If you live in one of Portland’s close-in, well-established neighborhoods, there is a good chance that a home on your street has been remodeled or even torn down. Do you know where all of the construction debris from those projects went? Most likely into a landfill, contributing to the more than 136 million tons of building-related construction and demolition waste generated each year in the U.S.[1] Only 20-30% of construction and demolition waste is currently recycled in the U.S.
According to The ReBuilding Center in Portland, deconstruction can divert up to 85% of a building’s major components to reuse instead of a landfill. If you consider that over 245,000 homes are demolished every year in the U.S., we’re missing a significant opportunity to put building materials to better use both for homeowners and the environment! The ReBuilding Center estimates that the greenhouse gas reduction associated with deconstructing instead of demolishing one 2,000 sq ft house is the equivalent of taking three cars off the road for an entire year.
What exactly is deconstruction? Metro magazine describes deconstruction as “the systematic hand or mechanical disassembly of a building structure in reverse order of assembly in order to reharvest the building materials and minimize the environmental impacts of demolition.” While building preservation is usually the most sustainable method for maintaining existing homes, deconstruction offers a great way to create your dream home while minimizing impact on the environment. When properly done, deconstruction and reuse can save you money, help the environment, and support your local community—a triple win.
This spring, Earth Advantage Institute (EAI) will join Oregon deconstruction advocates and community partners to educate those working in the design and construction industry about the “triple win” of sustainable principles of deconstruction and reuse through several opportunities. In Salem, EAI will deliver a course called Sustainable Building: Deconstruction and Material Reuse on March 19-20. This two-day training will help design and building industry professionals build the business case for deconstruction and reuse and will provide an overview of important elements to consider, including: hazard identification, safety, planning & logistics, and deconstruction and reuse best practices. The Salem course is free to Oregon residents with the support of Job Growers, Inc.
On April 16-19, Earth Advantage is partnering with The Jardin Foundation, TriMet, Green Building Services, and Ramos Inc. to offer a deconstruction training program. The four-day program features two seminars: “Sustainable Building: Deconstruction and Material Reuse,” delivered by EAI on April 16-18; and “Why Decon? A Future of Imperative with Opportunities” delivered by Green Building Services on April 19th. Participants will gain hands-on experience at TriMet’s own deconstruction project, tour off-site deconstruction projects and The ReBuilding Center, and be able to create the business case for deconstruction and reuse.
In addition, The City of Portland Bureau of Planning and Sustainability in partnership with the Bureau of Environmental Services (BES), Metro, Washington County, and EAI will showcase the deconstruction of a city-owned building this spring. The deconstruction will serve as a demonstration project highlighting material salvage/reuse and will provide education for city and county project managers, the general public, and anyone interested in learning more about the benefits of deconstruction and reuse. The active deconstruction site will be open for several tours/trainings including the EAI deconstruction course (April 16-18). The BES project will also serve as a case study that will highlight the advantages, opportunities, and outcomes of the deconstruction.
Earth Advantage Professionals Alumni? EAI will host a special deconstruction site tour in the spring for Sustainable Homes Professionals (SHPs), Earth Advantage® Brokers, Certified Residential Green Appraisers, and alumni of the Sustainable Building: Deconstruction and Materials Reusecourse
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For more information about any of these educational opportunities, contact contact Carina Gaz at cgaz@earthadvantage.org or 503.968.7160 x20.