State of the Deconstruction and Used Building Materials Industry

Strengths Vermont is well represented by variety of reuse stores ranging from architectural salvage to wholesale building material reuse centers. Many institutions have included reuse/recycling in their bid specifications. Large and small construction firms have made waste reduction a priority. State is home to a permanent professional deconstruction service regarded as one of best in the country. Reuse activities serve a variety of different needs including business profit, economic development, job training, and affordable housing.

Deconstruction Jobs 2004

Deconstruction Stage 1

Deconstruction Stage 2

Deconstruction Stage 3

Flooring Salvage and Reuse

Job Training and Affordable Housing Benefits of Reuse

Waste Not Products

Weaknesses Reuse and recycling represent only a small fraction of total C & D waste. Deconstruction is labor intensive and mostly done by nonprofits. Investment in time and labor saving equipment is minimal. Costs are high. Bidding is difficult. Reuse effort has not been institutionalized and incorporated into standard operating procedures. Time and cost constraints thwart many good intentions. Supply is uneven

Deconstruction is an exception to the demolition rule.

The Aftermath of Hurricane Katrina 50 million cubic yards (CY) of debris in Louisiana Trucking will require 20 million gallons of diesel fuel and produce 430,000 tons of CO2 emissions. Burning would result in 22.5 million tons of emissions. Landfilling will require an area the size of a football field to a height of almost 5 miles. 275,000 homes were destroyed. Building material costs across the country will skyrocket.

Opportunities: lumber

Opportunities LEED: Leadership in energy & environmental design. Economic trends that point toward an expansion of deconstruction opportunities Value added. Marketing to higher income and environmentally conscious consumers. New construction methods and techniques that facilitate reuse and recycling Broader public understanding of salvage and reuse process and benefits. Marketing to environmental consumer. Deconstruction efficiency improvements. Investment in UBM Store Front.

Opportunities: Equipment

Opportunities: Space

Survey: Perceived Barriers to Reuse Education 19.4% Markets (matching supply and demand) 13.9% Costs of labor 11.1% Environmental regulations 11.1% Perception of low quality 8.3% Storage needs 8.3% Damage to wood/Contamination nails 5.6% Insurance and workers compensation costs 5.6%

Barriers External environmental costs of alternatives to reuse resulting in low margins for industry. Large need for education/marketing Product standardization, dependability, supply consistency Time Capital Construction techniques Inertia Health and Safety

Health and Safety 1

Health and Safety 2

Cold and Snow 1

Cold and Snow 2

Contact Info: Tom Longstreth Executive Director ReCycle North 266 Pine Street Burlington, VT x. 14 Other Barriers? Other Opportunities? Questions?