2022 CLF Boston/New England Reuse Roadmap - Manual / Resource - Page 12
Deconstruction and
Material Reuse Roadmap
Contractors
By eliminating the erroneous concept that
“sustainability equals higher cost” and fostering
collaborative education in new systems and the
changing industry, construction teams can start to see
deconstruction and material reuse as the evolution of
their work, and not an expensive pipedream.
Traditionally, general contractors/construction
managers (contractors) work best with a “business
as usual” attitude. Builders are slow to adopt
change outside of clients’ demands, as the
competitive bidding atmosphere of work in this
industry adds what many see as “undue risk” when
incorporating in-house progressive change.
Historically, unless a client is specifically
requesting a sustainable construction method
or material, contractors will trend towards that
with which they are comfortable. Due to the
construction industry’s reliance on experience,
reliability, and replicability, many contractors
will work within a defined framework.
construction industry for many years. Risk-averse
contractors see building and material reuse as
added exposure, rather than an opportunity
for growth and positive industry change.
In many cases, when presented with two options
(material reuse/deconstruction or regular
demolition and trash removal), the contractor will
price the more sustainable option so high that
even a sustainably-minded owner will hesitate
to take that option. By “covering costs” of the
perceived added risk, many contractors shy away
from meaningful change in the industry.
• Have we completed a similar project before?
• How can this project be replicated or
bring in more work in the future?
• How much risk does a project opportunity
bring to the company?
• Can a new opportunity expand opportunities
into a different market share?
This long-standing framework has been clogging
up innovation and sustainable change in the
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Furthermore, as construction and demolition
schedules are becoming more condensed and
accelerated, considerations for trash and material
removal on jobsites transitions from an active
consideration to a perceived speed bump in efficiency.
Unless the project specifications, owner
requirements or municipal policy mandates waste
diversion, a majority of contractors will do the
bare minimum so they can increase schedule
efficiency (and therefore decrease costs).
What do we need to be doing?
How do we get there?
Of all the groups working towards a circular economy,
contractors can have the largest impact in this
roadmap. By shedding the typical and comfortable
“business as usual” mindset, contractors can help
bring sustainable change to the building industry.
The best way to transition contractors from
“business as usual” to “embracing sustainable
change” is to answer their questions and
address their misconceptions.
In a more informed market, contractors
embrace the following:
• Diverting waste, deconstructing, and reusing
materials in the estimation process.
• Engaging with the project team during
preconstruction to minimize embodied carbon
impacts through smart material selection.
• Working with subcontractors to understand
the impacts of a changing market on
schedule, labor, and material costs.
• Internally training project teams on the benefits
of deconstruction, the intention of green
building systems, and the impacts that traditional
construction methods have on EC and the
local, regional, and national waste process.
By eliminating the erroneous concept of
“sustainability equals higher cost” and fostering
collaborative education in new systems and the
changing industry, these teams can start to see
deconstruction and material reuse as the evolution
of their work, and not an expensive pipedream.
How can my project teams
understand the importance?
Training grants, such as those from local resources
such as Built Environment + or Massachusetts Clean
Energy Center, provide free workforce training for
project managers, field staff, and estimators. This
training can be customized to meet contractor needs,
and supplemental funds are available each year.
How do I know what I need to be doing?
Organizations such as Re-Use Consulting led by Dave
Bennink have been deconstructing buildings for the
last three decades across the US. In addition, Second
Chance is both a reuse vendor and deconstruction
workforce development training in the local region.
Servicing New England, Deconstruction Works
provides both residential contracting services as well as
education and consulting for contractors.
Where can all the waste typically
thrown into landfills go?
Working with waste haulers, C&D guidance resources
from Recycleworks MA, and local reuse companies,
much of the C&D waste typically generated can
be properly recycled, reused, salvaged, or sold. In
addition, manufacturer take-back programs have
grown in scale and simplicity in the recent past,
with ceiling, electronics and flooring manufacturers
offering free removal and 100% recycling of their
respective materials.
The costs will be excessive and the unions
won’t agree to these changes.
Many projects in the area have achieved little to no
additional waste. When properly planned for and
sorted, waste haulers can charge less for dumpster
hauls, saving the project money. Additionally, many
local deconstruction pilots are actively working with
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