The Green Mission Inc’s COO, Mayur Dankhara accepted a position on the Board of Directors for Reuse Minnesota. Although based in the Washington, DC area, The Green Mission Inc. works with clients, nationwide, to encourage the deconstruction of buildings through donations to charity and tax deductions. Additionally, they help develop and implement sustainable resources. Sharing resources and ideas nationwide helps industry members to quickly implement best practices and make a larger dent in reducing landfill loads.
Reuse Minnesota is an industry leader dedicated to working in the built environment on behalf of repair, resale, and rental businesses; promoting the reuse economy at every step. They are the only organization in Minnesota to have built this robust network needed to advance the regenerative reuse business sector.
After completing undergraduate studies in Mumbai, India, Dankhara completed his master’s in construction management at Texas A&M University. His career began in the construction industry before his passion for building sustainability led him to transition towards deconstruction in the built environment.
Deconstruction is the careful un-building of a structure with the goal of salvaging as many materials as possible for reuse or recycling. The average deconstruction job costs more than a traditional demolition due to the additional time needed to carefully dismantle to ensure materials are salvaged and undamaged. This increased cost can be overcome by tax deductions.
Taxpayers can deduct the IRS defined Fair Market Value of the donated building materials and other property. The IRS requires an IRS Qualified Appraisal by an IRS Qualified Appraiser to substantiate the donation when the value is in excess of $5,000.
Coupled with his degree in Construction Management, Dankhara is also an IRS Qualified Appraiser, an accredited member of the International Society of Appraisers, and has over five years of experience valuing building materials and other structural components.
Critical to an accurate appraisal is an understanding of the secondary market for used building materials as well as sound valuation methodology and theory. Dankhara travels the country meeting with nonprofit reuse organizations that regularly deconstruct and sell donated materials. Additionally, materials are often sold at auction and through for-profit storefronts and companies. Dankhara also works on large nationwide commercial projects diverting material away from the landfill. Think commercial furnishings, kitchen equipment, and storefronts. His work provides ongoing support to the sustainable building economy.
Dankhara hopes to bring his knowledge of the secondary construction material industry and knowledge of tax deductions to the Board of Reuse Minnesota and looks forward to working closely with Reuse Minnesota to reach sustainable built environment goals!
