USGBC Georgia recently hosted a webinar about how LEED can be leveraged to make buildings across the state healthier and more sustainable, with a focus on wood materials. A 2015 law, HB 255, restricts state-funded building projects from using green building programs that do not provide equal points for the American Tree Farm System (ATFS), the Forest Stewardship Council (FSC) and the Sustainable Forest Initiative (SFI). This law was deemed to mean these projects could not use LEED, based on the sustainable wood-related credits in place at that time.

In 2018, LEED provided new paths that recognize SFI- and ATFS-certified forest products. These adjustments make the LEED rating systems available for Georgia state-funded projects again, which was the focus of the webinar.

Panelists included representatives from Georgia Tech, the University of Georgia and the Georgia Forestry Foundation, in addition to USGBC. Architect Maria del Mar Ceballos discussed the impact of HB 255 on building practices at Georgia Tech, saying that without the ability to certify to LEED, it was slightly less efficient for building teams to communicate their intention for projects. LEED can serve as a communications tool, she said, and replacing that framework is a “steeper hill to climb.”

The LEED adjustments for sustainable wood, said Andres Villegas, made it a “more level playing field” across the different forest management rating systems. As LEED now includes those additional wood standards for certain credits, Georgia state agencies and institutions of higher education can again use LEED as a tool for achieving high-performing, sustainable, resilient buildings. USGBC is proud that LEED is again available for state institutions to use to reach high levels of building performance, and we look forward to supporting project teams in reaching their sustainability goals.

For more on how LEED helps supports sustainable building practices through wood, see USGBC’s policy brief.

Learn more about LEED and wood products

Georgia state agencies poised to benefit from LEED