Author: Steph

Challenge
Limited Insight from Traditional Reporting

ASB set ambitious long‑term energy and carbon reduction goals, but its existing approach to tracking performance relied heavily on traditional energy audits and invoice data. This meant the property team lacked the real‑time visibility needed to identify high‑consumption sites and prioritise efficiency upgrades.

The limitations included:

• Energy usage data delayed by monthly billing cycles
• No live monitoring to pinpoint specific inefficiencies
• Inability to compare site performance and target worst performers
• Rising energy use per sqm despite earlier initiatives
• Difficulty building a strong business case for future improvements

Action

BraveGen provided comprehensive monitoring, analytics, and consulting services to integrate efficiency and sustainability into ASB’s property operations.

Automated Data Integration

• Installed high‑quality sub‑load metering at all sites, measuring every 15 minutes
• Consolidated all monitoring into BraveGen’s cloud analytics platform
• Developed a branch energy tracker leaderboard to engage and motivate teams
• Automated carbon calculators for reporting and audit requirements
• Implemented a rolling programme of performance upgrades based on data insights

Key Features Implemented

• Portfolio‑wide real‑time energy monitoring
• Targeted performance improvement programme
• Integration with NABERSNZ for building performance ratings
• Energy audit and tariff optimisation services
• Ongoing managed services for continuous savings

Impact

Operational Improvements

• 49% energy reduction achieved across the entire portfolio – 14.3 GWh annually saved
• Over $2.1 million NZD annual cost savings
• 11,575 tonnes CO₂‑e avoided cumulatively – electricity is ASB’s largest single direct emission source
• 5 Star NABERSNZ rating at North Wharf HQ
• Improved audit efficiency – direct meter data used for carbon reporting, reducing admin burden

Awards & Recognition:

• Winner, EECA Energy Management Award (2012)
• Winner, EECA Large Business Award (2012)
• Commended, EECA Large Business Award (2014)

 “ASB is really proud of the energy efficiency results we have achieved. Our partnership with BraveGen has been critical to delivering those results across such a large portfolio.”
Anita Potgieter – Head of Facilities Management, ASB Bank

“The monitoring and professional services that BraveGen provide have been invaluable. They give us the visibility to productively plan and track performance across our entire portfolio.”
Matt Rowbotham – GM Procurement & Property, ASB Bank

Challenge:
Improving Performance in a Complex Property Precinct

Property managers overseeing large, multi-site commercial portfolios face the constant challenge of balancing tenant comfort and sustainability with building performance and compliance targets. This is especially true at Auckland’s Harbour Grounds precinct, comprising seven waterfront office buildings totaling over 88,000 sqm and accommodating around 7,000 people. Here, assets of varying vintages and systems are managed for a high-profile workforce and discerning tenants. Growing expectations around energy ratings (notably NABERSNZ), operating cost control, and carbon emissions reductions placed increasing pressure on owners and managers to find robust, scalable solutions that could enable ongoing improvement and innovation – without compromising amenity or staff wellbeing.

Action

To meet these challenges, the owners of Harbour Grounds, with Bayleys as property manager, partnered with BraveGen in 2014. Their approach included:

• Deploying advanced monitoring equipment and integrating with existing building sensors to collect real-time data on electricity, gas, and water consumption across all seven precinct buildings.
• Implementing BraveGen’s cloud-based analytics platform for automated, continuous capture and advanced analysis of sub-metered energy data—enabling the accurate benchmarking of usage and identification of specific savings opportunities.
• Correlating operational data (such as occupancy, hours of use, and heating/cooling needs) to add critical context to energy consumption patterns and inform actionable insights.
• Engaging BraveGen’s specialist engineers to validate, analyse, and interpret the data—resulting in targeted interventions like building management system (BMS) optimisation, lighting upgrades, and HVAC improvements.
• Setting clear performance goals around NABERSNZ ratings, with a roadmap to 5.5 stars, supporting ambitions to offer “high-quality, energy-efficient office space” for tenants.
• Delivering detailed, actionable reporting to building managers and owners, enabling data-driven decisions and fostering a culture of sustainability among tenants.

