What They Are and How BMS Can Help You Earn Them
In the race to net-zero, building owners are discovering that carbon credits aren’t just for wind farms and solar arrays, they can also come from smarter building operations. By cutting energy use and lowering emissions, buildings can generate tradable credits, creating a new revenue stream while improving sustainability performance.
The push for net-zero buildings is no longer a niche goal, it’s an industry expectation.
With buildings responsible for nearly 40% of global CO₂ emissions (International Energy Agency, 2022), the built environment holds enormous potential to contribute to climate targets. One emerging opportunity for owners and operators is turning emissions reductions into carbon credits, a tradable, measurable asset.
What Are Carbon Credits in the Building Context?
A carbon credit represents one tonne of carbon dioxide equivalent (tCO₂-e) reduced or removed from the atmosphere. In Australia, these are issued as Australian Carbon Credit Units (ACCUs) by the Clean Energy Regulator.
While ACCUs are often associated with land projects like reforestation, buildings can also generate them by undertaking eligible, verifiable emissions-reduction activities under approved methods.
These include:
- Energy efficiency upgrades: high-efficiency HVAC systems, advanced BMS controls, LED lighting retrofits.
- On-site renewable energy: solar PV systems replacing grid electricity from fossil fuels.
- Refrigerant management: switching to low-GWP refrigerants and optimising chiller performance.
The key is proof, reductions must be measured, verified, and audited to qualify.
Opportunities for Commercial & Institutional Buildings
- BMS Optimisation – Fine-tuning building automation systems to reduce unnecessary HVAC run-times and cut energy wastage.
- HVAC Upgrades & Control – Integrating advanced HVAC control strategies to minimise energy consumption without sacrificing comfort.
- BAS Integration – Connecting lighting, heating, cooling, and ventilation under one platform for maximum efficiency.
- Peak Demand Management – Avoiding high-emission, high-cost electricity periods to improve both your bottom line and your emissions profile.
Why This Matters
Beyond the environmental benefits, carbon credits can offset operational costs, attract sustainability-focused tenants, and strengthen ESG reporting. For government or education facilities, these savings can be reinvested into further upgrades, creating a positive cycle of improvement.
Where to Start
Identifying, verifying, and claiming carbon credits requires accurate energy monitoring and reliable reporting. A well-configured BMS or BAS isn’t just an operational tool, it’s your proof of performance.
A Strategic Path Forward
For building owners and facility managers, exploring carbon credits doesn’t have to mean starting from scratch. Often, existing energy efficiency projects can be enhanced, documented, and registered under ACCU methods.
Key steps include:
- Baseline measurement of current emissions.
- Identify eligible upgrade projects aligned with ACCU methodologies.
- Implement monitoring systems for verification.
- Engage accredited auditors to issue credits.
Turning Compliance into Competitive Advantage
Carbon credits aren’t just a tick-box exercise for compliance, they’re a way to turn energy efficiency into measurable, bankable value. By leveraging your existing BMS, HVAC, and BAS infrastructure, you can capture these opportunities, prove your environmental performance, and position your building as a leader in sustainability.
The next wave of high-performing buildings will be defined by those that can measure, verify, and monetise their efficiency gains. With the right strategy and technology, your building could be one of them.
At IES Automation, we specialise in the intelligent control systems that make carbon credit eligibility possible. If you’re ready to explore how your building can start earning while lowering emissions, our team can help you assess your current systems, identify opportunities, and build a clear path to verification.
→ Let’s turn your building’s efficiency into measurable environmental and financial returns.