For over 65 years, North American-made composite panels have been sequestering carbon and utilizing recycling wood from existing forestry operations, making them one of the greenest building materials. Composite panels — medium density fiberboard (MDF), particleboard, hardboard, and engineered wood siding and trim (EWST) — prove that designing with the planet in mind doesn’t require compromise, thanks to their versatility, durability, and renewable nature. The North American composite panel industry takes pride in contributing sustainable solutions that create infinite design possibilities. 

Design focused
Composite wood panels are the preferred cost-effective substrate, engineered as a durable, smooth, uniform surface to pair with decorative surfaces for any project. Available in an array of finishes, textures, and patterns, they unlock unlimited design possibilities. When paired with decorative surfaces, like TFL, 3DL, and HPL, composite panels achieve remarkable realism, authentically capturing the look and feel of natural materials like wood, stone, and metal.

Resilient and dependable
Beyond their decorative appeal, composite wood panels are engineered to meet specific performance requirements. Their strength and flexibility can be customized to meet the specific demands of any project. This level of durability allows them to perform in demanding, variable, high-traffic environments while maintaining visual appeal, making them well suited for residential and commercial applications.

All-around capable
Versatility is another key advantage of composite panels. From homes and offices to healthcare facilities, retail stores, hospitality spaces, and educational settings, these panels adapt seamlessly across environments offering design freedom to bring any concept to life. Composite wood panels are used in cabinets, furniture, countertops, flooring, storage systems, mouldings, and more.

Sustainable to the core
Composite panels are a renewable and environmentally responsible choice. Made with an infinitely renewable resource — real wood — these panels are responsibly sourced from certified forests, utilizing wood fiber that would otherwise be waste. In fact, the industry ensures that 99% of all raw materials are utilized during the manufacturing of the panels. This results in an industry that produces near-zero waste and produces carbon-negative products. The panels store carbon for the life of the product, making them an essential part of climate solutions and sustainable building practices, allowing for responsible, beautifully finished products.

For more on the sustainability of composite panels, visit CompositePanel.org/Sustainability.

Eco-Certified Composites (ECC)
North American composite panels offer the design and builder community sustainable, flexible, and high-quality solutions. Through the Eco-Certified Composite (ECC) Sustainability Standard (4-19), the sustainable practices of North American panel manufacturers are verified by focusing on recycled wood, sourcing from certified forests, calculating carbon storage, and other demonstrable environmental practices.

ECC-certified facilities must meet or exceed U.S. EPA’s TSCA Title VI and the California Air Resources Board (CARB) formaldehyde emissions requirements for 100% of their panels 100% of the time. ECC-certified mills stand apart from other producers, requiring unmatched attention to detail and a rigorous, audited commitment to compliance. ECC certification assures trusted compliance regardless of where in the world the product is manufactured. Find a list of ECC manufacturers at CertifiedByCPA.org.

Fabrication made easy
Ideal for use in many residential and commercial applications, composite panels have excellent machining characteristics and can be fabricated with CNC and standard woodworking machinery. Tight tolerances can be achieved for value engineering. 

MORE INFO   Design Portfolio Read the complete Design Portfolio: A definitive guide to selecting sustainable, high-performance decorative products.   Composite Panel Association  More information, plus industry news, testing & certification, policy and stewardship at the Composite Panel Association's website CompositePanel.org

Environmental credits & certifications
Composite wood products help earn points toward the following major certification programs:

• LEED - USGBC
     • MR credits in 5 categories
     • EQ credit: Low-Emitting Materials: BD+C, ID+C, Homes
• Green Globes – Green Building Initiative (GBI)
• National Green Building Standard (NGBS)
• LEVEL by BIFMA – Furniture Sustainability Certification
• KCMA ESP – Kitchen Cabinet Environmental Stewardship Program
• ASHRAE 189.1
• Living Building Challenge
• WELL Certification

Environmental Product Declarations
Environmental Product Declarations (EPDs) for North American MDF and particleboard give designers, specifiers, and manufacturers a vital tool to objectively compare the environmental impacts of wood products with alternatives made of plastic, metal, or other materials. Building codes and green building rating systems drive demand for the verified life cycle assessment (LCA) information in these EPDs. These MDF and particleboard EPDs are certified by Underwriters Laboratories (UL), an independent certifier of the sustainable attributes of products. USGBC’s LEED rating system widely recognizes UL’s EPDs, GBI’s Green Globes, and other similar building certification programs.

Emissions regulations
North American manufacturers of MDF and particleboard have been at the forefront of developing formaldehyde emission standards for more than 30 years and actively supported the U.S. EPA’s TSCA Title VI regulation, which is widely recognized as the most stringent in the world today. The North American industry supported similar regulations in Canada (CANFER, SOR/2021-148).

Thanks to these regulations, all composite wood products imported or sold in the U.S. and Canada must be third-party certified to meet formaldehyde emission limits. The industry fully supports all efforts to establish a strong enforcement program to ensure all composite wood products made globally meet these safe emissions standards.

All MDF and particleboard facilities in the Design Portfolio offer third-party certified products that meet or exceed the following regulatory requirements:

• U.S. EPA TSCA Title VI regulation, Formaldehyde Emission Standards for Composite Wood Products, 40 CFR Part 770;
• California Air Resources Board (CARB) Airborne Toxic Control Measure to Reduce the Emissions of Formaldehyde from Composite Wood Products, 17 CCR 93120 (ATCM 93120), and;
• Canadian Environmental Protection Act (CEPA) SOR/2021-148 Formaldehyde Emissions Standard from Composite Wood Products Regulations, CANFER.

Products that have also achieved exemptions for no-added formaldehyde (NAF) or meet the ultra-low emitting formaldehyde (ULEF) designation are identified.

CPA’s Grademark Program is the world’s premier certification and inspection body and was the first approved CARB and EPA third-party certifier (TPC-1). To ensure compliance with ECC, EPA, CARB and CANFER, look for TPC-1-certified panels at CertifiedByCPA.org.

Standards and technical bulletins
CPA sponsors key product standards for the industry and addresses technical issues bearing on product acceptance. As a highly regarded American National Standards Institute (ANSI)-accredited standards developing organization, the association sponsors the development and maintenance of American National Standards through the ANSI consensus process. 

Additionally, CPA has created technical bulletins for the use and specification of particleboard, MDF, EWST, hardboard,  and thermally fused laminate (TFL). Please visit CompositePanel.org for more information.