Average volume of water that would have been consumed by the replaced product during the lifetime of the organization's product.
Organizations should footnote details on the product replaced, source of data on product consumption, and any other calculation assumptions used.
This metric is intended to capture water consumed by the product replaced over the lifetime of the organization's product, not over the lifetime of the product that is being replaced. For example, this metric may be used to measure the water consumption of a conventional toilet over the expected lifetime of the organization’s water-efficient toilet product.
In some circumstances, this metric can help describe the CONTRIBUTION an enterprise likely had to the degree of change (depth) in outcome that the stakeholders experienced, relative to what the market or social system would have done anyway. For more on the alignment of IRIS metrics to the five dimensions of impact, see IRIS+ and the Five Dimensions of Impact (https://iris.thegiin.org/document/iris-and-the-five-dimensions/). No single metric is sufficient to understand an impact; rather, metrics are selected as a set across all dimensions of impact. When possible, the selection of metrics to measure and describe the five dimensions should be based on best practice and evidence.
June 2022 - IRIS v5.3 Released (current version)
Immaterial change. Minor revision to usage guidance for clarity.
January 2020 - IRIS v5.1 Released
No change.
May 2019 - IRIS v5.0 Released
No change.
March 2016 - IRIS v4.0 Released
No change.
March 2014 - IRIS v3.0 Released
Immaterial change. Minor revision to definition language for clarity.
November 2011 - IRIS v2.2 Released
No change.
February 2011 - IRIS v2.1 Released
No change.
September 2010 - IRIS v2.0 Released
New metric. Water Consumption of Product Replaced (PD7621) was developed via the Environment, Energy & Water Working Group.
IRIS Metrics Work Better in Sets
To use IRIS metrics—and the resulting data—to understand impact performance, IRIS metrics should be used and analyzed in generally accepted sets and according to well-defined objectives. IRIS+ gives you access to generally accepted Core Metrics Sets aligned to common Impact Themes and Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs).