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The Leadership in Energy and Environmental Design (LEED™)
program of the U.S. Green Building Council is a commercial
building design guideline and third-party certification tool
that aims to “improve occupant well-being, environmental
performance and economic returns of buildings using established
and innovative practices, standards and technologies”
(LEED™ Rating System version 2.1). Incentives for companies
to choose to use the LEED™ system include establishing leadership
in the “environmentally friendly” community, as
well as qualifying for a growing number of local and state
government incentives.
Under the LEED™ system, points can be awarded in five categories:
sustainable sites, water efficiency, energy & atmosphere,
materials & resources, indoor environmental quality, and
innovation & design process. Credit 7 under the materials
& resources category addresses the issue of certified
wood, with the intent of encouraging environmentally responsible
forest management. The requirements for the credit are:
“Use a minimum of 50% (based on cost)
of wood-based materials and products, certified in accordance
with the Forest Stewardship Council’s Principles and
Criteria, for wood building components including, but not
limited to, structural framing and general dimensional framing,
flooring, finishes, furnishings, and non-rented temporary
construction applications such as bracing, concrete form
work and pedestrian barriers.”
To find FSC-certified products for your LEED™ project, please go to the product search page.
For more information about the LEED™ program, visit
www.usgbc.org. |
