics because you have no organics bin), that’s okay, it will just be zero if you truly don’t have that stream. But if organics waste is going into general waste due to no separate bin, recognise that in improvement plans. For rating purposes, you must report whatever streams exist and everything should sum up to the total waste generated by the building.
Additionally, having a consistent waste contractor or system over the 12-month period is important – if you changed contractors or had gaps, ensure you still have complete records of waste during transitions.
Another prerequisite is knowing your waste infrastructure: how many bins you have, their sizes, how often they’re collected, and where the waste is going (which facilities). The NABERS process will ask for details like waste contract information and bin types on site as part of the setup, to ensure all waste sources are captured.
Do I Need an Assessor?
All NABERS Waste ratings must be conducted by an accredited assessor, who will verify your data, perform site checks, and submit the rating. Building owners cannot self-rate. In many cases, the assessor can also help you determine if you meet all other prerequisites and guide you in gathering any missing pieces before officially starting the rating. Typical Assessors’ list of tasks include (but not limited to):
- Configures building (optional)
- Site checks
- Data verifications
- On-site audits
- Submits rating
Where Do I Sign Up?
Finally, you will need access to the NABERS Waste Platform. Anyone can sign up for a NABERS account, but to get your building onto the Waste Platform, you (or your assessor) will fill out a Building Setup Information Form for NABERS. Once set up, you can input or upload your data. The key is to have the digital infrastructure ready, since the official rating calculation will be done through this platform.
Step-by-Step Process to Obtain a NABERS Waste Rating
Achieving a NABERS Waste rating involves a structured process. Below is a step-by-step guide for building owners of office buildings, from initial engagement to receiving your certificate. Each step is critical to ensure the rating is accurate, credible, and reflective of your building’s performance.
Step 1: Engage an Accredited NABERS Waste Assessor
The journey begins with selecting a qualified professional to conduct the rating. NABERS Waste ratings must be performed by an independent Accredited Assessor who is trained in the waste rating methodology. The assessor’s role is to verify data, perform audits or site checks, compile the results, and submit them to NABERS for certification.
Tips: It’s wise to engage the assessor early – even before your full 12 months of data is ready. A good assessor can advise on setting up your data collection approach, identifying any potential issues (e.g. a missing waste stream or need for additional measurement), and scheduling audits at the right times.
If you lack internal capacity, the assessor can take on tasks like data entry, coordinating with contractors, etc. Ultimately, the assessor will be your key partner to ensure the rating is done correctly and in compliance with the official Rules.
Step 2: Collect Waste Data and Records (12-Month Data Collection)
A NABERS Waste rating hinges on one thing: a full year of reliable data. You’ll need 12 consecutive months of records covering every waste stream leaving your building. At minimum, track General waste (landfill) and Recycling streams (paper, cardboard, commingled, organics, glass, etc.). You can source data from:
- Supplier reports/invoices. Often the primary record, ideally in weights (kg/tonnes). If you only receive volumes or bin counts, you’ll need density factors or audits to convert them accurately. Note: Supplier data can be inconsistent or “too perfect” (repeated weights, same densities month after month). NABERS will penalise these patterns.
- Daily bin counts. Cleaners or FM staff logging how many bins of each type are emptied. This acts as a secondary check against supplier reports.
- Building info & contracts. Bin sizes, collection frequency, waste contractors, plus supporting evidence like weighbridge dockets, receipts, or recycling certificates.
Important: The data must cover exactly 12 months, with no gaps. Missing months or generic estimates will drag down your data quality score. Monthly uploads are best practice. They let you spot anomalies early and make rating time far smoother. NABERS requires mandatory reporting for core streams.
Step 3: Conduct Waste Audits (On-site Measurements and Verification)
Waste audits give your data credibility. They go beyond invoices to confirm two things NABERS requires: contamination and density. Your assessor will organise these.
- Contamination Audit. Inspects recycling streams to measure how much is recyclable versus contamination. At least one audit is needed during the 12-month period and the following 120 days.
- Density Audit. Weighs bins to check how much waste they really hold, instead of relying on assumed averages. This ensures volume-based data can be converted accurately and exposes any discrepancies in contractor reports.
