Certified sustainable products were recently approved for a Credit Interpretation Ruling (CIR) to earn an “Innovation in Design” credit within the Leadership in Energy and Environmental Design (LEED) rating system using products certified with the Sustainable Materials Rating Technology (SMART). Certified products meet stringent requirements across the global supply chain as dictated by the transparent, consensus, sustainable product standards approved by LEED. SMART is a rating system with a set of minimum requirements and optional credits rewarding superior performance.

SMART is also a standard that may prove to be very important for climate change. The SMART Sustainable Building Product Standard supports the AIA’s 2015 Imperative to stop irreversible dangerous climate change, and SMART-certified products eliminate illegally logged wood and deforestation, which cause about 25 percent of climate change according to the Global Canopy Programme.

Climate change is the top priority for the design firms that helped develop and approve these standards.

“Perkins+Will made climate pollution reductions a firm-wide priority, and we’re proud of our work with the U.S. Green Building Council (USGBC) on SMART approval since more than 80 percent of the credits for these standards reduce climate pollution globally,” emphasized Phil Harrison, Perkins+Will CEO and chairman, SMART Building Product Committee.

Prior to LEED adoption, substantial work took place during five years by many leaders in the design, government and manufacturing communities approving these consensus standards. Five unprecedented separate ballot votes of approval were made.

“USGBC’s action is a critical achievement for global sustainability,” says Ken Baker, Gensler managing principal in its Washington, D.C., office and chairman of the SMART Textile Committee. “The entire Gensler organization placed a very high priority on SMART adoption.”

According to Ginny Dyson, LEED AP, DMJM / Rottet, vice chair, SMART Textile Committee, “SMART Education is a USGBC Education Provider and it is also approved for AIA and IDCEC CEU credit. Education is critical to large-scale market implementation needed to fight irreversible, dangerous climate change. USGBC’s key leadership role importantly provides credible certified product labels the market can trust.”

Forbo, Knoll, Milliken, USG and others had all of their sales and A&D representatives certified to deliver this life cycle assessment (LCA) and Sustainable Product Standards Education covering these standards to their customers at one hour “Lunch & Learns.”

Product Certification

All certified products must either have an ISO-compliant LCA or actual environmental data on 12 impacts from their suppliers, which is critical because many manufacturers have thousands of suppliers with major environmental impacts.

This LCA requirement satisfies almost 60 percent of available credits for certification. Uniquely, SMART requirements eliminate key toxic pollutants and provide more credit for products without toxic endocrine disruptors.

LEED adoption of SMART has already demonstrated a positive influence on climate change. To secure the LEED credit, Forbo increased wind power at its largest facility, outside Amsterdam, from 4 percent to 100 percent of the facility’s total energy needs.

Denny Darragh, CEO of Forbo Flooring, said “Forbo is very pleased with this important USGBC approval and looks forward to working with project teams wishing to use Forbo’s Linoleum and Bulletin Board SMART Platinum Certifications to achieve LEED points.”

Lou Newett, Knoll Inc.’s environmental director and SMART committee vice chair stated, “Knoll is in the process of certifying several products to SMART, and believes this credible, level playing field for comparing products will have a very positive market effect.”

Milliken played a leading role in SMART development and approval, and has been PVC-free since 1986. Milliken Global business manager, Bob Baird emphasized, “Manufacturer competition over certification is intense, but that’s great for business and global sustainability.”

To Qualify for Credit

To qualify for the LEED credit, owners must have 2.5 percent of the products in a building SMART certified, by cost, and exemplary Green-e power or conventional energy reductions from the year 2000 manufacturing facility baseline. Exemplary energy amounts are required in order to attack climate change consistent with USGBC priorities adopted last year increasing LEED energy efficiency requirements and certified buildings. Manufacturing facilities must have a minimum of 60 percent Green-e power use or a 60 percent reduction in conventional energy use, or a combination of the two achieving 60 percent. Green-e power can either be onsite, offsite from the grid, or Green-e offsets / renewable energy credits.

According to Tom Hicks, USGBC vice president for LEED, this LEED approval “is another in a series of examples of how LEED Innovation in Design credits drive ideas and solutions into the marketplace.”