Certification Standards

Established by the U.S. Green Building Council (USBGC®), the LEED (Leadership in Energy and Environmental Design) standards are a set of credits that can be used to certify building projects that have been designed, constructed, and/or managed in an environmentally responsible way. The standards have been adopted by a number of states, cities, and government agencies as regulatory requirements or guidelines. More information about the USGBC and LEED are available on the organization's website at www.usgbc.org.

Forms+Surfaces is a proud member of the USGBC, and we have LEED Accredited Professionals on staff to assist you with certification-related inquiries. Depending on configuration and application, our products may help earn LEED v3 or v4 points in the following categories

• Sustainable Sites: Alternative Transportation, Location & Transportation: Bicycle Facilities – Our secure bike racks can be provided to accommodate alternative transportation.
• Sustainable Sites: Light Pollution Reduction – Easily shielded light fixtures can reduce light pollution and associated environmental impacts. Full light output profiles can be found on our Product Data Sheets.
• Energy & Atmosphere: Energy Performance Many of our light fixtures are available with low-energy lamps and LEDs, which can help with project energy loads. Also, the use of VividGlass may aid in harvesting site energy by increasing daylighting properties throughout the space and reducing the requirement for electric lighting. Please contact us for more information.
• Materials & Resources: Storage and Collection of Recyclables – F+S recycling receptacles are configurable to any local waste stream, designed for easy use by maintenance staff, and have been time-tested for durability in the field.
• Materials & Resources: Construction Waste Management – Most packaging materials are reusable and/or recyclable. This information is available for every standard product on our Product Environmental Data Sheets
• Materials & Resources: Materials Reuse – Some of our wood slat benches and tables use reclaimed wood. Please see our Product Data Sheets for product-specific information.
• Materials & Resources: Recycled Content Most F+S products have recycled content, depending on material selection and configuration. This information is available for every standard product on our Product Environmental Data sheets and for custom products by request.
• Materials & Resources: Regional Materials – All US products are manufactured at, and shipped from, one of our two facilities: Pittsburgh, Pennsylvania; or Phoenix, Arizona. We also have a facility in Pune, India. The facility of manufacture depends on the type of product and sometimes proximity to the project. Please reference our Product Environmental Data Sheets for specific manufacturing location information relative to a particular product.
• Materials & Resources: Certified Wood – Forms+Surfaces is an FSC®-certified Supplier (FSC-C004453). All wood slat benches, tables and litter & recycling receptacles are manufactured with FSC-certified wood.
• Materials & Resources: Material Ingredients – Health Product Declarations are available for many of our products and can be found on our product pages under the Environmental Data tab. Please contact us for more information. 
• Indoor Environmental Quality: Environmental Tobacco Smoke Control – F+S product offerings include everything required to create a smoking area located away from building and ventilation inlets.
• Indoor Environmental Quality: Low-Emitting Materials – Many F+S products are comprised of inherently non-emitting materials. With regard to composite wood, LEVELe & LEVELc Elevator Interior wall panels are made with no added urea-formaldehyde.
• Indoor Environmental Quality: Interior Lighting – LightPlane Panel LEDs offer uniform light output and energy efficiency. Please reference the Product Data Sheet for additional information.
• Indoor Environmental Quality: Daylight – VividGlass may be used in a variety of applications to increase the daylight factor, as well as provide glare control within a building. Please contact us for more information.

The Forest Stewardship Council (FSC) is an organization that developed a set of certification criteria for responsibly managed forests. The standards are internationally accepted and include a full chain-of-custody certification requirement. FSC-certified wood has been verified as responsibly harvested with respect to both environmental and social factors. More information is available on the FSC website, www.fsc.org.

Forms+Surfaces is an FSC-certified Supplier (FSC-C004453). As such, we are authorized to purchase and sell FSC-certified material. All of our wood slat benches, tables and litter & recycling receptacles are manufactured with FSC-certified wood.

Developed through a collaboration of the United States Botanic Garden, the Lady Bird Johnson Wildflower Center at the University of Texas at Austin, and the American Society of Landscape Architects, the Sustainable Sites Initiative (SITES®) is a program based on the understanding that land is a crucial component of the built environment and can be planned, designed, developed, and maintained to protect and enhance the benefits we derive from healthy functioning landscapes. The SITES program offers a systematic, comprehensive rating system designed to define sustainable sites, measure their performance, and ultimately elevate the value of landscapes. More information about the SITES program is available on the program's website at www.sustainablesites.org.