Audits are also powerful diagnostics. They reveal what recyclables are ending up in landfill, and where new streams (like coffee cups or e-waste) could be added. Photos and reports can double as tenant education tools.
Timing: For large offices, audits usually take longer. Schedule during normal operations (mid-week is best) and coordinate with cleaners to hold back waste until it’s inspected.
Step 4: Compile Documentation and Evidence
With data and audits complete, the next step is packaging everything for your assessor. Clear evidence is essential to prove your data is valid and NABERS-compliant.
- Waste Dataset. Ensure your 12 months of waste data is uploaded to the NABERS Waste Platform. Double-check that all streams are included, aligned to the same period, and backed up with an offline copy. Be ready to explain any unusual spikes or gaps.
- Audit Results. Provide contamination and density audit reports in a clear format. Photos, weight readings, and contamination percentages help validate your data and may be requested as part of the audit trail.
- Invoices & Records. Submit contractor invoices, weighbridge dockets, and bin logs. Organise them by month and stream. Small discrepancies are normal; larger ones must be explained.
- Building & Contract Info. Include waste contracts, bin details, and notes on which tenants are covered (or excluded). This confirms the scope of your rating.
- Waste Destinations. Show where your waste goes. Evidence of recycling facilities or organics processors strengthens your Material Recovery Score. At minimum, know the landfill sites and recovery partners your contractors use.
- Continuous Communications. From here, expect some back-and-forth. The assessor will query anomalies, reconcile data sources, and apply NABERS’ quality checks. If you’ve kept thorough records, this step should run smoothly.
Step 5: Submit the Data and Receive the NABERS Waste Rating
The final step is simple: your assessor uploads all data into the NABERS Waste Platform and submits the application. For offices, the system calculates your 1–6-star rating based on benchmarked data.
NABERS’ National Administrator reviews the submission, checks for accuracy, and, if all is in order, certifies your result. You’ll then receive:
- A certificate showing your star rating (e.g. “5 stars – Base Building, 2025”).
- A detailed report explaining your performance.
- Optional: Public listing on NABERS’ database, if you choose to opt in.
From there, it’s time to celebrate: display the certificate in your lobby, publish it online, and brief tenants and investors. Remember, the rating is valid for 12 months. NABERS encourages annual renewals to keep performance data fresh and drive year-on-year improvements.
Don’t worry if your first score is lower than hoped. Most buildings start modestly and climb over time. Some even set multi-year star targets and use each rating cycle to measure progress. High performers (5 or 6 stars) often gain recognition through industry awards or case studies, positioning their buildings as sustainability leaders.
Tip: You do have the option to opt out on disclosing your star rating if you wish to.
Using Bintracker to Support Certification Process
Every step of the NABERS Waste journey is easier with the right tools. For existing Bintracker users, the matrix below maps out how Bintracker supports each stage of the step-by-step process, helping you save time, improve data quality, and maximise your rating outcome.
Yining Su
Senior Waste Consultant (NSW) & Head of Building Performance | NABERS Waste Accredited Assessor and TRUE Waste Advisor
Yining holds a Ph.D. in Geography from the University of Hong Kong, where she researched influences on public environmental behaviour. She has published several peer-reviewed articles and also holds M.Eng and B.Eng degrees in Landscape Architecture.
Sheridan Kelly
Senior Waste Consultant (QLD) & Head of NABERS | NABERS Waste Accredited Assessor and TRUE Waste Advisor
Sheridan has 10 years of experience in waste management with Veolia and Cleanaway across hydrocarbons, solid waste, and hazardous waste. She holds a B.Sc. in Environmental Science and is a NABERS Waste Accredited Assessor.
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Appoint a certified professional to run the NABERS Waste process.
Our team of 9 Accredited NABERS Waste Assessors and 2 TRUE Waste Experts cover all major Australian states and cities.
Gather contractor reports, bin counts, and weighbridge records for a year.
Bintracker consolidates supplier imports, bin counts, and on-site weigh data into one dashboard.
Perform on-site checks to measure contamination and recycling accuracy.
Our NABERS-accredited assessors perform audits using validated data from Bintracker. View audit results directly via the portal.
Compare supplier vs secondary data, remove errors, confirm compliance.
Bintracker validates data against supplier invoices, runs variance checks & issues outlier alerts.
