As a vendor of a building material certified by the FSC. BuildDirect qualifies according toFSC rules to advertise the product (Kontiki Vifah Eucalyptus Deck Tile) with the FSC logo and name. BuildDirect satisfies all the requirements for FSC chain of custody regulations for using the FSC logo in its advertising, and the folks at FSC  have given the green light to BuildDirect to promote its product.

The rub comes from the CaGBC who says that a purchaser of the product from BuildDirect can’t use it in a LEED project because BuildDirect itself doesn’t have an FSC chain of custody number. Hey, what’s wrong with this picture?

BuildDirect doesn’t need this number under FSC rules. BuildDirect is an online vendor.  Its FSC-product ships directly from an FSC certified supplier with its own FSC chain of custody number, and the FSC itself says everything is in order for BuildDirect to promote the sale of this FSC product.

So what’s with the CAGBC (and the USGBC) muscling in on vendor companies, who are acting above board and in good faith, forcing FSC compliance with rules that don’t even exist with the FSC?

Yes, LEED is a prominent green building system, but if its dominance in the industry comes down to this kind of thuggery, it’s not going to maintain its stature for long.