Depending on configuration and application, our products may help earn SITES points in the following categories:

• Materials P5.1: Eliminate the use of wood from threatened tree species – Forms+Surfaces is an FSC®-certified Supplier (FSC-C004453). All wood slat benches, tables and litter & recycling receptacles are manufactured with FSC-certified wood.
• Materials C5.3: Design for Disassembly – Most of our products can be disassembled to separate recyclable components. Please see our Product Data Sheets for product specific information.
• Materials C5.4: Salvaged Materials – Some of our wood slat benches and tables use reclaimed wood. Please see our Product Data Sheets for product specific information.
• Materials C5.5: Recycled Content – Most F+S products have recycled content, depending on material selection and configuration. This information is available for every standard product on our Product Environmental Data sheets and for custom products by request.
• Materials C5.6: Regional Materials – All US products are manufactured at, and shipped from, one of our three facilities: Pittsburgh, Pennsylvania; Phoenix, Arizona; or Santa Fe Springs, California. We also have a facility in Pune, India. The facility of manufacture depends on the type of product and sometimes proximity to the project. Please reference our Product Environmental Data Sheets for specific manufacturing location information relative to a particular product.
• Materials C5.7: Responsible Extraction of Raw Materials (Certified Wood) – Forms+Surfaces is an FSC®-certified Supplier (FSC-C004453). All wood slat benches, tables and litter & recycling receptacles are manufactured with FSC-certified wood.
• Materials C5.8: Support Transparency and Safer Chemistry – Health Product Declarations are available for many of our products and can be found on our product pages under the Environmental Data tab. Please contact us for more information. 
• Human Health + Well Being C6.2: Wayfinding – Cornelius Signage can greatly increase visibility, convey important directional information, and improve the experience throughout your facility.
• Human Health + Well Being C6.3: Promote Equitable Site Use – Cornelius Signage can be used to promote sustainability awareness and education.
• Human Health + Well Being C6.4: Support Mental Restoration – Benches, tables and sunshades may be used to create comfortable outdoor seating spaces.
• Human Health + Well Being C6.5: Support Physical Activity – Our secure bike racks can be provided to encourage outdoor physical activity.
• Human Health + Well Being C6.6: Support Social Connection – Benches, tables, and sunshades can be used to create outdoor gathering spaces.
• Human Health + Well Being C6.8: Light Pollution – Easily shielded light fixtures can reduce light pollution and associated environmental impacts. Full light output profiles can be found on our Product Data Sheets.
• Human Health + Well Being C6.9: Fuel Efficient and Multi-Modal Transportation – Our secure bike racks can be provided to accommodate alternative transportation.
• Human Health + Well Being C6.6: Environmental Tobacco Smoke – F+S product offerings include everything required to create a smoking area located away from building and ventilation inlets.
• Construction C7.5: Construction Waste Management – Most packaging materials are reusable and/or recyclable. This information is available for every standard product on our Product Environmental Data Sheets.
• Operations + Maintenance P8.2: Storage and Collection of Recyclables - F+S recycling receptacles are configurable to any local waste stream, designed for easy use by maintenance staff, and have been time-tested for durability in the field.
• Operations + Maintenance P8.3: Recycle Organic Matter – F+S recycling receptacles are configurable to any local waste stream, designed for easy use by maintenance staff, and have been time-tested for durability in the field.
• Operations + Maintenance C8.5: Outdoor Energy – Many of our light fixtures are available with low-energy lamps and LEDs, which can help with project energy loads. Please contact us for more information.
• Education + Performance Monitoring C9.1: Sustainability Awareness and Education – Profile One Information Kiosks and Cornelius Signage may be used to deliver educational elements.

Administered in the United States by the Green Building Initiative®, Green Globes is a set of criteria that can be used to assess and certify building projects that have been designed, constructed, and/or managed in an environmentally responsible way. More information is available on the Green Globes website at www.greenglobes.com.

Our sustainability team is knowledgeable about the Green Globes standards and happy to help you with certification requirements. 