Package verified data, audit evidence, and building info into one submission.
Bintracker generates NABERS-ready exports with supplier + bin count validation.
Bonus points for best and highest use of materials.
Gurru provides due diligence check on truck registration, dockets records, GPS, CCTV, etc. for a verified MRS.
Assessor submits validated data to NABERS Waste Platform.
Bintracker ensures data is fully validated and submission-ready, reducing assessor queries.
NABERS issues rating or verification report.
Bintracker/Gurru provides dashboards, tenancy portals, ESG reporting, and helps track diversion rates.
How to Improve Your NABERS Waste Rating
Getting a NABERS Waste rating is only the first step. The real progress comes from improving it over time. In this section, we’ll share practical strategies to lift your score and show how Bintracker makes each step easier. If you’re already a Bintracker user, you’ll also learn how to get the most out of your subscription when preparing for a rating or renewal.
Data Accuracy
Data accuracy is the bedrock of NABERS. But invoices arrive in mixed formats, weights are often estimates, and reconciling data is a nightmare. To fix this:
- Include actual weights, not estimates. NABERS rewards real measurements. If your building weighs its waste or tracks bin fill levels internally, include this data. Many buildings have staff weigh each bin or bag of waste using scales at the loading dock.
- Log bin counts as a secondary source of truth. NABERS allows bin count data as a supplementary data source to boost your rating’s credibility.
- Track all supplier invoices across every stream. They usually detail how many bins were collected and sometimes the weight of each collection.
⚡Accurate Data Capture via Bintracker
With Bintracker, this entire process becomes far simpler: supplier data is imported directly, cleaned, and converted into NABERS-ready formats, while smart scales and daily bin counts provide extra verification. The result is one consolidated dashboard showing accurate and defensible waste figures. Here’s an overview of relevant features directly related to this step in the rating process:
- Automated & Granular Data Capture. Bintracker’s Onsite Weighing integrates with smart scales, allowing cleaners or facility staff to weigh bins or bags on the spot. Each weight entry can be tagged with the waste type and even the specific tenant or floor it came from. This precise, source-level data is gold for NABERS and is automatically logged in the system.
- Consistent Daily Record of Bin Counts. Bintracker’s Daily Bin Count feature allows staff to simply select the date and input the number of bins of each type that were put out and even attach a photo for evidence.
- Imports & Standardises Supplier Data. Bintracker’s Supplier Data Management feature was built for this purpose. We get data directly from your waste suppliers, then clean, consolidate and validate them into NABERS-ready standardised formats, and plug them straight into Bintracker platform.
Data Quality
Having lots of data is great, but data quality is what NABERS cares about. Gaps, outliers, or mismatches between sources drag down your data quality score. Data quality penalties can impact the outcome by up to 35%. To safeguard it:
- Cross-check vendor data with internal logs. Do they match up each week? If your cleaners logged 10 recycling bins in a month but the recycler invoiced for 12, investigate why.
- Spot anomalies early. Look for any data points that don’t make sense – a day with abnormally high weight, or a month where one stream drops to zero. Such outliers might indicate a data entry mistake or a service issue.
- Keep notes of any adjustments or verifications you perform. E.g., if you realise a contractor over-reported recycling tonnage in one month and you corrected it, note that. This kind of documentation shows an auditor that you took care to ensure accuracy.
- Engage an on-site audit completed by a NABERS assessor. This is critical in achieving the best rating possible. The below matrix goes into more details about why and how an on-site audit is a must-have in ensuring data quality.
⚡ Validate Data via Bintracker
Having lots of data isn’t enough, NABERS cares about whether that data is reliable and defensible. The challenge is that data sources rarely line up neatly: supplier weights may not match bin counts, outliers distort averages, and gaps in reporting drag down your data quality score. To protect your rating, buildings should:
- Consolidate & validate supplier data. Bintracker’s Supplier Data Management imports invoices, cleans the formatting, and standardises entries so you can instantly compare supplier reports with your internal logs.
- Automatically flag outliers. Bintracker’s Dynamic Outlier Notifications flag suspicious data (e.g., an unrealistic 700kg bin) in real time, so you can investigate and correct them straight away.
