Sustainable Furniture Products Earn LEED Points in USGBC’s Pilot Credit 80

Those pursuing LEED certification may now be able to earn credit for specifying level certified furniture products under the USGBC’s new Pilot Credit 80: Environmentally Preferable Interior Finishes and Furnishings.

Level is the sustainability certification program for furniture. It is a multi-attribute evaluation of the environmental and social impacts of furniture products, certified level 1, level 2 or level 3 (3 being the highest certification), by a third-party, independent certifying body that measures compliance with the ANSI/BIFMA e3 Furniture Sustainability Standard.

The purpose of LEED Pilot Credit 80 is to increase the use of interior finishes and furnishings with validated multi-attribute environmental and social profiles. While the furniture sustainability standard is presently the only product standard named, the USGBC is seeking input on other third-party certified products to include.

The LEED Pilot Credit 80 will offer a feedback loop for both testing and comments. USGBC collects, organizes and integrates feedback to evolve and refine pilot credits during their testing period, with a goal of adding successful credits to the USGBC member balloted LEED rating system. As part of Pilot Credit 80, all level certified furniture products may contribute to LEED certification credits based on a sliding percentage scale for level 1, 2 or 3 product conformance tiers. A project must include at least five different third-party certified products that account for at least 50 percent of the total interior finishes and furnishing materials by cost.

Pilot Credit 80 was posted in the LEED Pilot Credit Library on June 10.

Some furniture companies such as Herman Miller have been longtime leaders in the green building movement and key partners in advancing the USGBC’s Cradle to Cradle philosophy, which takes into account all aspects of green building. Cradle to Cradle is a circular system in which manufacturers and designers create products with technical materials that can be used in continuous cycles.