Tag Archives: deconstruction

Deconstruction, Deconstruction School

Cornell study compares demolition vs. deconstruction – Construction & Demolition Recycling

excavator removing roofing

Earlier this year, crews removed roofing, flooring and walls in a project that’s part of a Cornell University study comparing deconstruction and demolition. @ FitchyImages | stock.adobe.com

However, Felix Heisel, director of the Circular Construction Lab at Cornell, Ithaca, New York, told WSKG deconstruction can be cheaper than demolition when accounting for landfill diversion, reduced carbon dioxide emissions and fewer natural resources extracted since more materials are reused in deconstruction than in demolition.

Source: Cornell study compares demolition vs. deconstruction – Construction & Demolition Recycling

Deconstruction, Reuse Centers

Philadelphia to launch ‘Reforestation Hub’ to sell fallen trees as lumber – On top of Philly news

park-trailbridge-crop

MARK HENNINGER / IMAGIC DIGITAL

Baltimore has been successfully running a similar program since 2016, and Philly officials have visited. In addition to milling old trees, Baltimore’s program also salvages wood waste from building deconstruction.

Source: Philadelphia to launch ‘Reforestation Hub’ to sell fallen trees as lumber – On top of Philly news

Deconstruction, Portland Area

Vanport, Oregon – Historic (and racist) 1948 Deconstruction Advertisment 

This 1948 advertisement for deconstructing buildings for the materials, was found by a redditor at Multnomah Library in Portland, Oregon.

In less than a day, the nation’s largest housing project—and Oregon’s second largest city—was destroyed. 18,500 residents were displaced, and roughly 6,300 were black.

 

Sources: https://www.smithsonianmag.com/history/vanport-oregon-how-countrys-largest-housing-project-vanished-day-180954040/ fb4ncw119u491.jpg (1299×2439)

Deconstruction, Portland Area

Deconstructionist Opening – Lovett Deconstruction, Portland, Oregon

The Lovett Deconstructionist is the heart of the company. This role requires a self-starter, someone who is a hard-working, thoughtful, attentive, service-oriented person who can do everything from the rough, dirty work of demolition to the careful, surgical removal of material such as cabinetry, windows, and salvageable hardwood floors. The deconstructionist uses expert skill and collaboration with team members to protect, salvage, and disassemble all range of structures. Our deconstructionists are team players; they are friendly, safe, and conscientious, creating a work environment that is positive and productive. They work in all kinds of conditions, in all kinds of weather, and perform a brilliant level  of service regularly surprising clients.  At all times, they carry themselves with dignity and professionalism because they are the best at what they do.

Source: https://www.lovettdeconstruction.com/deconstructionist

Deconstruction, Reuse Design

A Pandemic Woodworking Journey: Turning A Barn Into A Home | The ARTery

The barn's original floorboards, before and after. (Simón Rios/WBUR)

The barn’s original floorboards, before and after. (Simón Rios/WBUR)

A demolition crew came in and did the best they could to salvage the floorboards. Their level of care was less than pristine — the boards came out splintered with with huge gouges left by pry bars and hammer blows — but I couldn’t afford to pay someone to take up each board with a soft touch.

Source: A Pandemic Woodworking Journey: Turning A Barn Into A Home | The ARTery

Deconstruction

DON launches a deconstruction-and-reuse program | Local News | ncnewsonline.com

DON launches a deconstruction-and-reuse program

A blighted Pine Street home is taken apart by DON ReClaim! workers.

“It was hot, hard work, but extremely rewarding, and demonstrates very clearly there is a real market for these materials. They just need to be reclaimed and offered for sale.”

Source: DON launches a deconstruction-and-reuse program | Local News | ncnewsonline.com

Deconstruction, Markets, Policy/Regulations/Government

Broaden the scope of of contractor education | Columnists | missoulian.com

A 2017 UN Environment report estimated the building sector contributes 49 percent of global greenhouse gas (GHG) emissions thus making it the single largest contributor to climate change. Globally, building operations account for 28 percent of GHG emissions and the embodied carbon of building materials–the emissions generated in the production, transport, and assembly of materials such as wood, concrete, and steel–accounts for another 11 percent.

