The ReUse Solution™
In May of 2011, I accepted the position of Washington DC Metro Area Regional Manager for The ReUse People of America (TRP), a California based nonprofit 501(c)3 public benefit corporation founded in 1993. TRP's mission is to “…reduce the solid waste stream and change the way the built environment is renewed by salvaging building materials and distributing them for reuse.”
It was through my practice as a designer that I was introduced to TRP and decided to make their mission part of my own. Our culture, with its appetite for larger living spaces, designer goods and luxury lifestyles, is sometimes at odds with the sustainability movement. I have been struck by this paradox in the work I pursue as an interior design professional, and I intend to do my part to address the issue by educating my clients about using sustainable materials in their projects, lowering energy consumption and designing for longevity.
I was shocked to learn that 25 to 50 percent of the material in our landfills is construction and demolition (C&D) debris. I can’t help but think of the debris generated by the projects I have worked on, just since 2000, and how easy it would be to take a more sensitive approach during the initial phase of a project, which is often addressed with a "just get it over with and out of here" attitude. A considerable amount of the material typically sent to the landfill at the start of a project could be reused or recycled if properly handled. TRP has successfully kept 300,000 tons of C&D debris out of landfills since 1993.
The ReUse Solution TM, the process by which TRP delivers on its mission, encompasses building deconstruction, the salvage and distribution of reusable materials, the provision of tax-deductible donation receipts for donated materials, and the training of contractors and workers. TRP focuses its efforts on projects that require full or partial residential (single or multi-family) deconstruction. Salvaged materials include framing lumber, doors, windows, cabinets, flooring, plumbing and electrical fixtures, and more.
TRP programs are carefully integrated to produce optimum environmental, economic and educational benefits. Beneficiaries include:
• Society in general, through a healthier environment
• Consumers, particularly low-income families, who save money buying used materials
• Low-skilled workers, who acquire marketable skills through TRP deconstruction training programs
• Building owners, by virtue of tax deductions for donated building materials
• Builders and contractors, through better service to their clients
• Landfills, which enjoy longer life as more materials are diverted
What can I do for you?
As TRP Regional Manager, my job is to educate contractors, homeowners, architects, government officials and communities about The ReUse Solution TM. If you are interested in learning more, or would like to schedule a speaking engagement for your organization, please contact me.
In addition, I identify and select local contractors for TRP-Certified Deconstruction Contractor (CDC) training and provide oversight and assistance to those who become certified. If you would like more information about TRP training programs, or are interested in becoming a CDC, please contact me.
What am I committed to?
I am committed to establishing deconstruction as a construction-industry best practice.
What can you do?
Homeowners: Do your homework by visiting the TRP website and by requesting that your contractor use The ReUse Solution TM.
Architects and Designers: Offer your clients deconstruction as an alternative to demolition and make reuse part of your program. Support industry "best practices" training in deconstruction.
General Contractors: Become a leader in green construction practices by offering deconstruction as an alternative to demolition. Consider becoming a TRP-Certified Deconstruction Contractor.
Demolition Contractors: Consider becoming a TRP-Certified Deconstruction Contractor. Then start giving your customers a "green" option! Before long, C&D waste may no longer be welcome at landfills. Tipping costs will continue to surge. Prepare by expanding your services now!
"What's the use of a fine house if you haven't got a tolerable planet to put it on?" - Henry David Thoreau
