Talk:North American Coalition on Green Building

Edit note

I have shifted the following sections that were originally posted to the article page.--Bob Burton 17:23, 24 March 2008 (EDT)

The International Wood Products Association is the association for importers of wood, mostly from the tropics.

The following material is from the Greenbuilding mailing list ...

Yesterday I was informed by a colleague working with the California office of the State Architect of the attack of the North American Coalition on Green Building on the state of California's efforts to promote green building. I'm talking about the state's efforts to adopt LEED, extend CHPS and 1350. This coalition of at least 30 of our favorite trade associations (most of them wood and plastic associations in the United States and Canada) has formed "in response to the United States Green Building Council (USGBC)'s continuing policy of excluding trade groups from membership in the organization. The Coalition has been developed to monitor the USGBC activities and oppose adoption of LEED as a mandatory requirement at the state and local level." Under a nice friendly sounding name, of course. Googling won't bring up a web site for this Coalition despite the fact that they have been in action for at least 8 months now. But you do get some revealing articles from the wood and other trade press about them such as: http://www.iswonline.com/wwp/200409/1on10904.cfm talking about how they want all recognized industry wood certifications systems recognized, want an end to the credit for urea formaldehyde free materials, want all industry parties access to the standard setting process, and on. All couched in very green concerned language about avoiding arbitrary standards and "safeguards to ensure one group does not dominate the process to the detriment of others."

They failed on their first attempt to turn California but made clear that they are not done yet. Likely, the proposed changes on sustainable wood and the LCA support at the USGBC are key pieces of their strategy. This makes the work of the design community all the more important as a counter balance but is pretty depressing in its implications. I would be curious to know which manufacturers are the large contributors to this new North American Coalition on Green Building and also members of USGBC. No rules against it, would speak to where their true motivations lie.