- Capture granular data on a consistent basis. Bintracker’s Onsite Weighing and MOBI scales record waste at the source, calibrated to 100 grams for accuracy far beyond supplier truck weights. Each entry is tagged by stream, tenant, and location, creating a clear secondary source for NABERS. Because data flows in daily, not just monthly, you can immediately spot missing records, gaps, or service issues rather than waiting until audit time. For multi-tenancy portfolios, this granularity not only supports NABERS verification by providing a strong secondary data source, but it also gives tenants their own breakdown of performance for ESG reporting.
- Back your score via secondary sources. Bintracker’s Daily Bin Counts and Onsite Weighing serve as accurate & verified secondary sources, allowing you to greatly improve your NABERS data validation score via a multi-source verification workflow.
Automate Processes
Accuracy and validation only hold if data is consistent across 12 months. Manual entry leaves too much room for missed counts, mis-logged weights, or guesswork. A single gap can cost you half a star.
That’s why automation isn’t a nice-to-have, it’s the only way to guarantee accuracy at scale. With Bintracker, you spend less time chasing spreadsheets and more time improving what matters: contamination, diversion, and tenant engagement:
- No missed records. Daily bin counts and onsite weighing flow directly into the system, keeping your dataset continuous.
- No inconsistent formats. Supplier invoices are imported and standardised automatically, ready for NABERS.
- No unnoticed errors. Outliers and anomalies are flagged in real time, rather than discovered months later.
- No guesswork. Calibrated Bluetooth scales capture true weights at the source, removing reliance on estimates.
But remember: not everything can be automated. Some checks, like contamination audits, supplier due diligence, or investigating anomalies, require professional judgment. That’s where NABERS-accredited assessors step in to assure data quality and guide improvements.
Earn ‘Bonus Points’ via Material Recovery Score System
Material Recovery Score (MRS) is a measure of the quality of the end of-life outcome of waste leaving a commercial building. Every waste type has a NABERS standard MRS.
- Composition audits for mixed recycling usually increase the score compared to NABERS std. of 2.88.
- Required Evidence: Statement of destination from contractor verified with evidence of tipping dockets.
- Note: For MRS facility info, the assessor should contact the waste supplier directly confirming the facility name, and more than 70% of services were accepted and went to said facility.
Our NABERS Accredited Assessors offer a Due Diligence reporting service designed specifically to support this NABERS reporting criteria. This includes:
- Comprehensive verification of supply chain integrity through tipping dockets, GPS tracking, CCTV checks, and facility acceptance criteria;
- NABERS-Ready chain-of-custody report that proves your waste went where the supplier said it did.
Check out section 6.4 for a full breakdown of our NABERS Waste services.
Where You Need an Expert: Gurru’s NABERS Waste Services
When it comes to NABERS, there’s always a human layer of assurance required. That’s where our NABERS Accredited Waste Assessors come in. They provide the expert judgment that ensure your data stands up to NABERS’ highest standards. The matrix below maps out these services, what they include, and who they’re ideal for:
Actual vs. Estimated Data Identification
- Identifies reliance on estimated weights, substituted densities, or repeated values
- Recommends steps to shift to actual measured data via external bin weighing & calibrated scales.
NABERS Performance Monitoring
- Ongoing reconciliation of bin counts, supplier data, and onsite weighing.
- Early detection of failed services, outliers, and contamination.
- Performance monitoring, regular reviews with site teams.
NABERS Waste Assessment & Certification Support
- Full assessor service: audits (contamination, density, composition), portal lodgement.
- Outlier explanations, administrator liaison, and certification management.
Due Diligence Reporting (MRS)
- Verifies supply chain integrity with tipping dockets, GPS, CCTV, etc.
- Acceptance criteria checks.
- Provides chain-of-custody assurance.
Pre-Assessment NABERS Report
- Reviews historic NABERS results
- Reconciles supplier & bin count data. Highlight any gaps.
- Forecasts potential ratings.
General Waste Composition Audits
- Identifies missed opportunities in General Waste.