Source: Broaden the scope of of contractor education | Columnists | missoulian.com

Deconstruction, Reuse Design

How an Irvington Company Salvaged a Century-Old Barn | NJ Monthly

Dismantling a historic barn is an exacting process, requiring weeks of logistical planning. Because the team hopes to repurpose every piece of wood, most work is done by hand, with the occasional support of heavy machinery. “The barn has its own plan,” says manager Anthony Saraceno. “There are always surprises.” Photo by Joe Polillio

Each salvage job is unique. In the case of Pitney Farm, a portion of the grounds is to be converted into a public park. Some of the salvaged wood was set aside to build benches for the park. Real Antique Wood will repurpose the rest. “I’ve probably made 25 mantels from the beams of that barn already,” says Anthony Saraceno, who manages the mill and Real Antique Wood.

Source: How an Irvington Company Salvaged a Century-Old Barn | NJ Monthly

Deconstruction

How we can recycle more buildings – Solid Waste & Recycling 

Policies worldwide recognize that the construction sector needs to take immediate action to reduce greenhouse gas (GHG) emissions, tackle the climate crisis and limit resource depletion, with a focus on adopting a circular economy approach in construction to ensure the sustainable use of construction materials.

Instead of simply knocking buildings down and sending the CDW to landfill, circular construction would turn building components that are at the end of their service life into resources for others, minimizing waste.

Source: How we can recycle more buildings – Solid Waste & Recycling – Solid Waste & Recycling

Deconstruction

The bulk of the BNZ building in Wellington will be re-cycled and re-used | Stuff.co.nz

Imploding the building was an option but considered too risky to public safety.

ROSS GIBLIN/STUFF
Imploding the building was an option but considered too risky to public safety.

“You can’t put a dollar value on health and safety.” Deconstruction was a more conservative option but the company did not want to end up in court if demolition caused problems.

Source: The bulk of the BNZ building in Wellington will be re-cycled and re-used | Stuff.co.nz

Deconstruction, Policy/Regulations/Government

How Not To Waste A House On Oahu – Honolulu Civil Beat

Foreground, Homes along Laukahi Street with Hawaii Loa Ridge homes background. 8 june 2015. photograph Cory Lum/Civil Beat

Homes along Laukahi Street with Hawaii Loa Ridge homes in the background, 2015. The City and County of Honolulu could pass a law to require better use of teardowns.

Seeing the pile of rubbish that was once a house made of beautiful clear heart redwood, I could not help thinking about the environmental activists, U.S. National Park Service and U.S. Forest Service staff who have worked for decades in California to save the remaining giant redwoods from logging, while here in Hawaii we are using them for landfill. There was a significant value loss as well since similar redwood boards (8-feet-by-8-feet) would cost at least $50 each if bought locally.

Source: How Not To Waste A House On Oahu – Honolulu Civil Beat

Deconstruction, Policy/Regulations/Government

City contractor begins first housing deconstruction project

“Number one, it’s an economic driver,” said 15th District Alderman Russell Stamper II. “We’re providing opportunities for individuals to learn skills on how to deconstruct, put some money in their pocket, and most of all have a job right here in the city of Milwaukee.”

Source: City contractor begins first housing deconstruction project

Deconstruction

Old Growth Redwood Lumber Salvaged from Original CR Library Building Will Be Used by Students in Part to Build a Tiny Home in Eureka – Redheaded Blackbelt

Redwood on CR's old library

The redwood boards they’re recovering from the library are a wide range of shapes and sizes and they’ll use them for a number of student projects, including siding the first ever CR tiny house. They’ll also run it through the Architectural Millworks class to use as molding and trim on next year’s student-built house, which will be constructed in an historic neighborhood in Eureka. Using this old growth redwood will tie the new house in with the aesthetic of the neighborhood and maintain its historic integri

Source: Old Growth Redwood Lumber Salvaged from Original CR Library Building Will Be Used by Students in Part to Build a Tiny Home in Eureka – Redheaded Blackbelt

Deconstruction

Sustainable Missoula: Green building materials can reduce Missoula’s carbon footprint ~ Missoula Current

Deconstruction of the Mercantile in downtown Missoula prior to construction of the Marriott. (Home ReSource)

From an energy perspective, it saves about 95 percent of the energy that would be required to produce the same materials, and it also has major implications for waste reduction, job creation, and historical preservation. The Home Resource-led deconstruction of the Missoula Mercantile building in 2017 is a great example of deconstruction in our community. It diverted hundreds of thousands of board feet of old-growth lumber away from the landfill and reintroduced it into Missoula’s economy.

