Nadine Block, who manages Government Outreach for SFI, shares news about Congressional support to open USGBC’s LEED green building rating system.

Members of Congress have joined with 10 U.S. governors, adding their voices to the thousands calling for an open LEED rating system.  A bipartisan letter signed by 79 members of the House of Representatives was sent to Mr. Rick Fedrizzi, president and CEO of the U.S. Green Building Council, urging the USGBC to “expedite the review of forest management certification systems and to accept all credible forest management certification systems for qualification under the LEED rating system.”  The effort was initiated by Rep. Kurt Schrader (D-OR) and Rep. Bob Goodlatte (R-VA), both members of the House Agriculture Committee, which oversees forestry issues.  The letter brings to light that if the LEED rating system maintains the status quo and does not recognize the Sustainable Forestry Initiative (SFI) or the American Tree Farm System (ATFS), many builders who seek LEED certification will be discouraged from using SFI and ATFS-certified products grown in the United States.

The letter began to gather support in mid-June just as we finished up with two successful briefings on Capitol Hill and as the USGBC opened a fourth round of draft benchmarks evaluating the forest certification programs in its LEED rating system.

In addition to Congressional support, nearly 6,000 people have signed a petition to open LEED, and 10 U.S. governors – representing Arkansas, Idaho, Maine, Michigan, Minnesota, Mississippi, Montana, Oregon, Virginia and Washington – have written letters to the USGBC to voice their concerns over the current approach to wood product certification.

With many members of Congress active in forestry issues and representing districts with acres of forest lands, this topic received broad support.  They understand the value of wood in green building. At SFI, we believe wood products should be given a LEED credit for being a durable, renewable resource, and additional credit should be given for credible third-party certified wood, including SFI, ATFS, CSA, FSC and PEFC. The voice of elected officials and policy-makers is crucial in encouraging responsible forest management and ensuring that all forest certification systems play a credible role in this process.

Check out a copy of the letter and a press release about the mounting pressure to open LEED, which are available on our website.

Today SFI delivered nearly 6,000 petition signatures and hundreds of comments to President, CEO & Founding Chairman of the U.S. Green Building Council Rick Fedrizzi urging the organization to open LEED. Our petition helps demonstrate what we already suspected—there’s a broad base of supporters who are deeply committed and passionate about responsible forest management, green building and the communities that depend on these forests.

The road through the USGBC review process has not been short or uncomplicated, and in the end, we hope the organization gets past its outdated process and the politics around the LEED forest certification policy. Inclusiveness is the answer. It’s what other green building programs and codes globally already have applied. Multiple forest certification programs push each other to do better, and they serve different needs.

One-fifth of all U.S. governors have written letters in support of opening LEED. Professional societies including the National Association of State Foresters, the Canadian Council of Forest Ministers and the Society of American Foresters have released statements urging the USGBC to change its policy.

The USGBC needs to focus on the facts and create a program that recognizes the value of wood as a green building material and all the benefits credible forest certification programs bring.  Considering the staggering number of responses in the petition, along with broad support from respected forestry experts, conservation groups and government officials, our common vision should be impossible to ignore.

For the sake of our forests, our communities, the tens of thousands of family foresters who make their livelihoods from forestry and the future of green building across North America and globally, it is time for USGBC to do the right thing and recognize all credible forest certification standards: SFI, ATFS, CSA, FSC and PEFC.

Now is not the time to let up. Show support for increased certification by signing our petition, as well as passing along our green building video to friends and family. If you’re a voting member of USGBC, vote against the current benchmarks. Ask the USGBC to accept all credible forest certification standards. Do what’s best for our forests here in North America and globally.

Thank you for your ongoing support of this important initiative!

Jason Metnick, SFI Senior Director of Market Access and Label Use, provides an update on LEED benchmarks.

