A Class Action Lawsuit was filed against the United States Green Building Council (USGBC) over its LEED rating system.

A copy of the Complaint is attached.

Greenwash is a term used to describe the practice ofcompanies disingenuously spinning their products and policies asenvironmentally friendly. Every year for the past decade, Earth Day Resourcesfor Living Green has released a report called "Don't Be Fooled." Thereport calls attention to the year's 10 worst greenwashers. This years reporthightlights how greenwashing is used in the construction industry

-- Comanche Trace, a commercial developer, bills its golf courses as"great habitats," even though golf courses deplete natural habitatsand use pesticides that poison groundwater.

In the rush to gain a competitive edge developers, contractors, and buildingmaterial suppliers may overstate the "green" qualities of theirproducts or services to keep pace with consumer demand. Problems will arisewhen they do not live up to their claims and expectations are not met.

On March 2, a Federal Class Action lawsuit was filed in Miami District Court on behalf of Florida homeowners against the Knauf Plasterboard Tianjin Co. LTD (manufacturer) and Rothchilt Int'l, LTD (US distributor).

It is believed that more than 60,000 homes in 13 states were built using the alleged defective drywall. Some estimate that 20 million square feet of Chinese drywall entered the US since 2003.

The Consumer Products Safety Commission is conducting an investigation and it is anticiapted that they will issue a nationwide recall.

According to the U.S. Green Building Council (USGBC) the number of both LEED-registered and LEED-certified projects doubled in 2008-from about 10,000 registered projects at the end of 2007 up to more than 20,000 by the end of January 2009. Square footage of LEED-certified construction also rose 92% during that time period, from 148 million up to 284 million square feet.

As the number of LEED registered and LEED certified projects grows so does the potential for claims. Is anybody handling any "green" building claims, if so share your experiences.