LEED Rating System Drafts

Recognition of Certified Wood Products in LEED: Third Public Comment Period

The third public comment period for the proposed revisions to the USGBC Forest Certification Benchmark ("the Benchmark") and related LEED credits is now open.  The Benchmark is a collection of criteria against which forest certification schemes will be evaluated (when approved by USGBC membership) to determine which schemes gain recognition in the LEED green building certification program.  If a scheme is recognized, a LEED project would be able to use the scheme's supply of certified wood products to count towards the achievement of the relevant LEED Materials and Resources credits.  (Please see below for the full list of credits.)  This process allows for USGBC to transparently indicate its expectation of any certification scheme and then independently determine if it earns recognition in LEED.

The first public comment period on these revisions occurred between August and September, 2008, and attracted approximately 1,800 comments.  The second public comment period occurred between September and October, 2009, and attracted approximately 1,200 comments.  Guided by the public comment feedback, the Materials and Resources Technical Advisory Group (MR TAG) revised and the LEED Steering Committee approved for third public comment this updated version of the Benchmark and associated LEED credits.  The revisions are far fewer and more focused than those of the previous public comment periods.  They include the following

• In the credits, revised thresholds to earn recognition in LEED
• In the Benchmark, Governance section, two revised prerequisites and one revised credit that present more performance-based requirements
• In the Benchmark, Standards Substance section, the inclusion of a new prerequisite on responsible use of genetically-modified organisms (GMOs)
• In the Benchmark, Standards Substance section, language that requires the recognition of indigenous rights in the already-existing prerequisite for Community Benefit (Sp18)

The only items on which USGBC is seeking comments are those revisions listed above.  All items that have not changed since the second public comment (and therefore have been finalized in the revisions) are not open for comment; USGBC is not obligated to consider comments for such items.

Any member of the public may comment on the proposed changes to the Benchmark (after creating a site user account on the USGBC web site).  USGBC will respond to all comments and post the comments and responses (without commenter names or organizations) on the USGBC web site.  If significant, technical changes are made as a result of comments, an additional public comment period will be conducted on those changes.  The Benchmark and revised credits will be put to USGBC member ballot after all necessary public comment periods have been conducted.

Select the "Comment" button below to submit comments.

The public comment period will close on March 14, 2010, at 5:00 PM PST.

Informational documents - not open for public comment:

• Introduction and Executive Summary on the revisions
• Frequently Asked Questions on the revisions and public comment
• Comments and responses from the second public comment period on the credit revisions
• Comments and responses from the second public comment period on the Benchmark revisions

Revised documents - open for public comment:

• The USGBC Forest Certification Benchmark
• LEED for New Construction/Major Renovations 2009 MR Credit 7: Certified Wood
• LEED for Schools 2009 MR Credit 7: Certified Wood
• LEED for Commercial Interiors 2009 MR Credit 7: Certified Wood
• LEED for Core and Shell 2009 MR Credit 6: Certified Wood
• LEED for Existing Buildings: Operations & Maintenance 2009 MR Credits 1, 2, & 3: Sustainable Purchasing
• LEED for Homes, Version 2008 MR 2: Environmentally Preferable Products