Glossary of terms related to
carbon footprint measurement

The zero waste economy is a production and consumption model designed to keep materials in use for as long as possible and prevent waste from being generated in the first place.

The Water Stress Index (WSI) measures the relationship between water availability and human demand in a region, helping identify critical areas and water-related risks.

Water vulnerability measures how susceptible a basin, community, company or ecosystem is to harm from changes in water availability, quality and access, combining exposure, sensitivity and adaptive capacity.

WEEE recycling plants are industrial facilities specialised in treating, decontaminating and recovering materials from discarded electrical and electronic equipment, a key part of the circular economy and critical-raw-material supply.

WELL Certification, run by the International WELL Building Institute, rates how a building supports the health and wellbeing of its occupants across ten concepts, from air and water to mind and community.

Whole-Life Carbon (WLC) is the total carbon footprint of a built asset across its whole life cycle, combining embodied and operational emissions. It is central to designing low-carbon and net-zero buildings.

Zero Waste Certified accredits responsible waste management, diverting at least 90% of waste from landfill and incineration in line with the circular economy.