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Deconstruction / Building Material Reuse
Deconstruction is re-emerging as an industry in the United States because of the recognition of the value of used materials and the need to reduce the amount of construction and demolition (C&D) debris in the waste stream. Deconstruction is the planned and systematic disassembly of buildings with the purpose of harvesting and processing materials for reuse.
The U.S. Green Building Council encourages deconstruction and material recovery through its Leadership in Energy and Environmental Design (LEED) building standards.
Deconstruction is a proven sustainable practice that:
• extends the life of irreplaceable materials including architectural artifacts, old growth lumber, and old bricks;
• effectively diverts surplus and used building materials from the waste stream;
• conserves the embodied energy through material reuse; and
• is locally-based by nature and supports local job training and job creation.
Successful recovery efforts require:
• Materials that have value;
• Materials with existing markets;
• Cost-effective material removal;
• Recovery efforts performed within acceptable time frames prior to demolition, renovation, or new construction.
For more information, visit MACREDO's Unbuild-Rebuild web site.
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