Environmental Stewardship of Used Building Materials

The Benefits of Deconstruction and Reuse

Why We Exist

• Second chances

• Personal redemption

• Current practices are unfair

and cost too much

• Work matters

2

3

Our Four Fundamentals

• Quick, efficient, cheap

• Majority of used building materials are buried

in landfills

• In 2013, 1.6 million tons of construction

“waste” was generated in MN

• Only 18% diverted from landfills statewide

• 1,341,167 tons of building material buried

• Produced 3,742,000 metric tons of CO2e

emissions

Throwing Away Building MaterialsA Wasteful Practice

4

Why Reuse Buildings

• Substantial Environmental

Benefits

• Social Benefits for Families

and Community

• Creates Local Jobs

• Earns Revenue

• Demolition is not a

sustainable practice

5

The Richfield Project

• Disassemble a building in a safe and methodical manner

• Preserve maximum amount of reusable materials

• Recycle most of remaining materials

• Remove foundation and clear lot for next use

• Sell reclaimed materials on-line & in warehouse

• 12-14 days to take apart a typical house

• Divert 80%-90% of the materials from landfill

• Net zero emissions an achievable outcome

7

8

9

10

11

12

Richfield Jobs – ReUSE, Recycling, Landfill Scenarios

921 922 923 924 926 930 931 933

-100.00

-50.00

0.00

50.00

100.00

150.00

200.00

250.00

300.00

GH

G E

MIS

SIO

NS

IN M

ETR

IC T

ON

S O

F C

O2

TOWARDS NET ZERO GHG EMISSIONS:LANDFILL vs RECYCLING ONLY vs DECONSTRUCTION

Landfill Demolition Demolition w/ Off-Site Recycling Deconstruction

Mix of Materials

ReUse

Cabinets, light fixtures, wood flooring, windows, wood trim, roof and floor decking, lumber, sinks, toilets, tubs

Recycling

Steel, concrete, other metals, wood, cardboard, and sometimes shingles

Observations

Main drivers of the deconstruction cost model:

•staffing mix and size;

•efficient deployment of staff

•effective project management

•final demolition expenses

•the age, quality, and size of building

•overhead expenses

Observations

High quality and high value

Medium quality and value

Low quality, low value

Building built before 19503000 sq ft or largerAn appraisal of $30K or more is likelyOld barns

The older the home the better1500-2000 sq ftMarginal need for an appraisal

but high value for structural lumber if older building

Private owners are willing to pay a higher cost for deconstruction since tax deduction for materials can make project cost effective

Public owners value the positive return of creating and typically value the significant increases of recycling and reuse

Observations

• Need advice from others and benchmarking

• Create a marketplace for reclaimed materials

• Manufacture new products from reclaimed materials

• Deconstruction goals and policies have been established in dozens of cities and counties nationwide.

• These policies have fueled the growth of deconstruction services and reuse stores into sustainable business enterprises.

Observations• Counties must report recycling rates for household

waste and financial incentives are tied to these rates.

• Counties not required to report on the reuse, recycling, and diversion rates of C and D waste.

• Contractors need to be educated and coached

• Tax deduction can make deconstruction less expensive than demolition; but it takes longer

• Next generations of homeowners and consumers expect reuse

Recommendations Consider

• Establish goals and provide financial incentives

• Require much higher rates of reuse

• Provide incentives to deconstruct and reuse

• Support enterprises focused on deconstruction and reuse

• Purchase goods made from reclaimed materials

• Track the social, economic, and environmental benefits of deconstruction compared to demolition

A New Policy and PracticeState-Counties-Cities

• Focus on Net Zero Emissions

• Reuse at least 5% of the materials

• Recycle 70% of the materials

• Preservation/Reuse generates 7x more jobs

21

• Contact us at 612.455-6133 or betterfuturesminnesota.com

• Visit our Sales Warehouse, 2620 Minnehaha, Minneapolis

• Like us on Facebook at Better Futures Minnesota

• Follow us on Twitter at BetterFuturesMN

For more information about Better Futures and Deconstruction