As you may have seen, the USGBC recently requested comments on a fourth round of draft benchmarks to evaluate forest certification programs in its LEED green building rating system. SFI 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.  We believe it is time for USGBC’s leadership to end this process and give credit for wood use and forest certification standards.  SFI strongly supports green building, and we believe SFI and other credible certification programs are a clear fit for green building rating systems.  Wood from responsibly-managed forests, like those certified to the SFI Standard, is an excellent choice for any new construction or renovation.  Wood is renewable, it sequesters carbon and is powered by solar energy.  These factors, coupled with wood’s desirable aesthetic and structural characteristics, make it a great choice for green buildings.  We therefore suggest that the USGBC should:

USGBC leaders should listen to elected officials, government agencies, professional foresters, and others who are telling them to end the discrimination against North American forests and accept wood certified to all forest certification standards used in North America – SFI, Forest Stewardship Council (FSC), Canadian Standards Association (CSA), American Tree Farm System (ATFS) and Programme for the Endorsement of Forest Certification (PEFC).

It’s not too late to show your support and urge the USGBC to sunset the forest certification benchmarks.  Please sign our petition, and check out our short green building video.  Also, please forward the petition and video to friends and family who care about the future of North American forests.  You can find more information about the comment period on the USGBC’s website, and you can check out our public statement regarding the fourth round of public comments on SFI’s website.

Nadine Block, who focuses on Government Outreach for SFI,  has an exciting update about more government support for opening LEED.

The four co-chairs of the Congressional Timber Caucus recently sent a powerful letter to the USGBC advocating for the organization to reverse its exclusive LEED policy. Representatives Kevin Brady (R-TX), Bart Stupak (D-MI), Bill Cassidy (R-LA) and Mike Ross (D-AR) urged the USGBC to open LEED in order to stop the discrimination against North American wood products and recognize wood as a responsible, renewable choice for green building.

They stated, “If the status quo remains unchanged, and SFI and ATFS wood products are not recognized, we believe many LEED builders will turn away reputable third-party SFI and ATFS certified wood which is grown locally and instead turn to FSC certified wood, the large majority of which is grown in other countries. Wood projects should be treated equally with other building products, such as steel and concrete, which are not required to have third-party environmental certification in order to receive a credit.”

At SFI, we agree. I continue to ask you to demand change. Sign the petition and ask your family, friends and colleagues to do the same. Change in LEED is crucial for the future of green building and forest certification.

In the final installment of the blog series about SFI’s LEED statements, I wanted to discuss how agencies, governments, and rating systems worldwide have embraced inclusive forest certification policies. Many organizations recognize multiple certification standards.

U.S. and Canadian government procurement agencies support an inclusive stance. For the U.S. General Services Administration, SFO Section 7.4 Wood Products states, “For all new installations of wood products, the Lessor is encouraged to use independently certified forest products. For information on certification and certified wood products, refer to the Forest Certification Resource Center, the Forest Stewardship Council United States, or the Sustainable Forestry Initiative.” In Canada, Public Works & Government Services requires all wood products used in its building projects to be certified to one of the three certification programs that operate in Canada: SFI, the Canadian Standards Association or FSC. The department believes all three programs effectively promote more sustainable management of Canada’s forest resources.

Forestry agencies, such as the U.S. National Association of State Foresters (NASF) and the Canadian Council of Forest Ministers, also support recognizing all credible forest certification programs. A 2008 NASF resolution declares “there is no single ‘best’ forest certification program.” The Canadian Institute of Forestry and the Society of American Foresters also support this stance.

Green building tools across the globe also have inclusive stances, and many recognize SFI, FSC and other credible standards. The Green Building Initiative’s Green Globes™ green building assessment and rating system promotes building practices for commercial construction.  The program has done a great job increasing the awareness of environmental issues among the building community and is helping to design buildings that are energy efficient and resourceful with building materials. For residential construction, the National Green Building Standard, the first green building rating system to be approved by the American National Standards Institute (ANSI), offers resources and tools to help the building community and homeowners build green.

Finally, BREEAM (United Kingdom), Built Green Colorado™ and CASBEE (Japan) also recognize multiple forest certification standards, including SFI. The Green Building Council of Australia recently ended its FSC- only preference.

It’s clear organizations that value green building are coming around to what makes sense for responsible forestry and the economy.  The trade media has weighed in too – Robert Cassidy, editor-in-chief of Building, Design + Construction, wrote an editorial discussing why the USGBC should open LEED. Additionally, the LBM Journal published an article by John Wagner that encouraged LEED take a more inclusive stance. We hope the U.S. Green Building Council follows the lead of other groups that provide guidance to consumers and businesses and opens LEED to other credible forest certification standards. As we wait for a decision, find the latest information regarding the LEED issue on our website.