One Step Further: Improving Your Building’s Waste Performance
Obtaining the rating is not the end – it’s the beginning of a continuous improvement journey. The real value of NABERS Waste is that it illuminates where you can do better and tracks the impact of changes. Here are practical strategies for improving your building’s waste performance and increasing your NABERS Waste score over time:
Add More Recycling Streams
Start with the essentials: landfill, mixed recycling, paper/cardboard, and organics. From there, consider extras like soft plastics, e-waste, batteries, printer cartridges, and coffee cups. Every extra stream means less going to general waste and a stronger diversion rate. Be sure to provide appropriate bins and clear signage when rolling out a new stream and communicate with tenants about what can go in each.
Reduce Contamination
It’s not just about recycling more but recycling better. Audits often reveal common mistakes, like food scraps or plastic bags in recycling bins. Clear signage, consistent bin systems, and tenant education make a big difference. Even simple steps like making sure every kitchenette has the same bin setup help reduce errors. Some buildings place visual prompts (like posters above bins or even transparency panels on bins so people see what’s inside); others run refresher sessions or share quick “Recycling 101” flyers. Moving forward, continually monitor contamination by doing mini-audits or asking cleaners for feedback on common mistakes they observe.
Optimise Your Bin Setup
Our environment shapes our behaviour. A smart setup turns correct recycling into second nature, making good habits easier and bad habits harder:
- Replace under-desk bins with centralised hubs. Desk bins tend to fill with mixed waste. Centralised stations with clear labels of all streams encourage people to separate correctly.
- Intuitive Signages: Use clear signage with iconography and examples of what goes (and doesn’t go) in each bin. Avoid jargon; use simple terms. Also label bins in back-of-house areas for cleaners so they don’t mix contents by mistake.
- Space for More Streams: If you plan to add streams like batteries or e-waste, create a collection point (like a “recycling hub” in the lobby or mail room) where these can be dropped off safely. Even if these aren’t everyday streams, periodic collection drives can capture significant waste that would otherwise go to landfill.
- Organics Management: For food waste, have measures to prevent odour or pest issues, e.g., using compostable liners, frequent removal & cleaning of bins. Tenants will be more willing to separate food waste if the bins are clean and don’t smell. Check out our blog for more tips on how to manage your organics waste.
Reduce Waste at the Source
The best waste is waste that never occurs. Engage tenants in waste minimisation strategies: encourage double-sided printing (or better, digital documents instead of printing), promote use of reusable cups and bottles (perhaps coordinate a building-wide giveaway of reusable coffee cups or water bottles), and work with any on-site cafés or caterers to minimise disposables (e.g., bring-your-own-cup discounts, eliminating single-use plastics in cafeterias).
Bring Everyone On Board: Tenant & Staff Engagement
Improving waste performance isn’t something building owners can do alone. Waste success depends on the people using and handling the bins every day. When they’re engaged and empowered, lasting change becomes possible.
- Make it a Shared Responsibility. Start with a clear message: waste is everyone’s job. Whether through a kick-off meeting, memo, or tenant roundtable, set the tone that reducing waste is a shared goal with shared benefits.
- Work with Tenants, Not Around Them. Instead of broad campaigns, focus on tenant-specific data. Bintracker makes it possible to spot underperforming tenants and share personalised reports. Framing this positively (“Here’s where we can help you improve”) is more effective than blanket reminders. Don’t underestimate the power of gamification: simple leaderboards or recognition for “best performing floor” can spark healthy competition and keep waste top-of-mind.
- Empower Cleaners. Cleaners are often the first to notice contamination or misuse. Train and encourage them to report issues rather than just emptying bins.
- Create Feedback Loops. Open channels for quick feedback: a shared email, tenant portal form, or even informal check-ins. Tenants should feel comfortable saying, “We need more paper bins,” just as cleaners should feel safe pointing out, “Tenant X keeps tossing food into recycling.” Acting quickly on these insights builds trust and momentum.
- Educate Without Overloading. Education should be ongoing but not overwhelming. Mini sessions, short flyers, or digital signage work better than one-off information dumps. Constant education without bombarding people is a delicate balance. Keep it simple, visual, and consistent across the building.
How Bintracker Underpins Long-term Waste Improvement
At the end of the day, you can’t improve what you can’t see. Many buildings struggle not because they lack effort, but because they lack clarity.
Bintracker provides granular and verified data, captured on a consistent basis & visualised in one single interactive dashboard. That level of data quality makes action possible. Without it, you’re guessing. With it, you can make targeted decisions that lift recycling rates, cut contamination, and improve NABERS scores.
