Rainforest Alliance Releases SmartGuide to Green Building Wood Sources

The guide offers more than 450 suppliers and distributors.

by Mairi Beautyman -- Interior Design, 11/23/2005

When it comes to wood building products, the Forest Stewardship Council (FSC) certification is universally recognized as the green standard. To facilitate the process of finding sources for these materials, the Rainforest Alliance has compiled the SmartGuide to Green Building Wood Sources, a comprehensive listing of all FSC-certified suppliers in North America.

The guide, which can be downloaded free of charge, contains more than 450 listings of suppliers and distributors. Sources for products ranging from doors to decking, flooring to furniture, are listed with contact, company, and product information. Through use of FSC-certified wood products, architects, designers, and contractors can earn LEED credits from the U.S. Green Building Council. In the past, this credit has been avoided, for the most part because sourcing certified wood was perceived as difficult and time consuming. “Contractors trying to locate FSC-certified wood products would often give up in frustration,” says Rainforest Alliance green building specialist Rick Hilton.

The Rainforest Alliance, an organization dedicated to protecting ecosystems and the people and wildlife that depend on them, hopes the guide will link green building and environmental demand for FSC-certified products with an ever-increasing supply. Founded in 1989 to certify responsible forestry practices, the Rainforest Alliance’s SmartWood program has certified more than 69 million acres worldwide.