- Author
- Byron Raal, CAS Founder-Editor About the author
- Checked against
- ISO 11011
- Date last checked
- 11 August 2026
Compressed air is one of the biggest electricity costs in a Brisbane plant, and one of the least measured. An audit tells you what your system really costs to run, where energy is wasted, and what each fix returns. Queensland doesn’t currently run a state energy-certificate scheme like NSW and Victoria, so in Brisbane the case rests squarely on the electricity you get back, which is usually more than enough on its own. CAS connects you with an independent auditor; we don’t run the audit ourselves.
This page covers what a compressed air audit involves in Brisbane, the funding picture in Queensland, what the audit costs, and how to choose an independent auditor. It is written for plant managers, facilities engineers, and operations teams across Brisbane and South East Queensland.
This page deals with the Brisbane and Queensland specifics. For the full national method, audit costs and returns, and auditor selection, see the compressed air audit Australia guide.
Why Brisbane operators audit compressed air
Compressed air is among the most expensive utilities in any Brisbane plant, and one of the least measured. Generating it costs roughly 6 to 7 kW per cubic metre per minute of free air delivered, and at approximately $0.30/kWh based on a typical commercial and industrial tariff for the 2025-26 financial year (actual rates vary by state, retailer, and contract), the running cost dwarfs the compressor’s purchase price over its life. Across South East Queensland’s food processing, beverage, and manufacturing base, a poorly maintained system can lose 20 to 30 per cent of its output to leaks, with more wasted through over-pressurisation and poor control. Queensland’s warm, humid climate adds a second cost: moisture load on the dryers is high, and a system running an undersized or failing dryer wastes energy and risks product quality. A single 3 mm leak at 7 bar bleeds about 7.31 L/s of free air delivery (439 L/min, modelled as a sharp-edged choked orifice with a discharge coefficient of 0.65, the same convention as our leak cost calculator). An audit turns all of that into a costed action list.
Compressed air audit: Brisbane
What an audit is chasing in Brisbane
The numbers behind the business case, and the Queensland conditions that shape how you price the saving.
per cubic metre per minute of free air delivered: the cost of generating compressed air
per cent of output a poorly maintained system can lose to leaks, with more lost to over-pressurisation and poor control
of free air delivery bled by a single 3 mm leak at 7 bar (439 L/min)
Planning reference tariff: $0.30/kWh for the 2025-26 financial year (actual rates vary by state, retailer, and contract).
No ongoing certificate-based scheme: the Business Energy Saving and Transformation rebate closed in mid-2025.
Build the business case on the electricity the audit recovers rather than on a grant: the recovered energy is reliable and the grant is not.
Method: ISO 11011 Compressed air Energy efficiency Assessment: supply-side measurement, demand-side measurement, quantification of losses.
Source: CAS compressed air audit Brisbane guide.
What a compressed air audit covers
A compressed air audit follows the methodology standardised in ISO 11011 Compressed air Energy efficiency Assessment: supply-side measurement (compressor power, specific power, pressure), demand-side measurement (flow at branches and end uses), and quantification of losses. For the full seven-step breakdown and the contents of a good report, see the national compressed air energy audit guide. This page focuses on the Brisbane funding and sourcing picture.
The Queensland funding picture
Queensland does not currently operate an ongoing certificate-based energy-efficiency scheme equivalent to the NSW Energy Savings Scheme or Victorian Energy Upgrades. The state’s Business Energy Saving and Transformation rebate closed in mid-2025, and Queensland support has tended to run as time-limited rebate rounds rather than a standing scheme. Two practical implications follow. First, check what is currently open before you assume there is a Queensland rebate to claim: programs change, and the Business Queensland energy pages and the federal energy.gov.au grants and funding listing are the places to verify. Second, build the audit’s business case on the electricity it recovers rather than on a grant, because the recovered energy is reliable and the grant is not. On a poorly maintained system, the measured savings alone can justify the work several times over.
