14 Oct 2025
The Green Building Council of Australia (GBCA) welcomes the release of the Commercial Building Disclosure (CBD) Program roadmap, which outlines the long-term direction for expanding mandatory energy performance disclosure across the commercial property sector.
Funding to expand the CBD Program was announced as part of the recently released Built Environment Sector Plan. The roadmap provides industry, government and stakeholders with clarity on the future of the CBD Program, while supporting broader emissions reduction goals and aligning with national frameworks currently under development.
The roadmap sets a clear pathway for staged implementation through to 2035, aligning with the Built Environment Sector Plan and the national Trajectory for Low Energy Buildings.
GBCA Chief Executive Officer Davina Rooney said the expansion of the CBD Program reflects the growing importance of transparency in property markets and the key role buildings play in reducing emissions.
“This is a practical and proven policy that delivers real outcomes,” Ms Rooney said.
“Expanding the CBD Program will drive improvements across more of our commercial building stock, giving owners, investors and tenants better information and more opportunities to act on sustainability.”
First introduced in 2010, the CBD Program currently requires commercial office buildings of 1,000 square metres or more to disclose their energy efficiency when offered for sale, lease or sublease, helping prospective tenants and buyers make more informed decisions about a building’s environmental performance.
The roadmap outlines a staged expansion of the program through to 2035, beginning with mixed-use office buildings, large office tenancies, large hotels and public buildings.
Future stages will broaden coverage across different building ownership types and sectors such as retail, data centres and aged care, alongside new measures including minimum energy performance standards, periodic disclosure and integration of the NABERS Renewable Energy Indicator.
Ms Rooney said “together, these steps provide a clear course for market-wide transformation and continuous improvement across the commercial building sector.”
GBCA has been a long-time supporter of the CBD Program, contributing to its development and review since its launch in 2010, and successfully advocating for changes such as the reduction of the disclosure threshold from 2,000 to 1,000 square metres in 2017.
Results to date have been significant. Since the program began:
Mr Shay Singh, Head of Policy at GBCA said the roadmap’s commitment to expanding coverage and encouraging more regular disclosure, beyond the point of sale or lease, is a vital next step.
“This roadmap sends a strong signal to the market that performance matters and that government and industry are working together to support continuous improvement in the built environment,” Mr Singh said.
“The move towards regular disclosure and continual improvement of NABERS tools will provide more consistent, transparent data to guide investment and performance upgrades across the sector.”
“With clear timelines and investment in implementation, it can drive measurable emissions reductions and energy savings across Australia’s commercial buildings.”
GBCA welcomed the roadmap’s release as a key outcome of the Built Environment Sector Plan – particularly the commitment to expand the CBD Program and fund other proven initiatives that drive emissions reduction in buildings, such as NABERS.
Ms Rooney said “electrifying and improving the energy performance of existing buildings is one of the most significant opportunities for hitting the 2035 target.”
“At the same time, we need to ensure that new buildings are designed and constructed ready for a zero-carbon future. That’s why it’s vital that Building Ministers move quickly to finalise NCC 2025, which will introduce requirements to make new commercial buildings zero-carbon-ready and ensure Australia keeps pace with global standards,” Ms Rooney said.
GBCA acknowledges the importance of establishing clear milestones and timeframes to ensure the roadmap’s successful delivery. With future emissions savings expected from 2026 and full implementation targeted by 2035, early clarity will help industry plan with confidence.
When fully implemented, the expanded program is expected to deliver more than a million tonnes of emissions savings and significant energy cost reductions by 2035.
GBCA looks forward to working with government and industry to ensure the expanded CBD Program continues to reward leadership, drive transparency and accelerate Australia’s transition to a zero-carbon built environment.