Labels and grades
Three separate ladders: how a number was obtained, who checked it, and how strong the science behind a claim is.
Result labels: how the number was obtained
| Label | Definition | Measurement-and-verification analog |
|---|---|---|
| Measured | All accounts metered at the stated meter point | IPMVP options B and C |
| Estimated | Key values metered; the rest calculated or simulated with stated assumptions | IPMVP options A and D |
| Projected | A forward-looking figure, labeled as one | — |
IPMVP is the International Performance Measurement and Verification Protocol.
Audit grades: who checked it
| Grade | Definition |
|---|---|
| Declared | Reported by the organization using JL-26; free to submit |
| Witnessed | Measured with AAERL present |
| Replicated | Reproduced independently within the combined uncertainty (k = 2) |
A grade applies only if every aspect of the report meets it.
An audit grade (Declared, Witnessed or Replicated) says who checked a result and how. It is not a certification, an accreditation or a regulatory approval.
Claim labels: how strong the science is
| Label | Definition | Example |
|---|---|---|
| Proven | Direct measurement, independently replicated | Erasing a bit costs at least kB·T·ln 2 |
| Probable | Consistent but incomplete evidence | Brain-inspired chips save energy on some tasks, not all |
| Open | Not yet shown; a hypothesis | Living-neuron computers save energy at a matched boundary |
Questions
Can a result be Measured and Declared?
Yes. The label says how the number was obtained; the grade says who checked it. They are independent.
Keep reading
Worked examplesTwo illustrative Joule Ledgers for an AI inference rack: one that closes within uncertainty and one that fails, with the residual diagnosed step by step.Joule Ledger AssessmentThe Joule Ledger Assessment: a Witnessed-grade energy audit of one system, rack or facility at declared meter points, with a report.Meter points M1 to M4The four Joule Ledger meter points, from chip (M1) to facility (M4), what each includes, and why figures from different boundaries cannot be compared.GlossaryPlain definitions of AI and data-center energy measurement terms, from PUE, WUE and meter points to the Landauer limit, Decision Yield and audit grades.
Take the next step.
How JL-26 labels every energy result (Measured, Estimated, Projected), grades who checked it (Declared, Witnessed, Replicated) and labels science claims.