Impact

The sustained partnership between Harbour Grounds and BraveGen has delivered significant, measurable results:

• Over $3 million saved in operational costs for tenants since 2014—representing up to 32% reduction in energy costs across the portfolio.
• 20 GWh in energy savings achieved—enough to power approximately 3,225 households.
• 2,700 tonnes of CO₂-e avoided, putting the precinct on track to meet and exceed carbon reduction targets.
• Continually improving NABERSNZ ratings: multiple buildings at 4+ stars, with one building on track for a 5.5 star rating.
• Award-winning outcomes: Recognised as the EECA 2018 Energy and Emissions Reduction Project of the Year.
• Enhanced tenant and staff experience: tangible improvements in office air quality, thermal comfort, and workplace amenity, driving greater wellbeing and staff engagement in ongoing sustainability efforts.
• Culture shift: Increased awareness and participation in sustainability initiatives among tenants, supported by transparent reporting and visible building performance gains.

The success at Harbour Grounds illustrates how integrated monitoring, advanced analytics, and specialist expertise empower property managers to unlock ongoing energy, cost, and carbon savings—while elevating workplace experience for tenants and staff.

Challenge:
Improving Energy Management Across a Diverse Property Portfolio

Auckland Council faces the complexity of managing a diverse portfolio of more than 3,500 buildings, ranging from large administration offices to public-use libraries, leisure centres, and swimming pools, each possessing highly specific and variable energy use profiles. The operational requirements for these facilities are diverse, involving different occupancy patterns, hours of use, and environmental control needs, making systematic energy management particularly challenging. Efficient asset management is critical for both reducing operating costs and meeting ambitious climate targets, such as a 50% reduction in greenhouse gas emissions by 2030 and net zero by 2050. The council needed detailed, real-time information across its portfolio to inform energy reduction strategies that could be consistently applied despite the complexity, scale, and variety of its assets.

Action

To address these challenges, Auckland Council partnered with BraveGen, an energy management solutions provider, beginning in 2012. The collaborative approach involved:

• Deploying advanced remote monitoring equipment on nearly 70 of the council’s most-used buildings, capturing real-time electricity, gas, water, and temperature data at 15-minute intervals.
• Utilising BraveGen’s cloud analytics platform for automated data aggregation, validation, and analysis, leveraging high-powered AWS cloud computing and machine learning to identify consumption trends and anomalies.
• Benchmarking and categorising sites by region and type—such as administration, ‘wet’ leisure (with pool), ‘dry’ leisure, library, and others—to enable targeted comparison and management at scale.
• Implementing site-specific interventions, informed by analytics and on-site context, including:
  • Lighting upgrades (e.g., Remuera Library)
  • Air conditioning optimisation (e.g., Papakura Service Centre)
  • Chiller unit upgrades (e.g., 135 Albert St)
  • Solar power installation (e.g., Wellsford Library)
  • Building Management System (BMS) optimisation
• Establishing an alert system to detect, qualify, and escalate faults in utilities consumption for rapid response and rectification.
• Adopting a continuous improvement process with year-on-year energy consumption reduction targets, with a focus on achieving, verifying, and surpassing initial performance goals.

Impact

The systematic integration of BraveGen’s monitoring and analytical tools has delivered measurable results for Auckland Council:

• Energy consumption reduced by 11.73 GWh since project inception, equivalent to the annual usage of approximately 1,035 households.
• Operational cost savings of $1.5 million per year are on track through improved building performance and efficiency measures.
• Carbon emissions reduction of 1,231 tonnes CO₂-e avoided annually, directly supporting Auckland’s net zero targets.
• Targeted further 13.2% reduction in energy use for 2021, with ongoing progress towards long-term sustainability goals.
• Additional benefits have included:
  • Improved air quality and lighting, leading to enhanced staff and customer wellbeing.
  • Positioning the council to achieve NABERSNZ sustainability ratings for appropriate buildings.
  • Enhanced resilience and adaptability during operational disruptions (e.g., Covid-19), with real-time data supporting rapid closure or modification of building operations without waste.
  • Creation of a robust foundation for future strategic asset management in line with Auckland’s long-term climate and sustainability plans.

This case demonstrates how leveraging innovative digital solutions and long-term, data-driven collaboration enables large public sector organisations like Auckland Council to overcome the complexity of diverse asset portfolios and make significant progress on climate, financial, and wellbeing outcomes.