{"id":18424,"date":"2010-06-15T14:42:41","date_gmt":"2010-06-15T14:42:41","guid":{"rendered":"http:\/\/162.217.168.59\/?p=18424"},"modified":"2023-03-22T17:08:49","modified_gmt":"2023-03-22T21:08:49","slug":"sfis-statement-on-the-usgbcs-fourth-draft-forest-certification-benchmarks","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/forests.org\/fr\/sfis-statement-on-the-usgbcs-fourth-draft-forest-certification-benchmarks\/","title":{"rendered":"SFI’s Statement on the USGBC’s Fourth Draft Forest Certification Benchmarks"},"content":{"rendered":"

World\u2019s Largest Certification Standard Continues to Urge the U.S. Green Building Council to Support\u00a0 North America\u2019s Forests
\n<\/strong>The U.S. Green Building Council (USGBC) has released for public comment a 4th round of draft benchmarks to evaluate forest certification programs.\u00a0 The Sustainable Forestry Initiative\u00ae (SFI) \u2013 the world\u2019s largest single forest certification standard \u2013 continues to urge the USGBC to end a forest certification policy that discriminates against North American forests and against almost all of the independent forest certification standards used in the United States and Canada.<\/p>\n

There are few substantial changes between the 3rd round of benchmarks and the 4th round of benchmarks.\u00a0 The 81 benchmarks as currently drafted remain overly detailed and complex.\u00a0 In many instances, benchmarks are vague and will require further interpretation on the intent.\u00a0 It\u2019s worth noting no other building material has to go through this level of scrutiny for just one point.<\/p>\n

\u201cSFI is a globally recognized, science based forest certification program with a variety of conservation and community partners,\u201d said SFI President and CEO Kathy Abusow. \u201cAs the USGBC continues to court a half decade long process to figure out wood and the forest certification credits, the rest of the world has long moved on and get it already \u2013 wood is a sound and responsible building material and forest certification is an added proof point that forests are well managed.\u201d<\/p>\n

The USGBC benchmark development process, which officially began in 2005, may result in the continued exclusion of independent forest certification standards used in North America, including SFI, the American Tree Farm System (ATFS), the Canadian Standards Association\u2019s (CSA) Sustainable Forest Management Standard, and the Programme for the Endorsement of Forest Certification Schemes (PEFC).\u00a0 With close to 200 million acres (81 million hectares) certified to the SFI Standard in North America, and another 183 million more acres (74million hectares) certified to CSA and ATFS combined, more than three quarters of the certified fiber in North America is not recognized by LEED\u2019s certified wood credit.\u00a0 Excluding these programs means excluding responsibly-managed, third-party certified forests and the communities and jobs that depend on them in the United States and Canada.<\/p>\n

\u201cSFI has cautioned the USGBC that a process like the one currently proposed could result in never ending revisions, assessments and evaluations year after year with no clear results.\u201d said Kathy Abusow, \u201cIt is time for USGBC\u2019s leadership to move on and give credit for wood use and forest certification standards. That is what SFI says, what government agencies say, and what professional foresters and their societies and institutes believe.\u201d<\/p>\n

\u201cThe SFI community strongly supports green building and we believe SFI and other credible certification programs are a clear fit for green building rating systems.\u201d said Jason Metnick, SFI Senior Director of Market Access and Product Labeling, \u201cWood from responsibly-managed forests, like those certified to the SFI Standard, is an excellent choice for any new construction or renovation.\u00a0 Wood is renewable, it sequesters carbon and it is powered by solar energy; these factors, coupled with wood\u2019s desirable aesthetic and structural characteristics, make it good for green building.\u00a0 However, the USGBC continues to fall short when recognizing the true merits of wood.\u201d<\/p>\n

Support for recognition of multiple forest certification standards is strong and broad.\u00a0<\/strong>
\nMore than 5,700 forestry experts, architects, builders, government officials, conservationists and many others have urged the USGBC to recognize all credible forest certification standards by signing SFI\u2019s online petition<\/a>. Many more have sent letters directly to the USGBC to voice concern, including representatives of the US and Canadian Government.<\/p>\n