Glossary of Terms
BREEAM
Building Research Establishment Environmental Assessment Methodology
BSI
British Standards Institution
BS7671
This is the national standard used for electrical installation and wiring safety across domestic, commercial, and industrial properties
Carbon Efficiency
This is the extent to which a product or service is created/achieved with minimum feasible carbon emissions relative to direct sector peers
Carbon Footprint
The amount of carbon dioxide released into the atmosphere as a result of the activities of a particular individual, organization, or community
CE
Conformité Européene
CER
Carbon Efficiency Rating
Composting
Aerobic biological process usually carried out under controlled conditions
Composition
Materials that make up a product, detailing its constituent parts
Cradle-to-Cradle
This is an approach that looks at how a product goes from creation, through disposal and back to creation again in a cyclical process
Cradle-to-Grave
This is an approach that looks at a product from its creation through to its disposal
CSR
Corporate Social Responsibility
Design Circularity
This is the process of designing in the cradle-to-cradle approach into products and services
Demounting
Removal of a product from its setting without damage or contamination, enabling repair or reuse in various applications
Direct Emissions
These are emissions from sources that are owned or controlled by the reporting entity
Disassembly
Process where a product is taken apart in such a way that it can subsequently be reassembled and made operational
Dismantling
Taking apart a product at its end of life, so that some of its parts can be reused or recycled
Downstream Emissions
Occur after the organisation delivers its goods and services, including the processing and utilisation of purchased products and services
Eco Label
Environmental Performance Certificate
EMC
Electromagnetic Compatibility
Energy Efficiency
Total energy consumption divided by floor space m²
Environmental Impact
This is the effect of human activity on the environment in the form of creating environmental imbalance
EN 15804
This is the EPD standard for the sustainability of construction works and services
EPC
Energy Performance Certificate
EPD
Environmental Product Declaration
ESG
Environmental, Social and Governance
EUT
Equipment Under Test
First-off
A 'first-off' is when a design is manufactured using the expected production methods
GHGs
Greenhouse Gases
Hazardous Substances
Material that can harm health or the environment, identified by regulations for safe handling and disposal
IET
Institute of Engineering and Technology
Indirect Emissions
These are emissions that are a consequence of the activities of the reporting entity but occur at sources owned or controlled by another entity
ISO14001
This sets out the criteria for an environmental management system, and frameworks for continuous improvement
ISO14025
This establishes the principles and specifies the procedures for developing Type III environmental declaration programmes and Type III environmental declarations, and established principles for the use of environmental information.
ISO14040
This describes the principles and framework for life cycle assessment (LCA)
ISO14044
This specifies requirements and provides guidelines for life cycle assessment (LCA)
ISO14067
This works to determine the greenhouse gas emissions produced during each stage in the life cycle of a product, specifying principles, requirements and guidelines for carbon reporting.
ISO59010
Provides guidance for organisations wishing to transition their value creation models and networks from a linear to a circular framework
ISO59014
Principles, requirements and guidance for organisations fostering the sustainability and traceability of activities and processes for the recovery of secondary materials
ISO59020
Sets forth requirements and guidance for organisations to measure and assess their circularity performance within defined economic systems
ISO59040
The establishment of a general methodology for information exchange regarding circular economy, based on the use of a product circularity data sheet (PCDS)
ISO9001
This sets out the criteria for a quality management system and is the only standard in the family that can be certified to (although this is not a requirement)
LCA
Life Cycle Assessment
LEED
Leadership in Energy and Environmental Design
LED
Light Emitting Diode
Maintenance & Repair
Restore a product's functionality by renewing or replacing worn, damaged, or degraded parts
Mock-up
The mock-up is where a design is made full scale but not generally functioning or out of the materials for production
PCR
Product Category Rule
Product Information
Information about the product name, brand name, and other relevant details
Product Lifespan
This is the predicted life of a product
Prototype
The prototype is a full-size working version of the design made in the required materials and with working electricals
Recycling
Recovering resources through recovery, collection, transport, sorting, cleaning and re-processing for use in products - excluding reuse and energy recovery
Recycled Materials
Material that has been reprocessed from recovered material by means of a manufacturing process
Refurbishment
Restores a product to its original quality and performance through repairs
Release into environment
Refers to solid, liquid, or gaseous emissions released into air, water or land - which are quantifiable but not recovered at any stage of the product lifecycle
Remanufacturing
Industrial process that restores an item to like-new quality and performance, whether previously used or non-functional
Renewable Energy
Energy generated from a renewable resource
Reuse
Use of a product or its parts again for their original purpose, sometimes requiring minor treatment like cleaning
Reused Content
Content that has reached the end of one use, and is used again with minimal or no physical alterations including cleaning, minor adjustments, or repairs
Revision
Refers to updates or changes made within a document after its initial issuance, including modifications to content, structure or other relevant details
ROHS
Restriction of Hazardous Substances
ROI
Return On Investment
Scope 1
Involves direct emissions owned or controlled by the reporting company
Scope 2
Consists of indirect emissions from the acquisition of energy sources from a third-party company
Scope 3
Includes all indirect emissions, not part of scope 2, that occur in the upstream and downstream activities associated with a company
SECR
Streamlined Energy and Carbon Reporting
SKET
Skills, Knowledge, Experience, and Training
SMPS
Switch Mode Power Supply
Supplier Identification
Details of a supplier, such as the companies name, address, contact information, and other identifying attributes of a supplier
UKCR
UK Conformity Assessed
Upgradability
Ability to enhance a product's functionality, performance, capacity or aesthetics through software, firmware, or hardware changes
Upstream Emissions
Occur before the organisation receives its goods and services, such as extraction of raw materials, production, and transportation
WEEE
Waste Electrical and Electronic Equipment