USGBC promotes use of sustainably sourced wood
The U.S. Green Building Council (USGBC) announced the recognition of sustainable wood standards in LEED. This allows wood sourced from multiple credible standards to count toward LEED points. This was done in collaboration with the Sustainable Forestry Initiative (SFI), the Forest Stewardship Council-US (FSC-US), and the Programme for the Endorsement of Forest Certification (PEFC).
For this advancement, USGBC determined that all the chain-of-custody standards offer solid protection against deforestation and promote sustainable forestry. Additionally it intends to increase demand for more certified wood products worldwide.
“For decades, LEED has helped drive global demand for responsibly sourced wood in construction projects worldwide,” said Peter Templeton, president and CEO, USGBC and GBCI. “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.”
