Service Life Dataset Development for Non-Structural Building Envelope Materials—Current State, Knowledge Gaps and Inconsistencies

This study compiles and harmonizes a dataset on the reference service life (RSL) of non-structural building envelope materials in North America. Data was collected from survey-based published reports and Environmental Product Declarations (EPDs) sourced from either manufacturers’ websites or recognized EPD databases. Relevant North American EPDs were reviewed for RSL or equivalent terms, and the extracted RSL values were recorded and classified by material type. The resulting dataset consolidates survey-based service life values, EPD-derived RSLs, together with their reported frequencies, and the extent of missing data. Analysis of the dataset revealed significant data gaps and strong inconsistencies in currently available RSLs. Many published values are based on client surveys or fixed categorical assumptions, overlooking product-specific durability and often relying on data more than 20 years old. These values do not reflect current manufacturing technologies or construction practices. Furthermore, over half of the reviewed EPDs do not report any RSL, while most of the remaining EPDs simply use default values of 60 or 75 years without clear justification. Although the dataset supports sensitivity and uncertainty analyses in building environmental assessments, the findings underscore the lack of reliability and transparency in existing RSL data and highlight the necessity for a consistent and transparent RSL dataset.