Fallback values

Understanding Fallback Values in 2050-Materials Platform

Overview

Fallback values in the 2050-Materials platform serve as default estimates for key physical and technical properties of construction materials when actual measurements are unavailable. They play a crucial role in unit conversion processes, as detailed in our unit conversion documentation, and help fill gaps in the technical specifications used for classification and comparison.

A fallback value is only ever used to fill a gap. A manufacturer-reported or certified value always takes precedence over an estimate, and estimates are automatically refreshed as our reference data improves.

Key Physical Properties

These properties are primarily used for unit conversion, translating a product's declared unit into mass.

• Density (kg/m³): Used for converting volume to mass.

• Grammage (kg/m²): Important for converting area to mass.

• Linear Density (kg/m): Relevant for materials measured by length.

• Mass per Piece (kg/piece): Used for products counted by pieces.

• Thickness (m): Used for converting depth-based measurements.

• Cross-Sectional Area (m²): Relevant for materials measured by profile.

• Mass per Declared Unit (kg): The mass equivalent of a product's own declared unit, kept consistent with the properties above.

Key Technical Properties

Beyond unit conversion, fallback values also fill gaps in technical and performance specifications:

• Thermal Conductivity (W/mK): A material's ability to conduct heat.

• Porosity: The proportion of a material's volume that is void space.

• Compression Strength (MPa): A material's resistance to compressive load.

• Acoustic Performance: A material's sound absorption characteristics.

• Life Expectancy (years): The expected service life of a product type.

• U-Value (W/m²K): A product's rate of heat transfer, calculated directly from thickness divided by thermal conductivity rather than looked up.

How Fallback Values Are Derived

Fallback values are associated with specific material types or where available, material and product type combinations, and are derived in one of three ways:

• Statistical averages: For most physical properties, we use the average value reported by other verified products of the same material and product type in our own database, with outliers removed.

• Industry reference values: For technical properties where we don't yet have enough verified data (thermal conductivity, porosity, compression strength, acoustic performance), we use standard published values per material type, commonly used in construction and LCA practice.

• Product-type reference data: Life expectancy estimates draw on our internal product-type lifespan reference data.

This association with material type and product type ensures accurate and meaningful estimates that enhance the quality of our data, especially for unit conversions.

Transparency and Data Integrity

• Clear Indication: Whenever a fallback value is used, it is clearly indicated in our system. Every estimated property has a matching flag (e.g. density_estimated) in the data you receive, distinguishing reported or certified values from estimated ones.

• Maintaining Accuracy: The use of fallback values allows us to maintain data accuracy and integrity, especially in cases where certified data is not available.

Conclusion

Fallback values are an integral part of the 2050-Materials platform, ensuring that our data remains robust and reliable across both physical and technical properties, even in the absence of specific measurements or certifications. This system allows for more accurate analysis and comparison of environmental data related to construction materials.

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Note: This document is intended for customers of the 2050-Materials platform, providing an overview of fallback values and their role in our data system.