Deconstruction

Deconstruction is the art of dismantling buildings for maximum reuse of materials.

 

 

Home ReSource and the City of Missoula have recently updated the Deconstruction Resource Guide to assist in your efforts to keep construction materials from going to the landfill. This guide offers information on who to call for deconstruction help, and where to bring materials for reuse and recycling.

 

 

 


The Benefits of Deconstruction

  • Waste Reduction: According to the EPA, more than ⅔ of all waste in the United States originates from construction and demolition (C&D). Home renovations and remodels account for ninety percent of C&D debris. Deconstruction maintains the usability and value of materials so that they can go to work again in the community instead of taking up space in a landfill.
  • Resource Conservation: Reusing building materials from deconstruction projects conserves valuable natural resource. For example, the demolition debris from a typical residential kitchen remodel equals – by weight – four years of curbside recycling from an average household.
  • Energy Conservation: Reusing building materials saves about 95% of the energy that would be required to produce the same materials from raw natural resources.
  • Affordability: Deconstruction is competitive with standard demolition, and materials from your deconstruction project are tax-deductible when donated to a nonprofit building reuse center like Home ReSource. Tax benefits usually result in significant savings over conventional demolition for a home or building owner. Donated reclaimed building materials, which are more affordable than new materials, help people at all income levels improve the livability of their homes and neighborhoods.
  • Job Creation: Deconstruction services create local jobs with good wages, and more materials saved from the landfill requires more staff at places like Home ReSource to get that material back out into the community.
  • Preservation of Architectural History: The materials salvaged through deconstruction can add a sense of history and integrity when reused in new projects.
  • Quality Materials: Contrary to common expectations, many reclaimed materials are now prized for their quality. Much lumber from earlier decades is more dense, drier and stronger than modern lumber. Even nail holes, weathering and other superficial damage can actually add value by lending a sense of history and rustic character.

Deconstruction businesses in Missoula