What a Brisbane audit costs and what it returns
Audit fees scale with system size and metering depth, from a single compressor-room walk-through to a multi-day data-logged study. The economics are driven by what the audit finds. On a system carrying 20 to 30 per cent leak losses, the recovered electricity can repay the audit fee quickly, with the actual payback depending on the measured savings, your site’s marginal electricity cost, and the quoted audit and repair costs. A good report ranks each measure by cost, annual saving, and payback, so you can fund the quick wins from the savings and stage the larger items. Size the leak-repair opportunity yourself first with the CAS leak cost calculator.
How to choose a compressed air auditor in Brisbane
Independence is the first test. An auditor who also sells compressors has a reason to recommend new plant over cheaper control and leak fixes, so a credible audit comes from someone whose recommendation is not tied to an equipment sale. Ask whether the work follows the ISO 11011 methodology, whether the auditor data-logs over a representative period rather than spot-reading, and whether the report quantifies each measure in kWh and dollars. In Queensland’s climate, also confirm the audit assesses dryer performance and condensate management, not just leaks, because moisture-related waste is easy to miss and expensive to ignore.
CAS is an information and referral service. We do not conduct audits or sell compressors. Tell us your site location in Brisbane, compressor size, operating conditions and audit objective. We can review your brief and discuss a suitable Australian provider if one is available. We ask for your written permission before an introduction and explain any referral payment arrangement. There is no cost to enquire.
Next step: scope your Brisbane audit
Gather three numbers before you commission anything: your compressor’s rated power, your typical operating pressure, and your annual run hours. Those let an auditor estimate your annual compressed air electricity cost and likely recovery. Then decide between a fast leak survey for an immediate return and a full ISO 11011 assessment that also covers dryer and control performance. Either way, judge the audit on the waste it measures, valued at your site’s actual electricity cost against the quoted fee, with or without a grant.
Related reading on CAS: the national compressed air energy audit guide, the leak cost calculator, VSD vs fixed speed compressors, and the compressed air systems hub. Auditing in another city? See compressed air audits in Sydney, Melbourne, and Perth.
Frequently asked questions
Is there a Queensland rebate for compressed air upgrades in Brisbane?
Queensland does not currently run an ongoing certificate-based scheme like the NSW Energy Savings Scheme or Victorian Energy Upgrades. The state’s Business Energy Saving and Transformation rebate closed in mid-2025, and Queensland support has tended to run as time-limited rounds. Check what is currently open via the Business Queensland energy pages and the federal energy.gov.au grants listing before assuming a rebate applies, and build the audit case on the electricity it recovers.
What does a compressed air audit cost in Brisbane?
Fees scale with system size and metering depth, from a single compressor-room walk-through to a multi-day data-logged study. The return is driven by what the audit finds: on a system with 20 to 30 per cent leak losses, the recovered electricity can repay the audit fee quickly, with the actual payback depending on the measured savings, your site’s marginal electricity cost, and the quoted audit and repair costs. Ask for each measure ranked by cost, annual saving, and payback.
How much can a compressed air audit save a Brisbane factory?
Poorly maintained systems can lose 20 to 30 per cent of compressed-air output through leaks, plus losses from over-pressurisation, poor control, and in Queensland’s climate, moisture load on undersized dryers. At roughly $0.30/kWh for a typical commercial and industrial tariff, recovering even half of that on a mid-sized compressor runs into thousands of dollars a year.
Does CAS perform the audit?
No. CAS publishes compressed air guidance and handles supplier enquiries. We do not conduct audits or sell equipment. Tell us what you need help with. If a suitable Australian provider is available, we can discuss an introduction. We ask for your written permission before sharing your details and explain any referral payment arrangement. There is no cost to enquire.
Should a Brisbane audit look at the air dryer, not just leaks?
Yes. Queensland’s warm, humid climate puts a heavy moisture load on compressed air dryers, and an undersized or failing dryer wastes energy and risks product quality. A good Brisbane audit assesses dryer performance and condensate management alongside leaks and control, because moisture-related waste is easy to miss and costly to leave unaddressed.