Chemical Industry Announces New Coalition

Last week, the American Chemistry Council announced the formation of the American High Performance Buildings Coalition (AHPBC). This organization is made up of 27 trade associations, including the Vinyl Institute, the Vinyl Siding Institute, and the Flexible Vinyl Alliance. The coalition has spoken out against the General Services Administration (GSA) using the LEED rating system, claiming that it is not a consensus-based system. From the AHPBC website, “American Manufacturers and Building Experts Speak Out Against GSA Green Building Review”.

For USGBC’s response, see “LEED Is Private, Voluntary, Transparent and Democratic”. Brendan Owens, VP for LEED Technical Development, commented, “LEED is developed in accordance with a rigorously inclusive process.  We have received more than 22,000 public comments and have responded to each individually. We work cooperatively with industries, and LEED standards are set in a consensus-driven, transparent manner led by technical experts in their fields.”

LEED v4, to be launched in 2013, will include new optional credits that will reward efforts to reduce the use of highly toxic chemicals in buildings. For an excellent background analysis on AHPBC’s concerns and USGBC’s response, read Healthy Building News’ article, “Chemical Giants Target the USGBC”.

For a fact check put together by BuildingGreen, read “Chemical Industry Attacks LEED: BuildingGreen Checks the Facts”.

For an article on this topic by USGBC Founder and CEO, Rick Fedrizzi, read “The Scoundrel’s Handbook”.

Learn more:

USGBC Press Release: LEED Is Private, Voluntary, Transparent and Democratic
USGBC Press Release: More Than 1,200 Businesses and Organizations Commend GSA for Using LEED to Support Innovation and Save Taxpayer Dollars
Healthy Building News: Chemical Giants Target the USGBC: Part 1
Healthy Building News: Chemical Giants Target the USGBC: Part 2
American High Performance Buildings Coalition: Website
American High Performance Buildings Coalition Press Release: Building and Construction Industry Leaders Announce Formation of the American High-Performance Buildings Coalition
BuildingGreen: Chemical Industry Attacks LEED: BuildingGreen Checks the Facts
Huffington Post: The Scoundrel's Handbook