Source: Sustainable Missoula: Green building materials can reduce Missoula’s carbon footprint ~ Missoula Current

Deconstruction, Policy/Regulations/Government

Palo Alto to require construction crews to deconstruct sites, not demolish by 2020 | abc7news.com

“For too long, we have not done a good job at construction sites and we need to do that,” said Phil Bobel, assistant director for Public Works Palo Alto. Bobel authored the ordinance approved by city council last Monday. “You can’t just smash it and combine everything, so then it’s harder to recycle it or salvage it.”

Source: Palo Alto to require construction crews to deconstruct sites, not demolish by 2020 | abc7news.com

Deconstruction

Google’s new circular economy strategy to ‘maximise reuse’ across its operations

A key focus of the strategy is that of the built environment. Image: Google

Landfill diversion from offices currently sits at 78% and Google is focusing on construction and deconstruction to contribute to its circular vision. Google has been implementing interior ‘salvage and reuse’ at the interior building scale since 2012. Last year, the company started work with the Ellen MacArthur Foundation to explore the triple bottom line benefits of deconstruction.

Source: Google’s new circular economy strategy to ‘maximise reuse’ across its operations

Deconstruction

Saint John throwing away ‘millions’ through demolition instead of deconstruction, former heritage planner says – New Brunswick | Globalnews.ca

“We have public policies that encourage people to buy a beverage bottle, consume the product, wash it, take it back to the redemption centre and accept half what what they paid for (in deposit) initially,” he began. “We have no such policy for buildings, which are usually the biggest, largest, most important financial investment of anybody’s lifetime.”

Source: Saint John throwing away ‘millions’ through demolition instead of deconstruction, former heritage planner says – New Brunswick | Globalnews.ca

In Regards to LEED...

WorldGBC to focus on embodied carbon across construction industry

WorldGBC will highlight the need for the sustainable production, design, build, use, deconstruction and reuse of buildings and their materials Buildings and construction together account for 36% of global final energy use and 39% of energy-related carbon dioxide (CO2) emissions when upstream power generation is included.

Source: WorldGBC to focus on embodied carbon across construction industry

Deconstruction, Policy/Regulations/Government

COMMUNITY CONVERSATIONS – Housing deconstruction as a climate change strategy  Belmont Citizen-Herald – Belmont, MA

For example, in the summer of 2012, Williams College (Williamstown, Massachusetts) deconstructed two small wood-frame buildings and, in the process, recycled 92 percent, by weight, of the total material removed from the project site. The Williams small building deconstruction resulted in a reduction in greenhouse gas emissions equivalent to removing 14 cars from the roads for a full year (66 metric tonnes).

Source: COMMUNITY CONVERSATIONSHousing deconstruction as a climate change strategy – News – Belmont Citizen-Herald – Belmont, MA

Deconstruction

Unbuilders Deconstruction takes a new approach to demolition – constructconnect.com

Adam Corneil, who operates Unbuilders, says he aims to collaborate, rather than compete, with traditional demolition contractors, letting them take down a building to the wood frame.

UNBUILDERS — Adam Corneil, who operates Unbuilders, says he aims to collaborate, rather than compete, with traditional demolition contractors, letting them take down a building to the wood frame.

“Tens of millions of dollars of lumber are purchased every day in this country,” he explains. “The fact we’re just shredding it (old wood structures) up and burning it is completely irrational in my mind.”

Source: Unbuilders Deconstruction takes a new approach to demolition – constructconnect.com

Reuse Design

Family’s modern farmhouse combines salvaged and sustainable materials | Inhabitat 

Ben’s Barn was constructed with a mix of reclaimed materials sourced not only from the former farmhouse and barn that had stood on another portion of the site, but also from a midcentury modern teardown in Weston, Massachusetts.

Source: Family’s modern farmhouse combines salvaged and sustainable materials | Inhabitat – Green Design, Innovation, Architecture, Green Building

Deconstruction, Policy/Regulations/Government

Backlog leads Milwaukee to suspend deconstruction rule for old houses

Duplexes at 2075 N. Cambridge Ave. were set for deconstruction last summer.

