The US Green Building Council (USGBC) has come under fire for its plans to create a rating system for certified wood.
The Programme for the Endorsement of Forest Certification said the approach adds additional scrutiny to a material that is already certified to internationally recognised benchmarks.
The USGBC has begun consultations about incorporating certified wood in its LEED Green Building Rating System. A draft contains 81 detailed prerequisites and criteria to assess suitability.
“While strong demand side signals are necessary to encourage more forest owners to manage sustainably, this methodology is likely to push architects and building companies to give preference to steel or concrete,” said PEFC secretary-general Ben Gunneberg.
The move also “fails to promote a market-transformation towards increased use of wood as one of the most environmentally friendly building materials”, according to Mr Gunneberg.
PEFC is calling on stakeholders to comment on the draft, which closes October 14.
