{"id":797339,"date":"2026-01-21T11:00:15","date_gmt":"2026-01-21T16:00:15","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/forests.org\/?p=797339"},"modified":"2026-01-26T15:39:03","modified_gmt":"2026-01-26T20:39:03","slug":"usbc-leedv5-sustainable-wood-standards","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/forests.org\/fr\/usbc-leedv5-sustainable-wood-standards\/","title":{"rendered":"U.S. GREEN BUILDING COUNCIL ALIGNS LEED V5 TO SUSTAINABLE WOOD CERTIFICATION STANDARDS"},"content":{"rendered":"

LINK TO ORIGINAL ARTICLE<\/a><\/p>\n

New determination marks significant advancement in promoting use of sustainably sourced wood<\/strong><\/p>\n

Jan. 21, 2026 (WASHINGTON)<\/strong> \u2013The U.S. Green Building Council (USGBC<\/a>) today announced a determination on wood certification systems in the LEED v5<\/a> green building rating system in alignment with the Sustainable Forestry Initiative (SFI<\/a>), the Forest Stewardship Council-US (FSC-US<\/a>), and the Programme for the Endorsement of Forest Certification (PEFC<\/a>).<\/p>\n

This includes the recognition of major sustainable wood standards in LEED (Leadership in Energy and Environmental Design), marking a significant advancement in promoting the use of sustainably sourced wood. The goal of this alignment is to spur demand for more certified wood products worldwide.<\/p>\n

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.<\/p>\n

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.<\/p>\n

\u201cFor decades, LEED has helped drive global demand for responsibly sourced wood in construction projects worldwide,\u201d said Peter Templeton<\/a>, president and CEO, USGBC and GBCI. \u201cThe 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.\u201d<\/p>\n

Even as deforestation and habitat loss continue to increase worldwide due to climate change and urbanization, only about 10% of the world\u2019s forests are currently certified. 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.<\/p>\n

\u201cThe Sustainable Forestry Initiative is pleased to see the recognition of SFI and PEFC endorsed standards in LEED v5,\u201d said Kathy Abusow, president & CEO of the SFI. \u201cWe look forward to continued engagement with USGBC on how SFI is addressing material risk through SFI\u2019s Climate Smart Forestry Initiative, as well as the important role that SFI\u2019s Fiber Sourcing Standard plays in elevating responsible forestry across the broader forest landscape.\u201d<\/p>\n

Wood continues to be a strong component in LEED v5 for structural materials and finished products. Wood products can contribute to achieving up to 22 points in LEED v5 for Building Design and Construction (BD+C) projects and up to 30 points in LEED v5 for Interior Design and Construction (ID+C). This has doubled from prior versions of LEED, demonstrating USGBC\u2019s commitment to promoting the responsible use of wood products and the wood supply chain influenced by building projects.<\/p>\n

Certified wood programs are rewarded in LEED v5 D+C and ID+C in two primary credits:<\/p>\n