{"id":1709,"date":"2013-07-08T16:02:35","date_gmt":"2013-07-08T20:02:35","guid":{"rendered":"http:\/\/www.goodforforests.com\/?p=1709"},"modified":"2023-03-23T15:27:51","modified_gmt":"2023-03-23T19:27:51","slug":"new-leed-rating-tools-fall-short-by-excluding-well-recognized-forest-certification","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/forests.org\/fr\/new-leed-rating-tools-fall-short-by-excluding-well-recognized-forest-certification\/","title":{"rendered":"New LEED Rating Tools Fall Short by Excluding Well-Recognized Forest Certification"},"content":{"rendered":"

The U.S. Green Building Council (USGBC) members just completed their\u00a0vote\u00a0to accept\u00a0the\u00a0new\u00a0LEED v4 rating tools.\u00a0SFI voted \u201cnegative with comments\u201d\u00a0because the LEED rating tools do not recognize credible forest certification programs like SFI and ATFS, both internationally recognized by PEFC.\u00a0\u00a0This outcome is disappointing because, unlike other materials or products in green building, forest products have a proof point to demonstrate responsible sourcing, forest certification, which is built on close to two decades of standard setting, public input, and best management practices for responsible forestry.<\/p>\n

\"Image_11_HOCM_01_Credit_Miller-Hull\"

Hands-On Children\u2019s Museum of Olympia, Washington, demonstrates exceptional commitment to sustainability and achieved Green Globes certification.<\/em>
Photo courtesy of The Miller Hull Partnership, LLP.<\/em><\/p><\/div>\n

Globally, 10 percent of the world\u2019s forests are certified, and as such, the USGBC should reward those market leaders, including\u00a0U.S.\u00a0domestic sources of supply that are part of the forest certification process, as this will ultimately create incentives for growing more certified forests and contribute to the USGBC\u2019s goal of market transformation.<\/p>\n

Since 2005, SFI certified-products have been excluded from the forest certification\/sourcing credit without ever once having been told the basis of that exclusion. In credible, open and transparent processes, organizations know the basis of their program standard\u2019s exclusion, and with that information they can do three things: make changes to be included; correct a misperception; or move on due to a lack of alignment between institutional objectives. SFI Inc launched its 18-month\u00a0Standard review<\/a>\u00a0process this June, and we encourage the USGBC leadership to clarify why FSC meets their credit expectations and why SFI\u2019s certification standard does not.<\/p>\n

USGBC has stated that the 2010 forest certification benchmark ballot\u00a0demonstrated that USGBC membership views FSC as the \u201conly appropriate standard to recognize within LEED<\/a>.\u201d\u00a0\u00a0The 2010 forest certification benchmark vote was\u00a0not<\/b>\u00a0a vote of whether to accept FSC or SFI, but was rather a vote on the benchmarks USGBC would use to assess the forest certification programs.\u00a0\u00a0The truth of the matter is only 521 USGBC members actually voted on the benchmarks, and half voted for the benchmarks, and half against the benchmarks.<\/p>\n

We also encourage USGBC members and leadership to review a recent\u00a0Architectural Record\u00a0Continuing Education Unit (CEU)<\/i><\/b>\u00a0on the merits of the SFI program.\u00a0 Readers can earn one GBCI CE hour for LEED Credential Maintenance and\/or one AIA\/CES HSW Learning Unit by taking the\u00a0online test\u00a0after reading the article.\u00a0 The CEU highlights the numerous organizations that recognize all forest certification standards equally, including the USGBC sponsored International Green Construction Code (IgCC), as well as the U.S. Department of Agriculture and the U.S. Department of Education. So far, we\u2019ve had tremendous response with more than\u00a019,000 readers\u00a0and over\u00a0450\u00a0that have completed the CEU test.<\/p>\n

We look forward to working with USGBC to resolve this important issue.\u00a0 It is time for our organizations to work together, to promote responsible forestry and green building.\u00a0 For more information on SFI and green building, please visit\u00a0https:\/\/forests.org\/greenbuilding\/<\/a>.<\/p>\n

Jason Metnick<\/b><\/a><\/address>\n
VP, Customer Affairs<\/b><\/address>\n<\/div><\/div><\/div>

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