LEED v5 now aligned with sustainable wood certification standards

USGBC now recognizes the Sustainable Forestry Initiative (SFI), the Forest Stewardship Council-US (FSC-US), and the Programme for the Endorsement of Forest Certification (PEFC) within the latest version of LEED. The new policy marks “a significant advancement in promoting the use of sustainably sourced wood,” according to a USGBC news release.

“The goal of this alignment is to spur demand for more certified wood products worldwide. 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.”

Only about 10% of the world’s forests are currently certified, USGBC says. “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,” the release says.