Why are some states trying to ban LEED green building standards?{large image}

[xchrom]

http://grist.org/climate-energy/why-are-some-states-trying-to-ban-leed-green-building-standards/

?w=470&h=352
LEED Gold-certified Wayne L. Morse U.S. Courthouse in Eugene, Ore.

The amendments and executive orders never actually mention LEED by name. They ban new construction built with public money from seeking (or requiring) any green building certification that’s not recognized by something called the American National Standards Institute, or that doesn’t treat all certifications for wood products equally. But that’s really just a mouthful meant to ensure no more LEED-certified courthouses or state offices or libraries.

Behind the bans are a group of industries — primarily conventional timber, plastics, and chemicals — unhappy that much of their product goes unrecognized by the LEED standard created by the U.S. Green Building Council. LEED now certifies a million and a half square feet of real estate a day, affixing a “green” label onto public buildings, commercial offices, and private homes that rack up points on a 100-point scale and rewards things like locally sourced materials and energy-efficient design.

Using lumber clear-cut from the side of a sensitive stream half a continent away does not, in short, get you anything.

“Certain things haven’t made the cut,” says Lane Burt, USGBC’s policy director. “As a result we’ve seen some political agitation, basically a much more threatening posture saying ‘if you don’t change this about LEED, or give us more points, we’ll use our constitutional rights to petition government to take LEED away.’”

[David__77]

1. Thanks for this. It's my job, so I need to research it.

I'm familiar with LEED standards. I guess my thought is that the energy-intensity per square foot would be the main thing. From an energy efficiency standpoint, the concern isn't what the building materials are, but rather what's the resulting energy consumption. I've got some homework now though...

[4dsc]

2. That building is LEED certified?

No fricken way that building should be LEED anything. Too many windows for starters.

[gopiscrap]

3. less or no profit in it for the oil industry and other polluters

who give huge campaign contributions