The Sustainable Forestry Initiative

in Leadership in Energy and Environmental Design (LEED) projects. LEED is the most widely used green building rating system in the world. Mass timber buildings are a green and beautiful choice With a curving roofline that blends with the rolling hills overlooking the University of Idaho’s Moscow campus, the Idaho Central Credit Union Arena is hitting new artistic heights for mass timber. The 62,000-square-foot, 4,000-capacity facility is home to the University of Idaho’s basketball teams and also offers a welcoming space for community events. It will open this fall. This architectural marvel of biophilic design is a testament to how building with certified mass timber can produce beautiful structures that are showcases for sustainability. More than $35 million of the $51 million arena cost came from private funds, including Idaho’s forest products industry with member organizations certified to SFI standards. The arena is just one of a burgeoning number of spectacular structures that are changing the face of the construction industry. *Annie Perkins is Senior Director, Green Building and Supply Chain, at the Sustainable Forestry Initiative. sustainable forest practices and the products they produce. The construction industry is well-positioned to accelerate the acceptance of certified mass timber and along with it the recognition of the ESG and SDG benefits it delivers. Supporting sustainable jobs in rural areas Sustainable forest management is at the heart of forest certification programs. Fairness is an important element of sustainable forest management, especially because it promotes sharing the benefits of forests in rural areas. According to the Food and Agriculture Organization of the United Nations, implementing sustainable forest management reduces inequality, promotes the development of locally owned and operated businesses, and improves working conditions. Promoting responsible forestry through green building programs There are many credible green building rating systems that recognize the value of multiple forest certification standards and offer credits for products certified to these forest certification standards, including SFI. The U.S. Green Building Council recognizes SFI-certified wood. This means using SFI-certified wood can earn points