Certified Wood (No Tropical Species)
New wood products are FSC or SFI certified. No tropical wood.
Spec
Applies uniformly from Gold upward.
Scope
All new wood products installed in the dwelling — framing, flooring, trim, cabinetry, decking, structural panels.
Requirements
- 01.
All newly installed wood products must carry FSC (Forest Stewardship Council) or SFI (Sustainable Forestry Initiative) certification.
- 02.
No tropical hardwoods permitted (e.g. teak, mahogany, ipe, rosewood) — even when "certified," tropical sourcing carries unresolvable risks of forest conversion and illegal logging.
- 03.
Salvaged or reclaimed wood is acceptable as an alternative pathway (counts toward the certified-wood requirement).
Documentation
Evidence the inspector / Institute will need.
- 01.
Material spec sheets or invoices showing FSC/SFI certification logos and chain-of-custody numbers.
- 02.
For reclaimed wood: supplier documentation of source.
Guidance
FSC vs SFI
FSC has stricter forest-management criteria, more independent governance, and broader endorsement from environmental groups. SFI is industry-developed and accepts a wider range of forestry practices. Both are accepted under GreenStar — preference for FSC where products are available, given the stronger third-party validation.
Why no tropical wood, even certified
Tropical forest deforestation continues to outpace certification efforts, and certified tropical wood often originates from forests adjacent to or recently converted from natural forest. Domestic temperate alternatives (oak, walnut, hickory, sapele) cover almost every use case at comparable price.
Resources
- FSC Certified Product Search →
Verify a supplier's certification number.
- BuildingGreen — Wood Certification →
Detailed comparison of FSC, SFI, and other forest certifications.