Equally important, Bintracker opens the door to tenant engagement. Because data is captured at the tenant or floor level, you can share results directly with occupiers. That means:
- Tenants see their own impact and take ownership of improving performance.
- Buildings can “spot-treat” underperforming tenants rather than rolling out blanket campaigns.
- Automatically generated leaderboards and tenant waste reports spark healthy competition & keeps people motivated to improve.
The combination of clarity of data + active tenant participation is what takes buildings from making one-off fixes to long-term, measurable improvement.
Other Ratings & Certifications
While NABERS Waste has become the most recognised benchmark for office buildings in Australia, it is not the only framework. Buildings and organisations are increasingly expected to demonstrate performance across multiple certifications, each with its own focus, methodology, and global reach.
The “Big Three” in Australia
Besides NABERS, the other two most used certifications in our market are:
- Green Star (Green Building Council of Australia): A performance-based rating system that measures waste generation and recycling rates, and recognises policies such as Operational Waste Management Plans or Zero Waste to Landfill commitments.
- GRESB: A global reporting framework for real estate and infrastructure, rewarding strong waste reduction practices, tracking systems, and third-party certifications like NABERS and Green Star.
Together with NABERS, these three focus primarily on waste policy, total waste generated, and recycling/diversion rates, offering a relatively simple “snapshot” metric of performance.
Global and Specialist Certifications
Beyond these, there are frameworks that dig deeper into verification, transparency, and behavioural change:
- UL 2799: A global standard emphasising landfill diversion, material lifecycle, and supply chain transparency. Requires robust data documentation and third-party verification.
- TRUE Waste (Green Business Certification Inc., US): Focuses on facilities and businesses, with an emphasis on employee engagement, financial tracking of disposal costs, and leadership commitment to zero waste. It goes beyond volumes, rewarding cultural change and innovation.
- These programs are less common in Australia but are gaining traction with multinational companies and sustainability-driven portfolios. They reflect a shift from simply “how much you recycle” to “how well you verify, engage, and innovate.”
Waste: The ESG Advantage You Can’t Afford to Miss
If you’re looking for a fast, defensible lift in ESG performance, start with waste. The 2025 rule updates make one thing clear: data quality and verification will decide your score and your credibility. Set yourself up now: lock in an accredited assessor, establish external bin weighing, standardise supplier reporting, and automate secondary verification so there are no gaps, guesses, or “too-perfect” numbers.
Ready to turn intent into a certified result (and build a repeatable, portfolio-wide system)?
- Book a NABERS Waste pre-assessment with Gurru’s accredited team to map your likely star outcome and any quick wins.
- See Bintracker in action to automate data capture, validation and submission-ready exports.
Frequently Asked
Questions
How much does a NABERS Waste Rating cost in 2025?
There are two parts to the cost:
- The administration / lodgement fee charged by NABERS.
- The assessor’s fee, which varies depending on the building size, complexity, and how much site work and audits the assessor needs to do. NABERS does not set a standard assessor fee; you need quotes from NABERS-accredited assessors.
As of 1 July 2025, NABERS has introduced a revised pricing structure, which includes increases beyond CPI, so both the lodgement/administration fees and related costs are higher than in previous years. Refer NABERS introduces new pricing structure following major review | NABERS for more details.
Are there additional costs beyond NABERS fees (e.g., audits, consultants, data systems)?
Yes. Key additional costs include:
- Assessor fees: site visits, audits (contamination audits, composition audits, bin density audits), data verification. These are charged by the assessor.
- Audits: the assessor or building may need to conduct specific audits to satisfy NABERS Rules. If you skip audits, standard/default values apply, which may reduce the rating.
- Data collection / management systems: you may need to purchase or maintain systems (or pay contractors) to collect accurate waste weights, bin counts, run composition audits, log/track data in the NABERS Waste Platform, etc.
- Internal staff time and operational changes to ensure accurate separation of waste streams, tenant coordination, documentation, etc.
- Possibly consultant or project management fees if you bring in a sustainability consultant to help you prepare, manage the process, or improve your rating.
How long does it take to complete a NABERS Waste Assessment?
- The rating period is 12 continuous months of operational waste data. You need data for a full year to apply.
