Above Board Technologies, headquartered in California, was founded to manufacture construction products made from sustainable, non-wood fibers. Above Board is in the process of refining and testing a patented technology and process with a pilot-scale mill in Kamsack, Saskatchewan, Canada.
 
Above Board will be manufacturing a straw-based panel that meets structural certification standards.1 This panel will be approved for use in structural applications, wherever its wood-based alternatives —OSB and Plywood—are used.
 
Above Board is utilizing a patented technology that allows the manufacture of structural panels from agricultural waste wheat straw. This will be the first tree-free structural panel. The panel will be a cost-competitive panel that will be stronger yet lighter, have improved dimensional stability, and be more water, fire, rot and termite resistant than wood-based alternatives.

Above Board is using better technology to build a better future. Transforming waste wheat straw into a structural-grade building product creates economic, social, and environmental value.

Above Board supports a sustainable future and strives to lessen the impact of the building industry on our environment. Above Board’s products conserve our dwindling forests and provide a solution to an agricultural waste disposal problem. Above Board’s process utilizes less energy than is required for manufacturing wood-based alternatives.

Above Board plans to develop a broad range of building products made from non-wood fibers and to explore innovations that will drive the building industry towards a sustainable future.

1The generic product name for this new material is oriented structural straw board (OSSB). OSSB will be manufactured to conform to the PS 2-04 - Performance Standard for Wood-Based Structural Use Panels, and a series of additional tests and criteria as prescribed in AC 307 ICC-ES-Acceptance Criteria for Oriented Structural Straw Board. The panels will have an Exposure 1 bond durability classification, and will be STRUC-1 rated.