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Old buildings are constantly being remodeled or torn down to make room for new ones.
Because time is a critical element on many projects, the removal of a bull ding is usually
done as quickly as possible. The standard practice of demolition involves smashing a
structure so the pieces can be quickly and easily taken to the landfill. Although this saves
time, there are considerable costs in terms of pollution, wasted resources, and landfill
space.

Reusing existing buildings and materials reclaims resources and significantly cuts waste.
Deconstruction, the systematic dismantling of i structure, can be used in various degrees
in order to salvage usable materials. This can range from reuse of an entire structure or
foundation, to select assemblies and systems, to the careful removal of specific materials
or items.

Things to Consider when Conducting Salvage Activities

X C i induct an assessment to identify salvageable materials. A walk-
through with deconstruction, demolition, and general contractors can
help to identify items that can be reused in any planned new structure or
on other current jobs.

x Obtain "as-built" plans; these will help to identify structural members
and other hidden features of a building that are not visible during a
walk-through.

x If time does not allow for extensive salvage, target the easy things.

"Cherry-picking" can yield valuable appliances, light fixtures, hardware,
architectural millwork, and other custom accessories.

x C onsider materials not only for their utility, but also for their aesthetic
value. Reclaimed materials, particularly old growth or rare woods, are
very desirable as decorative and finish treatments.

x Advertise a deconstruction pre-sale: interested individuals can remove
and purchase items before demolition begins.

x Although some materials can be reused, there are many that will need to
be removed. Donating unused and salvaged building materials can be
accomplished through material exchanges or nonprofit organizations.
Many organizations can provide tax donation paperwork.

Bright Ideas

Instead of seeing an old structure as a problem, view it as a
resource. By learning to evaluate a structure in term s of its
hidden value, educated decisions can be made about how to use
a building's resources. There are salv ageable elem en tsin
virtually every building.

Additional Information

The C&D Waste Reduction and Recycling series consists of 9 fact sheets, each focusing on a different aspect of waste manage-
ment. Factsheets in this series include:

What's in a Building: Composition Analysis of C&D Debris
Onsite Source Reduction: Cutting the Scrap
Settingup ajobsite Recycling Program
Deconstruction,: New Opportunities for Salvage
Calculating Effectiveness: The Waste Management Plan
Reducing Waste for Building Owners

Waste Recycling Through Commingled Recovery: the Summerland Heights Residential Development
Deconstruction on Commercial Renovation Projects: the Victoria Street Presbyterian Sanctuary
Source Reduction in Residential Remodeling: the Las Alturas Adobe

Other resources:

Environ m en tal Resource Guide, American Institute of Architects	(800) 365-2724

Environ mental Building New sand Green Spec Pro duct Directory	(802) 257-7300

En v iro nmen tal Design <&Co n structio n Maga^in e	(847)291-5224

Deconstruction (video), Materials for the Future Foundation	(415) 561-6530

Builder's Held Guide, N ational Association of Home Builders	(202) 822-0200

Waste Spec: Mo del Green Building Specification s, T riangle J C ouncil of Governments	(919) 549-0551

Sustain able Building Techn icalMan ual, U. S. Green Building C ouncil	(202) 828-7422

Visit these web sites for downloadable publications, listserve information, and links to other green building sites:

www.ciwmb.ca.govwww.tjcog.dst.nc.us/cdwaste.htmwww.EDCmag.com
www.epa.gov/greenbuildingwww.buildinggreen.comwww.materials4foture.org
www.aia.orgwww.oikos.orgwww.usgbc.org

The C &D W aste Reduction and Recy cling Series is a joint project of the Santa Barb ara C ounty Solid W aste and U tilities Division,
The Community Environmental Council, and The Sustainability Project.

For more information please contact he U. S. EPA, Region 9 Office of Pollution Prevention and Solid W aste at (415) 972-3282.
Funded by a grant from the United States Environmental Protection Agency, Region 9.

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EPA

United Slates
Environmental Prtrt®ction

Agency	COMMUNITY E N VI RON M ENTAL COU NCI L

Printed on 50%postconsumer recycled paper, processed chlorine free


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New Opportunities For Reclaimed wood

One of the largest components of construction and demolition waste is wood. As old growth forests continue to be
depleted, timber priceswill only increase. The demand for reclaimedwood products will also rise. Increased
deconstruction and salvage activities can help meet this demand.

People who work with wood know that the best quality wood comes from old growth trees. Old growth lumber
offers a close, clear grain with few knots, and is generally harder and more stable with less defects than wood from
y ounger trees. C ompared with virgin wood that can be purchased today , old growth lumber can span more than
twice the distance of younger, lighter woods. Another benefit of older framing lumber is that it can be re-milled.
Today a two-by-four piece of dimensional lumber is actually a bit smaller (only 1.5 inches by 3.5 inches). Older
two-by-fours were actually right on, leaving an allowance of a quarter inch on each surface for re-planing.

Old growth woods are also aesthetically desirable, and are sought after by craftsmen for use in furniture making, art
pieces, and finish treatments. Reclaimedwood can provide all the benefits of old growth wood, but with out the
environmental costs. The nail holes, fastener marks, and the rich, aged color of used lumber pieces can add to their
appeal. Only 5% of North America's old growth forests are still standing, while thousands of board feet of old
growth lumber in buildings is demolished and landfilled every year. This is changing with more and more lumber
from old buildings being reclaimed every year.

Reuse versus Recycling

When evaluating alternatives for divertmgwaste, reuse should be favored over recycling \v hercv er possible. The time
that it takes to implement careful removal of items should be weighed against their market value and the availability
oflocal outlets.

There are many items that, if still in good condition, will find a place in the market. However, damaged materials
will need to be evaluated carefully. If materials cannot be reused, recycling can provide a cost effective and
environmentally preferable alternative to disposal.

Building materials that are readily salvaged:

Appliances

Cabinets

Bricks

Insulation

Doors

Paneling

Flooring

Wood beams

Light fixtures

Dimensional lumber

Metal framing

Ceramic tile

Pipes

Bathroom fixtures

Shelving

Windows

Deconstruction Resources

Reuse Development Organization (ReDO) -Non-profit organization
promoting reuse as an environmentally sound, socially beneficial and
economical means for managing surplus and discarded materials, http:/
/www. redo. org.

Used Building Materials Association - A non-profit, membership based
organization representing companies and organizations involved in the
acquisition and/or redistribution of used building materials,
http: / /www.ubma.org

U.S. Environmental Protection Agency - Construction and demolition
debris website including deconstruction information and case studies,
http: //www.epa.gov/

California Resource Recovery Association Construction and
Demolition Council - Promotes the advancement of C&D material
recovery practices and strives to expand C&D recovery infrastructure
and markets, http://www.crra.com/cdc/index.html.

Occupational Safety and Health Administration (OSHA) - OSHA
regulations place restrictions on the manual handling of asbestos and
lead based paint. Visit OSHA online and follow the link to "advisors"
to download programs to assist you in determining your responsibilities,
http: //www.osha.gov.

WasteSpec - Provides free detailed model specification language for
reducing and recycling construction and demolition debris,
www. tj cog. dst. nc. us/ cdw aste. htm


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