Specifying timber certified by the Forest Stewardship Council (FSC) offers designers a tangible way to advance sustainability and social responsibility. FSC certification ensures forests are managed responsibly, supports ecosystem health, and enforces chain-of-custody standards in the supply chain, tells this article on BD+C website.
The article features insights from design firm BWBR professionals: President and CEO Terri Ulrick, Senior Specifications Writer Renee Wells, and Sustainability Specialist Rasa Zeltina. They discuss how FSC-certified wood may cost more, about 15–20% higher in some cases, but compared with a multi-million-dollar building budget, the increase is minor and the sustainability return is meaningful.
Beyond cost, the article addresses practical concerns: supply-chain impacts when mills don’t stock certified material, and the need to coordinate early with fabricators and contractors. For designers unsure of starting with full commitment, the “progress, not perfection” mindset is advised: apply FSC wood to selected elements, say doors or wall panels, rather than expecting all wood in a project to be certified.
Further, specifying FSC wood sends a trust signal to clients and stakeholders: it demonstrates that material decisions align with environmental, social, and governance (ESG) expectations. The authors point out that such choices reflect broader sustainable-design commitments, including pledges from American Institute of Architects (AIA) around health, equity, and climate.
The article argues that FSC-certified wood isn’t just a “nice to have,” it’s a design lever that architects and specifiers can use to move from good intent to measurable impact. In short, one material decision can ripple into forest conservation, community well-being, and lower embodied carbon in built environments.