Duplexes at 2075 N. Cambridge Ave. were set for deconstruction last summer. (Photo: Stephanie Morse/Milwaukee Journal Sentinel)

Of nearly 500 city-owned houses slated for demolition, only five were deconstructed in 2018, according to the Department of Neighborhood Services. The department struggled to get reasonable bids from contractors, said Tom Mishefske, neighborhood services commissioner.

Source: Backlog leads Milwaukee to suspend deconstruction rule for old houses

Deconstruction

Eco ‘Unbuilding’ Ensures Material from Demolished Homes Is Re-used | The Tyee

1200px version of PHOTO1-Empty-stripped-home.JPG

This North Vancouver home, at 5,000 square feet, is one of the largest projects Unbuilders has taken on. After three weeks, they have completed the front-end salvage and the strip-out of the four units. The entire project, from start to finish, is estimated to take six weeks. Photo by Michelle Gamage.

And now, as some 3,000 homes are being torn down in Metro Vancouver each year, the material is being sent to landfill or, in the case of the lumber, being burned for heat or energy. “It’s really not waste — it is wasted. This is all reusable material,” Corneil said, gesturing around the home.

Source: Eco ‘Unbuilding’ Ensures Material from Demolished Homes Is Re-used | The Tyee

Deconstruction

Vancouver-based Unbuilders aims to transform how homes are demolished | Daily Hive Vancouver

Unbuildersconstruction/Instagram

Unbuilders is quickly becoming Canada’s deconstruction industry leader.Over the past year, Unbuilders has saved over 100,000 board feet of lumber and 250 tonnes of garbage from being thrown in landfills.In the most recent unbuild, just 3% of materials from an entire house ended up in the landfill.

Source: Vancouver-based Unbuilders aims to transform how homes are demolished | Daily Hive Vancouver

Deconstruction

Deconstruction Niche Attempts to Tackle C&D Waste

Deconstruction1.jpg

In addition, deconstruction can potentially generate jobs around harvesting, processing and selling materials. Arlene Karidis | Sep 20, 2018

“The reuse economy is similar to the recycling industry in that it creates more jobs throughout the value chain than strictly disposing material in a landfill. As the reuse market continues to grow, more jobs will be created downstream, including warehouse operations, retail, value-added manufacturing and job training,” says Blomberg.

Source: Deconstruction Niche Attempts to Tackle C&D Waste

Deconstruction

Brick by brick Meridian cotton warehouse dismantled | Local News | meridianstar.com

Devna Bose / The Meridian Star

The old cotton press warehouse structure stretches along a portion of Front Street in downtown Meridian. Part of the building is being dismantled and the rest will be saved and repurposed. Material from the building is being reused in buildings across the street and around Mississippi.

“The pine, it’s being shipped and flooring is being made out of it, and its bricks are being used in buildings all over Mississippi,” Massey said.

Source: Brick by brick Meridian cotton warehouse dismantled | Local News | meridianstar.com

Deconstruction

New life for old wood | News | journalpatriot.com

OLD HARDWOOD is salvaged from the 78-year-old former Smithey’s warehouse building in North Wilkesboro as part of a joint venture between building owner Cam Finley and North Wilkesboro-based Revient Reclaimed Wood. Second Street is seen through a hole left by a tornado last fall.

The old Smithey’s warehouse had part of its roof torn off by a tornado that touched down in Wilkes in October 2017. “As soon as I saw what was inside it, I knew it was a great building for us to salvage,” said Shepherd.

Source: New life for old wood | News | journalpatriot.com

Deconstruction

Bidding for Community Building deconstruction to go another round – TamaToledoNews.com 

“It is important to us to use local contractors but also people with experience in deconstruction to help us reach our goal. Since there is local interest, we will reopen the bid process.”

Source: Bidding for Community Building deconstruction to go another round – TamaToledoNews.com | news, information, Iowa, Toledo Chronicle, Tama News-Herald

Deconstruction

The Problems with Deconstruction » Urban Milwaukee

2075 N. Cambridge Ave. Photo by Dave Reid.

“I mean, I thought we were doing something great here. But it’s contingent on, as usual, the private sector, money, fear of hiring ex-offenders.” Bauman called this program a case study in the obstacles confronted by attempts to create jobs. “If every time you try to create jobs for the folks most in need and the folks you want to keep off the street and keep out of the criminal justice system, if there’s a million obstacles put up, we’re sunk. We’ll never solve the problem.”

