Reusing buildings and materials has two significant environmental benefits: it spares the resources that would otherwise be used to make new products, and it prevents the waste of resources that have already been fashioned into products and structures.
Begin by considering whether your
project's priorities could be met by adapting an existing building:
Are there particular characteristics of this project that would require new construction?
Are there candidate existing buildings at or within a reasonable range of the project
site?
When an existing building is identified as a candidate, for reuse, evaluate its potential:
- Would it cost more (in dollars, materials and energy) to rehabilitate and renovate (and perhaps move) the existing building than to build a new building ideally suited to the project's needs?
- Is the building adaptable to current needs, in terms of ability to support new electrical, plumbing and HVAC infrastructure, to meet fire and seismic codes, and to have its energy performance improved to current standards?
- What is the expected remaining useful lifetime of the building's major components? Does
it justify the investment of energy, materials and money in renovation?
If adaptive reuse of an entire building isn't an option, consider how salvaged
materials might be applied in a new building.
What local sources exist for salvaged building materials? Transporting a used material a
great distance can easily offset savings in processing energy cost from choosing to reuse.
Look for products that meet the principles of both reuse and local sources.
Try these potential sources of salvaged materials:
- Deconstruction of buildings on the site itself
- Used building material supply center (e.g. Habitat for Humanity ReStore)
- Large demolition project (military base, industrial complex or institutional building)
- Demolition or renovation contractors, individually or as a network
- Material exchange listings or classified advertisements
Evaluate salvaged materials for the appropriateness of their reuse in the project. Would reused products unacceptably compromise the project's energy performance?
- Can the product be applied so that it doesn't affect energy use?
- Can insulation be added to improve the material's performance?
- Is the product air tight, or can it be sealed to make it air tight? Would reused products unacceptably compromise the building's durability?
- Will the reused material last as long as the building's other components? If not, how can it be installed to foster removal and replacement at a future date?
- Will an older reused product require special maintenance not typical of modern products?
- If repair is later needed on reused products, can matching material be found, and are specially-skilled artisans or craftspeople needed?
Would reusing products add too much to project labor costs?
Evaluate:
Can reused products meet local building codes?
- Structural
- Energy
- Electrical
- Plumbing
Would reused products introduce
hazardous materials to the project? Evaluate salvaged products for contaminants: Learn about reused Foundations,
Wall Systems, and
Flooring
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