The U.S. Green Building Council (Washington, D.C.) announced on Jan. 21 a determination on wood certification systems in the LEED v5 green building rating system in alignment with the Sustainable Forestry Initiative (SFI), the Forest Stewardship Council-US (FSC-US) and the Programme for the Endorsement of Forest Certification (PEFC).
The newly released evaluation of wood certification programs in LEED v5 allows wood sourced from multiple credible standards to count toward LEED points. This includes wood sourced from the three most recognized chain-of-custody standards: FSC, SFI and PEFC.
While each of the recognized wood certification programs has differences in its approach and requirements, USGBC determined that all the chain-of-custody standards offer solid protection against deforestation and promote sustainable forestry, the organization says.
“For decades, LEED has helped drive global demand for responsibly sourced wood in construction projects worldwide,” said Peter Templeton, president and CEO of USGBC and Green Business Certification Inc. “The new LEED recognition for wood certification further emphasizes the critical role of responsible wood sourcing in the construction of sustainable buildings. USGBC, FSC-US and SFI are committed to working together with allies in sustainable forestry to continue to address climate resilient forestry and support the communities impacted by deforestation.”
Even as deforestation and habitat loss continue to increase worldwide due to climate change and urbanization, only about 10% of the world’s forests are currently certified, according to USGBC. This statistic underscores the importance of increasing demand for certified wood and building products in the built environment to restore and sustain forests for the future, council officials added.
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