Source: The Problems with Deconstruction » Urban Milwaukee

Deconstruction, Reuse Centers

Stardust a landfill alternative — recycled building supplies – Glendalestar.com: News

Photo by Darrell Jackson

Pictured is the interior of the Glendale location where Stardust Building Supplies offers a large assortment for sale to the public.

“Our deconstruction service is free and we have a list of questions that we ask to determine if the job is something we can do,” Fulton said. “Due to Environmental Protection Agency rules, we cannot do houses that were built before 1978 due to rules about asbestos and lead paint. A job supervisor will also do site searches to make sure the job is something we can do.”

Source: Stardust a landfill alternative — recycled building supplies – Glendalestar.com: News

Deconstruction

One house into three? House deconstruction team recycles large unwanted homes | Stuff.co.nz

Treena Gowthorpe and Kate Otter-Lowe are setting out to prove that a house can be deconstructed and recycled for the ...

Treena Gowthorpe and Kate Otter-Lowe are setting out to prove that a house can be deconstructed and recycled for the same price as demolition.

“You take a house that isn’t wanted in the community and deconstruct it. You carefully harvest all the materials from the house and then you use those materials and reconstruct it into tiny builds,” she said.

Source: One house into three? House deconstruction team recycles large unwanted homes | Stuff.co.nz

Deconstruction, Policy/Regulations/Government

First Buildings Deconstructed Under New Law » Urban Milwaukee

2075 N. Cambridge Ave. Photo by Dave Reid.

2075 N. Cambridge Ave. Photo by Dave Reid.

There are a number of city-owned properties that have to be demolished. And using the requirements of its residents preference program, firms going after the deconstruction contracts will have to meet workforce goals and train unemployed or underemployed city residents in this new trade.

Source: First Buildings Deconstructed Under New Law » Urban Milwaukee

Policy/Regulations/Government

Nonprofit touts benefits of housing deconstruction over demolition | Waste Dive

 

“It’s much more oriented toward local governments and economic development practitioners,” who are looking at the steps community leaders can take to encourage greater deconstruction, Pytel said. “Waste is typically a consequence of a bunch of other decisions. We’re going up a few levels to get at the decisions that end up creating waste, as opposed to looking at things as waste to begin with.”

Source: Nonprofit touts benefits of housing deconstruction over demolition | Waste Dive

Deconstruction

Deconstruction Project Recycles Materials from Tax-Forfeited Property | www.WDIO.com

Four workers survey how to pull plaster off one of the walls.

Four workers survey how to pull plaster off one of the walls. Baihly Warfield/WDIO

Better Futures Minnesota is managing the projects, Miigwech Aki is providing labor, and the Natural Resources Research Institute is adding in their expertise. They each believe the extra time involved with deconstructing a building instead of demolishing it is worth it.

Source: Deconstruction Project Recycles Materials from Tax-Forfeited Property | www.WDIO.com

Deconstruction

Pilot program aims to reuse, recycle materials from condemned buildings | Duluth News Tribune

Thomas Adams, president and CEO of Better Futures Minnesota“Oftentimes, when people compare demolition and deconstruction, they compare just the cash outlay right at the beginning. But we don’t believe that’s a fair comparison,” he said. Adams pointed to the legacy of overflowing landfills and the health risks they present. He also noted the increase in jobs and taxes generated by dismantling a building.

 

Thomas Adams, president and CEO of Better Futures Minnesota

Source: Pilot program aims to reuse, recycle materials from condemned buildings | Duluth News Tribune

Deconstruction, Reuse Centers

Saving Through Salvage – Shepherd Express

OffTheCuff_WasteCapGuys.jpg

Pete Brands (left) and Travis Blomberg (right) with WasteCap Resource Solutions

The four departments we plan to offer in the next six months are deconstruction, salvage services, the retail store and Do It Yourself, in which WasteCap partners with Fox 6 News to provide upcycling and reuse tutorials using materials in the warehouse.

Source: Saving Through Salvage – Shepherd Express

Deconstruction, Deconstruction School, Reuse Centers

Who’s (Un)Building Philly: Greg Trainor – Philadelphia Magazine

A guide for the perplexed inside Philly Reclaim. As the books and paintings behind the sign indicate, there’s more on offer here than building materials.

