PEFC has branded the US Green Building Council’s (USGBC) “FSC or better” policy in the latest draft of LEED 2012 (Leadership in Energy and Environmental Design) as “discrimination”.
The council’s draft, open to public consultation until March 20, stipulates FSC as the only forest certification scheme to qualify under the LEED MRc7 credit for certified wood.
“We are puzzled by this language, which certainly does not live up to the USGBC’s stated commitment to a prosperous and sustainable future as it excludes the vast majority of green timber – timber originating from sustainably managed forests,” said Ben Gunneberg, PEFC International secretary-general.
Mr Gunneberg said he questioned the credibility of a process which arbitrarily preferred one brand over another and did not provide any information about who decides what is “FSC or better”.
“It is also disrespectful to our colleagues in FSC, who will always wonder whether they are specified because of the quality of their work, or because of favouritism.”
