Activity data·Downstream leased assets
How to measure emissions from Downstream leased assets: Buildings: Water
Water supplied to a building you lease to tenants counts here, under Scope 3 Category 13, when you hold the meter or water account as landlord. Record cubic metres from meter readings or utility invoices for the leased space. Where a tenant is sub-metered and billed directly by the water company, that consumption belongs in the tenant's own footprint, not this landlord-side building activity.
- Scope
- Scope 3 Category 13
- What activity data you need
- m3
- Activity data
- Downstream leased assets
What counts as Downstream leased assets: Buildings: Water
Water supplied to and treated for buildings the organisation owns and leases to tenants, where the landlord holds the water account or is contractually responsible for supply. Measured in cubic metres from the meter serving the leased space.
Only include water where the landlord holds the account or meter for the leased building, mirroring the boundary used on buildings-waste and buildings-refrigerant-losses in this cluster. This differs from the main 'Water' activity page, which covers Scope 3 Category 1 consumption at sites the organisation occupies itself. If a tenant is sub-metered and billed directly by the utility, that consumption is theirs to report, not the landlord's.
How to collect the data
Meter readings or utility bills are the standard source where the landlord holds the water account, giving cubic metres for the period. In multi-let buildings with a single incoming supply, submeter readings let you allocate consumption across tenants if you bill them on; use the landlord-side meter only for space the landlord itself is accountable for.
What activity data you need
Collect the most specific physical unit available. Unit definitions are in Appendix I — Description of Units.
- m3
Which emission scope it falls under
Downstream leased assets: Buildings: Water activity data typically maps to Scope 3 Category 13 under the GHG Protocol. Confirm organisational boundary and ownership before reporting.
By emission scope
Compliance frameworks
Common questions
- Does this include water tenants pay for directly?
- No. If a tenant has their own water account and is billed directly by the utility, that consumption sits in the tenant's own footprint, not this landlord-side page.
- How do I split water between multiple tenants in one leased building?
- Use submeter readings where installed to allocate consumption by tenant. Where there's only one incoming meter for the whole building, report the total under this page if the landlord holds the account.
- What if the meter covers both leased and owner-occupied space?
- Split the reading proportionally (for example by floor area) between this downstream leased page and the main 'Water' page for owner-occupied space, and note the allocation method used.
- Is wastewater treatment included alongside supply?
- Yes - the m3 figure typically reflects combined supply and treatment, consistent with how the standalone 'Water' activity page is measured.
- How does this differ from the main Water activity page?
- The main Water page covers sites the organisation occupies and controls itself (Category 1). This page covers water in buildings the organisation owns but has leased out to someone else (Category 13).
Next step
Start benchmarking your Downstream leased assets: Buildings: Water footprint
Apply matching emission factors in Compare Your Footprint and compare your footprint against sector peers.