W4.2 Demolition waste
Promote alternatives to traditional building demolition such as relocation, deconstruction, and salvage through construction outreach programs.
The Urban Sustainability Directors Network’s Sustainable Consumption Toolkit website includes a page of resources on Encouraging and Mandating Building Deconstruction with links to sample ordinances and further resources.
Portland has an ordinance that requires deconstruction of buildings constructed before 1916 and historic structures. The City is considering expanding the requirements to cover all buildings constructed before 1940. According to a recent Oregon Department of Environmental Quality study, in the first 36 homes to be deconstructed, 27% of the material was salvageable, mostly softwood framing lumber; emissions were reduced by 55% per home, or over 7 tons, compared to demolition. Milwaukee, San Antonio, and San Jose have deconstruction ordinances, and some other cities are working on similar programs. Palo Alto has a deconstruction ordinance for commercial buildings.
Recapturit is an online marketplace for salvaged building materials.