Deconstruction: Opportunities Rise from the Dust

How to turn deconstruction of a building into a sustainability opportunity

by Michael Arny and Linda Fox — Deconstruction of buildings diverts waste from landfills, saves energy and reduces the amount of raw materials needed for construction projects by reusing materials such as copper wiring, bricks, flooring and lumber. In a recent successful deconstruction project in Madison, Wisconsin, eight adjacent buildings on one block were razed to make room for The Wisconsin Institutes for Discovery on the University of Wisconsin campus. Ninety-eight percent of the materials from the predecessor buildings were recycled or reused and 88% of the construction waste was recycled. Some of these materials will end up at stores such as Portland’s Rebuilding Center (which also has deconstruction services and a furniture business built from reusable doors and other wood products).

According to the Institute for Local Self-Reliance, the U.S. demolition industry takes down about 200,000 buildings each year. With a national deconstruction effort, about 200,000 jobs would be created, and one billion dollars worth of building materials would be saved for reuse. One of the most successful deconstruction companies, The Reuse People, is a multi-functional organization that offers comprehensive deconstruction and salvage services, with a nationwide distribution system of reusable materials. They also provide educational and consulting services to spread their wealth of knowledge. Through their efforts, over 250,000 tons of materials have been reassigned to other projects throughout the U.S. There are several key benefits to their efforts:

  • Economic benefits to the building owner
  • Lower housing or project costs to buyers
  • Skilled job training and jobs are provided to communities
  • Charitable donations are made to local groups such as Habitat ReStore
  • Salvage of historical artifacts

States’ Efforts

Some states and cities have already implemented laws regulating construction waste, such as Boulder, Colorado, which has a mandatory Green Points program that governs recycling, deconstruction and materials reuse. Massachusetts imposed a ban on the landfilling of asphalt pavement, concrete, metal and wood wastes as an incentive to recycle and reuse construction waste. In California, many counties and municipalities have adopted waste management plans that require that all buildings scheduled for demolition be made available for deconstruction efforts.

Design for Deconstruction

Probably the most important new concept in deconstruction is the idea of “designing for deconstruction,” which is gaining favour as architects and builders get on board with lifecycle design for residential and commercial buildings. By designing a building with the lifecycle in mind from the outset, the building is planned to come apart in the future as easily as it comes together during construction. This means that starting with the right components (non-hazardous materials) and viewing construction waste and deconstruction salvage as a resource are essential. The Lifecycle Building Challenge defines Lifecycle Construction as “the design of building materials, components, information systems, and management practices to create buildings that facilitate and anticipate future changes to and eventual adaptation, disassembly, or dismantling for recovery of all systems, components, and materials.”

Principles for designing for deconstruction include:

  • Design for prefabrication, preassembly and modular construction
  • A simple, rather than complex, design
  • Minimal building components and materials
  • Standardized components that can be reused
  • Maximized flexibility and adaptability of space

New Orleans projects

In 2005, over 4,000 homes were destroyed by Hurricane Katrina. Since then, multiple efforts are ongoing to rebuild new homes in New Orleans after the devastation. Some of the current projects are combining deconstruction principles with green building and salvage. One partnership, Rebuilding Together New Orleans, is working hard to recycle and reuse materials such as bricks, lumber, windows, doors and architectural elements, to be resold at affordable prices. Another organization, Make It Right, is using Cradle to Cradle principles to build 150 new storm-resistant homes, designed to be energy-efficient and resource-efficient, as well as designed for easy deconstruction and reuse at the end of their life. This creates a closed-loop system whereby deconstruction is an intimate part of the initial design of the project.

Deconstruction Industry Challenges

While a savvy environmental practice, there are still a few questions to address before deconstruction can completely replace demolition. Is there a market for the salvaged materials? Can you sell the materials for a profit after factoring in labour and time of demolishing a building by hand? Can the materials that are salvaged add value to a new project? Can it increase the number of jobs available and stimulate new business opportunities? Other challenges include ensuring worker safety from exposure to toxic materials, storage and delivery of components, and the lack of standards for recovered materials.

Deconstruction Resources

To see some of the great deconstruction projects to date, visit the case studies at http://www.lifecyclebuilding.org/resources.php. In addition, the Seattle Salvage and Reuse case study has a great chart showing which components of deconstruction can be reused, which should be disposed of, and which might have associated health hazards associated. Also on this site is the EPA’s comprehensive Lifecycle Construction Resource Guide.

Leonardo Academy is a nonprofit organization that develops sustainability solutions through consultation and certification services in the LEED Green Building Rating System and the Cleaner & Greener sustainable event program. Leonardo Academy also provides sustainability and continuing education training, including training for the LEED Green Associate credential for individuals who support green buildings in their profession, such as building owners and facility managers.

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