Deconstruction - The Sustainable Alternative to Demolition
Deconstruction involves salvaging building materials through careful and selective disassembly of an existing structure with the goal of diverting as much material as possible away from landfills and towards reuse and recycling. Deconstructed used building materials can be donated to local non-profit or government agencies for resale or recycling. Or, general contractors and property owners can reuse or repurpose salvaged materials for new construction, home or business projects. For example, reclaimed brick pavers could be used for new walkways or deconstructed hardwood planks for flooring. While it is easy to assume that deconstruction is simply the dismantling of buildings piece-by-piece, the concept of deconstruction should be viewed as a continuous lifecycle allowing us to limit (with the goal of terminating) our reliance on new, harvested materials for building structures.
Various interrelated industries come together to create the ideal reuse lifecycle. Consequently, deconstruction, as an idea, cannot sustain itself without an effective support system. For example, Architects and designers can produce designs incorporating reused materials while also ensuring building plans include future renovation and home improvements that are sustainably performed. Homeowners and commercial property owners need to consider purchasing used (but perfectly functional) materials from nonprofits instead of buying new from large building material supply chains. Green policymakers across the globe are avidly pushing for deconstruction ordinances making deconstruction mandatory for specific demolition projects. Builders and developers need to make clients aware of the changing environmental landscape and push for green building practices to be the norm, not the exception.
Deconstruction Ordinances and Tax Benefits - The Proverbial Carrot and the Stick
Cities including Portland, Palo Alto, and Milwaukee have initiated deconstruction ordinance adoption with varying rates of success. These ordinances require general contractors and demolition companies to invest time, research, and training towards pursuing deconstruction as a preferred service over demolition. In connection with ordinances pushing towards deconstruction, individuals and corporations often obtain appraisals determining the value of the donated materials. Personal property appraisers are responsible for producing qualified, ethical, and well-researched appraisals for individuals and corporations to determine if they choose to pursue potential tax benefits. The proverbial “carrot” of potential tax deductions coupled with the “stick” or ordinance mandates can work concurrently to move us towards a sustainable circular economy.
Larger Societal Benefits of Deconstruction - Creating More Winners
The aforementioned industries including construction, architecture, deconstruction and nonprofits selling second-hand building materials, all reap potential benefits from deconstruction. As deconstruction gains popularity as a demolition alternative, nonprofits can offer workforce development training opportunities to individuals from underserved segments of the population- i.e. veterans who need support and training to re-enter the workforce or individuals with a criminal history choosing to create a fresh-start and hit barriers to entry in other industries.
Waste Diversion - A Critical Environmental Initiative
Debris from construction and demolition (C&D waste) makes up approximately 25-30% of solid waste produced in this country , landfill space is at a premium with tons of usable materials being dumped daily. Now that China has cut back on their trash imports and is no longer accepting plastic waste from the United States , we need to be extremely cautious as to what we dump in our ground—emitting carbon dioxide and seeping into our potable water supply.
Stay tuned for more blogs focused on support initiatives for deconstruction training, comprehensive recycling and deconstruction resources, resources for supporting nonprofit workforce development programs, and other subject areas critical to our goal of maximizing waste diversion. Do you have questions about this article? Reach out to us at info@thegreenmissioninc.com. We would appreciate the opportunity to have a thoughtful dialogue with the community about our mission of maximizing waste diversion
