• strict warning: Non-static method Pagination::getInstance() should not be called statically in /home/buildingsurplus/public_html/sites/all/modules/pagination/pagination.module on line 307.
  • strict warning: Only variables should be assigned by reference in /home/buildingsurplus/public_html/sites/all/modules/pagination/pagination.module on line 307.
  • strict warning: Non-static method Pagination::getInstance() should not be called statically in /home/buildingsurplus/public_html/sites/all/modules/pagination/pagination.module on line 410.
  • strict warning: Only variables should be assigned by reference in /home/buildingsurplus/public_html/sites/all/modules/pagination/pagination.module on line 410.
  • strict warning: Non-static method Pagination::getInstance() should not be called statically in /home/buildingsurplus/public_html/sites/all/modules/pagination/pagination.module on line 344.
  • strict warning: Only variables should be assigned by reference in /home/buildingsurplus/public_html/sites/all/modules/pagination/pagination.module on line 344.

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Bringing It All Back Home 2011/03/01

This is where being able to donate the materials to a 501(c)(3) nonprofit company for a tax-deductible receipt comes into play (see The Economics of Deconstruction, this page). For homeowners in a higher tax bracket who are removing a perfectly good structure because they want to build their dream house in its place, the tax deduction can easily offset the additional costs of deconstruction, if not the total costs.

Here in Boulder, where quality of life is high but empty building lots are scarce, new homeowners often face the conundrum of buying the lot they want in the neighborhood they desire, but not wanting to keep the existing building for reasons of personal choice. This is an ideal scenario for deconstruction, and it happens more often than you may think.

According to city of Boulder records, there are currently about 150 demolitions per year that could be candidates for whole or partial deconstruction. Of that number, about 25 to 30 of the projects did involve some level of deconstructing in 2006, from complete deconstruction of the building to “soft-stripping” of interior components to prepare for a remodel. Capturing a higher percentage of these teardowns and major remodeling projects will be essential to meeting the city of Boulder’s waste management goals.

THE MULTIPLE BOTTOM LINE

What Eco-Cycle does with household recyclables, we can also do with our houses. It’s the same process—you just use bigger containers.

Deconstruction has many benefits beyond just keeping stuff out of the landfill. In this part of the country, we have plenty of potential landfill sites, and, as a result, the cheapest disposal fees in the country by far. Fortunately, the good reasons to choose deconstruction go beyond landfill fees.

Deconstruction creates jobs, helps small business development, teaches valuable trade skills, provides affordable materials for affordable housing, and preserves architectural history. Salvaged materials also have lower embodied energy and reduce a building project’s carbon footprint.

But that little bit of Neanderthal that we all carry in our DNA gives us sufficient insight into how we should go about redoing our dwellings. The notion of throwing something away just because it’s been used once is, after all, a bit silly.

As long as there are the local businesses, organizations, government agencies, and community values necessary to make deconstruction, reuse, and recycling practical and affordable, we shouldn’t be seeing all the good mastodon bones getting buried. And here in Boulder, we have all of those things.

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