- After the rating period ends, there is 120 days allowance to lodge the rating with NABERS. The exact timeline depends on when data/materials are ready and when the assessor can conduct required audits.
- There is no single fixed “assessment duration” published publicly (for the entire process), because it depends on data readiness, audit scheduling, building type, assessor lead time. But you should expect that once you have 12 months of data, organising audits, assessor engagement, and lodgement may take some additional weeks to months.
How long is a NABERS Waste Rating valid for?
- Once the rating is certified, it is valid for up to 12 months (i.e., one year).
- Also, NABERS has rules for “rating period” vs “validity period.” The rating period is the 12 months of data; the validity period is the post-certification period during which the rating can be used.
Refer to NABERS Waste Rules V2.1, under 10.3 and 10.3 for more information.
When should I start preparing if my rating is due for renewal?
Begin gathering and verifying your waste data at least 12 months before the date you want the rating period to end. Because you need a full year of continuous data.
What happens if I miss the renewal deadline?
If you fail to lodge the rating within the allowed period after the rating period ends (the “lodgement allowance”), your rating may still be lodged but the validity period may be reduced. That is, delays in submission after the rating period can shorten how long your rating is considered current.
Can tenants apply for a NABERS Waste Rating independently?
NABERS Waste has two “rating scopes”:
- Base building: only includes wastes contracted by the building owner.
- Whole building: includes all wastes leaving the building (including tenant waste) if they can be reliably measured according to NABERS criteria.
So, if you’re a tenant with sufficiently good data, you might be able to participate (especially under whole-building scope), but you must meet data measurement, reliability, and audit rules. Tenant-only ratings (just tenants without involvement of building management) are less common / more challenging unless contracts/data allow.
Can retail, healthcare, or universities get a NABERS Waste Rating?
- Currently, the star rating benchmarking (i.e. full NABERS Waste Rating) is only available for commercial office buildings, because the benchmarks for other sectors are not yet established.
- However, other building types (like retail, health, universities, apartments, hotels, etc.) can use the NABERS Waste Platform and obtain a Waste Verification Report (i.e. verify performance without an official star rating) provided they meet data and audit requirements.
What data is required for a NABERS Waste Rating?
Key data requirements include:
- 12 months of operational waste data: weights of waste streams, bin counts or weights for each stream, reliably measured and continuous.
- Details of waste streams: which types are generated, how they are collected, which are mandatory, which are optional. Optional streams can boost performance if data is present.
- Audits:
- Contamination audits for recycling streams (to adjust for contamination that ends up going to landfill)
- Bin density audits (if actual weight data is missing for bins) to estimate weights reliably.
- Composition audits (for mixed waste bins) to split materials correctly for the material recovery score.
- Measurement reliability and data quality scoring: NABERS scores for data quality depend on whether audits have been conducted and how complete or reliable your data is. If audits or measurements are missing, default values or standard assumptions are used, which can harm your score.
- Platform uploads: data must be uploaded to the NABERS Waste Platform, using prescribed templates/formats.
How do I choose the right NABERS Waste assessor?
When selecting a NABERS-accredited assessor for Waste, consider:
- Current accreditation: they must be accredited in the NABERS Waste methodology. Some assessors might be accredited in Energy or Water, but not Waste.
- Experience in your building type or sector: especially if aiming for whole building rating, or if your building has complex or unusual waste streams.
- Audit capabilities: ensure they can perform the necessary audits (contamination, composition, density) or manage them. If they need to subcontract, check their arrangements.
- Responsiveness / timeline: how fast they can access bin rooms, contractors, collect data and perform site visits.
- Fee transparency: get multiple quotes, ensure the quote covers all audits, site inspections, data verification etc.
- Quality of data and documentation support: good assessors will help you prepare, guide data collection, flag missing data issues beforehand.
- Reputation and past ratings: check references or past work, perhaps buildings like yours.
What is GECA and how it helps NABERS Waste Rating?
GECA (Good Environmental Choice Australia): A third-party ecolabel that extends beyond waste volumes to cover due diligence in waste services and suppliers. It audits areas such as truck safety, modern slavery, and overall service compliance. GECA certified waste services (building-specific) pass secondary bin count validation automatically and is deemed to have a better material recovery score. But it incurs additional cost to get GECA certified.
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