Gypsum Fiber Boards: Industry‑Wide EPDs?

The quick answer

An industry‑wide EPD for gypsum fibreboards exists in Europe through the German gypsum association and IBU. We are not seeing a current North American sector average specifically for gypsum fiber boards. Most U.S. association EPDs cover conventional wallboard or glass‑mat panels, not fibreboards.

What exactly exists today

In Europe, the Bundesverband der Gipsindustrie e.V. sponsors a sector EPD for gypsum fibreboards under EN 15804. The IBU record lists issue on 4 April 2022 with validity through 3 April 2027, and includes scope details for boards manufactured to EN 15283‑2. (IBU EPD Online, 2022) English PDF link

Who is behind it and how it was built

The declaration is hosted by IBU, a non‑profit program operator widely used across the EU building sector. It follows EN 15804 rules with a plasterboard Part B PCR. That means the model uses industry‑average manufacturing data from participating plants, quality‑controlled by third‑party verifiers before publication. (IBU EPD Online, 2022)

Region snapshot: Europe vs. North America

Europe: a true industry‑wide EPD exists for gypsum fibreboards and is valid to 2027. (IBU EPD Online, 2022)

North America: industry groups publish sector averages for related gypsum panel categories, but we do not find a current association EPD dedicated to gypsum fiber boards. Manufacturers in this niche typically rely on product‑specific declarations.

Why sector averages help, but can hold you back

Sector or industry‑wide EPDs are designed to be representative and conservative. That is useful for minimum compliance. It rarely reflects your mill’s best‑in‑class energy mix, recycled content, or transport efficiencies. When a whole‑building LCA tool cannot match a product‑specific Type III EPD, it often defaults to an average or adds a buffer, which can push modeled impacts up. Owning a product‑specific EPD removes that penalty so your board is judged on its real data, not a cautious placeholder.

Competitor examples with product‑specific gypsum fibreboard EPDs

These examples show peers investing in product‑specific coverage.

• James Hardie Europe: fermacell gypsum fibre board EPD, listed by IBU, issued 17 Oct 2022 and valid to 16 Oct 2027. (IBU EPD Online, 2022) (record)
• Rigidur H gypsum fibreboards: product‑specific EPD in the EPD International system, valid to 25 Nov 2029. (EPD International, 2024) (EPD International, 2024)

North America note: USG’s Fiberock line provides product‑specific EPDs accessible from the company’s product pages. That keeps submittals moving even without a regional sector EPD.

Commercial takeaway for manufacturers

If you sell gypsum fibreboards in Europe, the sector EPD is a workable baseline for bids. It proves conformance and keeps you in the game. If you want to win more often, a product‑specific EPD is the lever. Owners and GC sustainability teams can compare your actual plant data, which often models lower impacts than a sector average. That advantage shows up in scoring systems and internal carbon budgets, so you face fewer substitution attempts.

If you sell in North America, a product‑specific EPD is almost table‑stakes because there is no widely used fibreboard sector average. Without it, project LCAs may assign you a generic value that reads pessimistic on paper. The cost of an EPD is typically earned back quickly when it helps you hold a specification on even one mid‑sized program. That is the quiet power move here.

How to make the upgrade easier

Pick a partner who will actually shoulder the data collection across utilities, purchasing, transport and waste. A tight project plan reduces plant disruption and avoids endless back‑and‑forth on missing invoices. Agree the PCR up front, confirm module scope with your target program operator, and set a clear reference year so finance and operations know exactly which data to pull. This is where speed, ease and completeness beat headline promises.

Links you can use right now

• Industry‑wide EPD for gypsum fibreboards: IBU record with validity to 3 April 2027. (IBU EPD Online, 2022) (IBU, 2022)
• Product‑specific example: fermacell gypsum fibre board EPD with validity to 16 Oct 2027. (IBU EPD Online, 2022) (IBU, 2022)
• Product‑specific example: Rigidur H gypsum fibreboards EPD valid to 25 Nov 2029. (EPD International, 2024) (EPD International, 2024)

Bottom line

Yes, a sector average EPD exists for gypsum fibreboards in Europe. It is useful, searchable, and valid. Your product‑specific EPD will usually test better than a conservative average and helps you keep specs when carbon accounting tightens. If you make gypsum fiber boards and compete in North America, a specific EPD is the shortest path from compliant to convincingly preferred. It is the difference between being considered and being chosen adn kept on the job.