a point of reference for copper use in a product or system based on the identification of a representative product for a regional or the global market
note: This concept used extensively within ICA and in external communication to indicate copper use in products and systems. Typical indicators are based on the power rating for electrical equipment (tons/MW), surface area for buildings (kg/m2) or units for appliances (kg/unit). Investment levels, energy use or network length can also be used. Power rating provides the most reliable benchmark over a range of applications. Copper density is used for product comparisons and for evaluating market potential.