The
U. S. Green Building Council announced last week that it will delay release of Version
4 of its environmental rating system for construction projects, and extend the
comment period through December 10, 2012, due to an unprecedented level of
22,000 comments on the current draft. After further comment, voting on the new
version will likely be delayed until next June.
USGBC
has already certified 40,000 construction projects in 130 countries worldwide,
and it says 1.5 million square feet of new building space is certified daily.
Special interests throughout the construction industry are seeking through comments
to “fix” the latest draft. The U. S. Chamber of Commerce, National Association
of Manufacturers, American Chemistry Council, and American High Performance Buildings
Coalition all contend the proposed standards will unfairly affect market share
for their products.
Isn’t
that just what LEED is supposed to do? By getting building materials deemed
harmful to the environment out of use, indoor air quality and people’s health
are supposed to improve. Let’s hope the USGBC can hold the line against makers
of noxious products who are just trying to hold onto the old ways.