And Philly Reclaim will sell just about anything that anyone brings to it. When I visited the store last fall, the available items included organ pipes that a donor had dropped off, deer skins, a phone booth, a pool table, and even old turntables and vintage vinyl LPs to play on them. There was wood reclaimed from a bowling alley, chalkboards from the old West Philadelphia High School, and a wooden bathtub filled with clawfoot feet for those needing them for their own historic restorations.

Source: Who’s (Un)Building Philly: Greg Trainor – Philadelphia Magazine

In Regards to LEED..., Portland Area

Green Building Initiative Launches New Green Globes Pilot Program

The introduction of new sections and criteria such as: A section dedicated to Site and Building Resilience. A section on Resource Conservation addresses minimized use of raw materials and encourages designing for deconstruction.

Source: Green Building Initiative Launches New Green Globes Pilot Program

Deconstruction, Deconstruction School, Urban Blight to Farms

Program creates jobs, removes blight | News, Sports, Jobs – Tribune Chronicle

Tribune Chronicle / R. Michael Semple TNP worker Racheal Miller, 22, of Newton Falls, boards up a window on a house on Prospect St. in Niles.

The employees are trained to salvage materials from properties scheduled to be demolished as well as doing landscaping and maintenance at properties that already have been demolished.

Source: Program creates jobs, removes blight | News, Sports, Jobs – Tribune Chronicle

Deconstruction

‘There’s a better way’: Vancouver company deconstructs homes by hand, salvages 90% of materials | CTV Vancouver News

 

According to Vancouver bylaws, at least 75 per cent of the material in homes built before 1940 must be recycled. In the case of heritage or character homes, that number is 90 per cent.

Source: ‘There’s a better way’: Vancouver company deconstructs homes by hand, salvages 90% of materials | CTV Vancouver News

Deconstruction, Markets

‘Unbuilding’ Gives New Life To Old Timber | WisContext

Lester Public Library (CC BY-NC-SA 2.0)
Reclaimed wood is stacked outside the Hamilton building in Two Rivers.

Reclaimed wood plays a growing role in Wisconsin economy. For example, one Rhinelander-based company, Enterprise Wood Products, has worked with reclaimed wood since 2010. The company began using reclaimed wood from the deconstruction of a grain elevator in Superior, and now remanufactures recycled wood into flooring, paneling, stair parts, timbers and more. Much of their current reclaimed wood supply comes from the deconstruction of the Hamilton building in Two Rivers, and reclaimed wood represents up to ha

Source: ‘Unbuilding’ Gives New Life To Old Timber | WisContext

Deconstruction, Reuse Centers, Women in Deconstruction

Westmoreland Community Action demolition firm to hire female heads of household | TribLIVE

Dan Speicher – Tribune Review

The American Architectural Salvage Shop, in Mt. Pleasant.

Czerpak said he will work closely with the demolition manager to evaluate potential projects based on store inventory needs or popular items. Waltenbaugh said 75 percent of people hired for the team will be female heads of household, those struggling with addiction and others who might have difficulty finding jobs. The employees will be trained.“We’re excited to get that up and running,” he said.

Source: Westmoreland Community Action demolition firm to hire female heads of household | TribLIVE

Deconstruction, Policy/Regulations/Government

Derelict Building Grant applications due April 4 | News | communitynewspapergroup.com

The grant program was instituted by state legislation to help rural communities with populations of 5,000 or less to deconstruct or renovate abandoned commercial and public structures.

The program emphasizes reuse and recycling of building items, helps improve street appearance and commercial development, and alleviates the environmental concern these buildings can pose. Financial assistance includes asbestos removal, building deconstruction and renovation, and other environmental services.

Source: Derelict Building Grant applications due April 4 | News | communitynewspapergroup.com

Deconstruction, Landfill Mining

UIX: Turning trash into money is going to take a community effort

The South Kent Landfill, image courtesy Kent County.

“There are a lot of building materials and resources that are winding up in landfills,” Wieland says. “People are actually talking about deconstructing things instead of just demolishing them. We’re looking at all the waste materials that come out of the building industry and reusing them is one of the ways to reduce that waste.”

Source: UIX: Turning trash into money is going to take a community effort