There are many different LEED requirements that builders and architects can take advantage of. One particular credit is the MRc7 credit.

If a green building project uses a certain percentage of FSC wood, they can qualify for this LEED credit. If you want to qualify for this LEED credit, your project must have installed at least 50% of FSC wood. An exemplary performance Innovation in Design credit can be attained if you use 95% FSC certified wood.

There are many different kinds of FSC wood available including:

• FSC Ipe
• FSC Cumaru
• FSC Tigerwood
• FSC Garapa

The great thing about building green and LEED construction projects is that they are extremely creative. The green building revolution is certainly pushing the envelope when it comes to how hardwoods like ipe wood can be utilized. One such example that I recently found was the recently opened Eco Park in the Discovery Green Conservancy project in Houston, Texas. 60% of the wood used throughout the whole park used ipe hardwood. Using ipe hardwood helped the Discovery Green park project earn a Gold level LEED certification.

The designers and planners of Discovery Green chose ipe for the following reasons:

• Mold, mildew, and rot resistant
• Extremely strong & dense
• Insect resistant
• Requires very little maintenance

At Advantage Trim & Lumber, we can help you get your LEED Certification with our FSC lumber, FSC flooring, and FSC decking products. Since 1992, we have been the leader in establishing sustainable forestry practices that lead to the overall health of the environment. We are also members of the United States Green Building Council and the Forest Stewardship Council. Visit our main website to learn more.