Skanska USA, an international construction and development firm with offices in New Haven, has resigned as a member of the U.S. Chamber of Commerce in a dispute over LEED certifications.
The firm is protesting the Chamber’s backing of a chemical industry-led initiative to effectively ban the future use of the Leadership in Energy & Environmental Design program for government buildings. The push for the ban is led by the American High-Performance Building Coalition.
LEED, a U.S. Green Building Council program, has helped grow the green building industry to pump billions into the economy and create more than 7.9 million jobs annually, according to Skanska.
After a week in discussions with the Chamber, asking its leadership to reconsider its position, talks broke down and Skanska removed its name and its funding in protest of the Chamber’s decision.
“The Chamber is on the wrong side of this issue, and its support of the AHPBC is misplaced as well as misguided,” said Mike McNally, president and CEO of Skanska USA.
