KLAMATH FALLS, Ore. — The U.S. Green Building Council (USGBC) announced this week that its Leadership in Energy and Environmental Design (LEED) Green Building Rating System will now recognize multiple forestry certification standards as part of a pilot credit for certified products. As a national member of USGBC, JELD-WEN applauds this advancement that will encourage greater use of certified sources of wood.

Known as Pilot Credit 43, the USGBC stated that its intent is “to increase the use of products and materials with life cycles, ingredients, and attributes understood and optimized to improve overall environmental, economic and social performance.”

Non-structural wood building products that are certified by any one of five recognized programs can help earn this pilot credit. Qualifying programs include: American Tree Farm System (ATFS), Canadian Standards (CSA), Programme for the Endorsement of Forestry Certification (PEFC), Forest Stewardship Council (FSC) and the Sustainable Forestry Initiative (SFI).

JELD-WEN windows ordered with the SFI option utilize wood that is certified to the SFI Standard, providing independent third-party verification that the forest, trees and the wood were managed and harvested in a responsible manner. The internationally recognized, science-based SFI 2010-2014 Standard is founded on principles and practices that promote sustainable forest management and consideration of all forest values. In 2007 JELD-WEN received SFI chain of custody certification at four U.S. wood window manufacturing locations. Today, JELD-WEN’s window manufacturing plants in Bend, Ore.; Hawkins, Wisc.; Ringtown, Penn.; and Rantoul, Ill. are certified to the SFI standard by an independent third-party audit team at PricewaterhouseCoopers. Windows ordered with the SFI certified wood option now qualify for a LEED Innovation in Design (ID) Credit (excluding the LEED for Homes rating system).

About SFI

SFI Inc. is an independent, non-profit organization responsible for maintaining, overseeing and improving a sustainable forestry certification program that is among the largest single forest standards in the world. The largest certification program in North America, SFI certified forestland in North America totaled 181.1 million acres as of December 31, 2010. In addition to the USGBC and LEED, SFI is also recognized by National Green Building Standard (ANSI ICC 700-2008), Green Globes (ANSI GBI 01-2010), U.S. General Services Administration (GSA), National Association of State Foresters, Public Works Canada, BREEAM (United Kingdom), Built Green Canada, CASBEE (Japan), ASTM International, International Green Construction Code (IGCC) 2012 release pending.

About JELD-WEN, inc.

For more than 50 years, JELD-WEN has built its reputation as the world’s most reliable manufacturer of windows and doors. Today the company offers a full breadth of windows and doors, and has earned numerous awards and endorsements for dependability, innovation and excellence. With a strong commitment to sustainability, JELD-WEN also is a recognized leader in manufacturing energy efficient products – providing solutions that deliver exceptional value for builders, architects and homeowners all overthe globe. The company has been an ENERGY STAR® Partner since 1998 and has been twice-named an ENERGY STAR Partner of the Year.