Deconstruction as Alternative to Demolition
The LEED for Homes rewards projects that are developed on sites that have been previously developed, and many project teams take advantage of good existing neighborhoods with access to transportation and services rather than building on raw land. Sometimes, a site is chosen where the existing structure is so damaged or functionally obsolete that it is necessary to start over.
In the past, these homes would be torn down in a matter of days, with tons of debris being sent to landfills. An increasingly common alternative to demolition is “De-Construction”. Unlike most houses that are demolished, a deconstructed house is carefully taken apart piece by piece to preserve the useful building materials and virtually eliminate waste.
On a LEED for Homes project in Oak Park, IL a certified deconstruction auditor came out and provided a value estimation for the salvaged components of the home. For this particular site, the value was over $130,000 which the homeowners were able to use as a tax credit that can be carried over for up to five years. This ends up being more valuable than the cost for the deconstruction services itself. View photos of this deconstruction project.
One impact any project team must be aware of is the effect on construction scheduling. Deconstruction is a labor and time intensive process, and can take much longer than traditional demolition. If weather is not cooperating, it can take up to two months rather than two weeks. But if deconstruction is properly planned for, the environmental and economic benefits can be more rewarding. LEED for Homes values deconstruction of existing homes by providing credit in MR 3.
Those interested in learning more about deconstruction should attend the USGBC event in Chicago on Tuesday, April 20 at the ReBuilding Exchange. This informative panel discussion is called, “Salvaged Material in the Sustainable Design Process”, and is preceded by a building tour for only $10 for members, $20 for non-members. Details and Registration.
July 10th, 2010 at 9:11 am
We are doing a Gut/Rehab to qualify for LEED in Canada. During the “Gut” portion we are focusing heavily on de-construction vs. demolition. As a result we are diverting over 95% of the waste from the landfill and saving money due to the generation of reusable material.
One thing I am disappointed in is that there appears to be no points or incentives to divert demolition waste in the LEED certification. It is deliberately segregated from the construction material when calculating points for waste diversion.
July 12th, 2010 at 1:04 pm
Hi David. Sounds like a great project. Congratulations on your diversion rate!
While there is no specific MR point for deconstruction, gut rehab projects such as yours are eligble to earn an Innovation and Design (ID) point for diverting material during the deconstruction / demolition process.
October 11th, 2011 at 2:48 pm
Wow! I wasn’t aware that this program existed. This is a great program for recycling old building material.
December 5th, 2011 at 2:19 pm
Awesome post