• 3.2.5 Exterior Light Pollution: Easily shielded light fixtures can reduce light pollution and associated environmental impacts. Full light output profiles can be found on our Product Data Sheets
• 3.3.1 Energy Performance: Many of our light fixtures are available with low-energy lamps and LEDs, which can help with project energy loads. The use of VividGlass may aid in harvesting site energy by increasing daylighting properties throughout the space and reducing the requirement for electric lighting. Please contact us for more information.
• 3.3.10 Energy Efficient Transportation: Our secure bike racks can be provided to accommodate alternative transportation.
• 3.5.2 Interior Fit-outs - Certified Wood: Forms+Surfaces is a FSC®-certified Supplier (FSC-C004453). All wood slat benches, tables and litter & recycling receptacles are manufactured with FSC-certified wood.
• 3.5.4.1 Construction Waste: Most packaging materials are reusable and/or recyclable. This information is available for every standard product on our Product Environmental Data sheets
• 3.5.4.2 Operational Waste: F+S recycling receptacles are configurable to any local waste stream, designed for easy use by maintenance staff, and have been time-tested for durability in the field.
• 3.5.6.3 Resource Conservation - Deconstruction and Disassembly: Most of our products can be disassembled to separate recyclable components. Please see our Product Data Sheets for product-specific information.
• 3.7.2.1 Source Control & Measurement of Indoor Pollutants - Volatile Organic Compounds: Many F+S products are comprised of inherently non-emitting materials. Please contact us for additional information.
• 3.7.2.9 Source Control & Measurement of Indoor Pollutants - Other Indoor Pollutants (Tobacco, Radon): F+S product offerings include everything required to create a smoking area located away from building and ventilation inlets.
• 3.7.3.1 Lighting Design and Systems - Daylighting: VividGlass may be used in a variety of applications to increase the daylight factor, as well as provide glare control within a building. Please contact us for more information.

Estidama which means “Sustainability” in Arabic, is an initiative developed and promoted by the Abu Dhabi Urban Planning Council. The ultimate goal of Estidama is to preserve and enrich Abu Dhabi’s physical and cultural identity while creating an always improving quality of life for its residents on four equal pillars of sustainability: environmental, economic, social and cultural. More information is available on the Estidama website at estidama.upc.gov.ae.

Depending on configuration and application, our products may apply to the following categories:

• Livable Outdoors: Bicycle Facilities – Our secure bike racks can be provided to accommodate alternative transportation.
• Livable Outdoors: Light Pollution Reduction – Easily shielded light fixtures can reduce light pollution and associated environmental impacts. Full light output profiles can be found on our Product Data Sheets.
• Livable Indoors: Smoking Control – F+S product offerings include everything required to create a smoking area located away from building and ventilation inlets.
• Livable Indoors: Daylight & Glare – VividGlass may be used in a variety of applications to increase the daylight factor, as well as provide glare control within a building. Please contact us for more information.
• Resourceful Energy: Energy Performance – Many of our light fixtures are available with low-energy lamps and LEDs, which can help with project energy loads. The use of VividGlass may aid in harvesting site energy by increasing daylighting properties throughout the space and reducing the requirement for electric lighting. Please contact us for more information. 
• Stewarding Materials: Hazardous Materials Elimination – Our products do not contain asbestos. Please contact us for additional information.
• Stewarding Materials: Construction Waste Management – Most packaging materials are reusable and/or recyclable. This information is available for every standard product on our Product Environmental Data sheets.
• Stewarding Materials: Design for Disassembly – Most of our products can be disassembled to separate recyclable components. Please see our Product Data Sheets for product specific information.
• Stewarding Materials: Operational Waste Management – F+S recycling receptacles are configurable to any local waste stream, designed for easy use by maintenance staff, and have been time-tested for durability in the field.
• Stewarding Materials: Materials Reuse – Some of our wood slat benches and tables use reclaimed wood. Please see our Product Data Sheets for product specific information.
• Stewarding Materials: Recycled Materials – Most F+S products have recycled content, depending on material selection and configuration. This information is available for every standard product on our Product Environmental Data sheets.
• Stewarding Materials: Reused or Certified Timber – Forms+Surfaces is an FSC®-certified Supplier (FSC-C004453). All wood slat benches, tables and litter & recycling receptacles are manufactured with FSC-certified wood.