COLUMBIA, SC - Green building's LEED v4 received another hit earlier this month when South Carolina banned state building projects from using the materials credit that requires ingredient reporting. This credit was not included in previous versions of the U.S. Green Building Council's LEED program.

South Carolina Governor Nikki Haley on April 7 signed into law H3592, which states that building projects "shall not be allowed to seek a rating credit or point for building product disclosure and optimization credit that requires material ingredient reporting." According to news sources, concern over this credit was raised due to the state's large chemical manufacturing industry.

The credit ban remains in effect with any "subsequent editions of rating systems" developed by the USGBC, Green Building Initiative, or any other "third-party certification initiatives."

South Carolina last year had passed a measure that banned projects from earning LEED credits for certified wood. The state is not the only one to restrict its use.

Earlier this year, the Ohio Senate passed a ban on LEED v4 for state projects. Likewise, states including Maine and Georgia have also restricted the use of LEED as a green building standard.