Ric asks:
Is beetle kill considered LEED certified wood?

Answer: Hi Ric,

unfortunately, the only wood that LEED considers to be "Certified Wood" under the current rules for Leadership in Energy and Environmental Design is Forest Stewardship Council (FSC) Certified wood. FSC Certified wood must carry a Chain of Custody (CoC) certificate with it as it makes its way through the green building value chain to wherever it ends up.

For the uninitiated, "beetle kill" refers to trees (typically pine) that are killed in nature by the mountain pine beetle (Dendroctonus ponderosae). Mountain pine beetles have killed millions of acres of trees throughout parts of Canada and other areas.

Entrepreneurs have developed various uses for the dead trees, the use of which helps reduce the demand for healthy trees and other virgin resources. Beetle kill may be used as wood for traditional building purposes as well as for innovative concepts such as being used as an ingredient in making concrete.

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