CREATING ENVIRONMENTS WHERE PEOPLE CAN SHINE™
buildings, owner tax benefi ts and new job creation. In addition, many deconstruction projects have shown that when we factor in decreased landfi ll costs, sale of salvaged materials or tax benefi ts, the higher upfront labor costs for deconstruction are offset and, ultimately, the total costs for deconstruction are less expensive than routine demolition. How can we move forward toward
ADD DAYLIGHT & SUBTRACT ENERGY USE
From custom and pre-engineered skylights to translucent panel wall systems and retrofit-ready translucent adapter panels that fit into existing curtainwall framing, Major has an energy-saving daylighting solution that fits both your needs and budget.
streamlined deconstruction? Begin conver- sations in your community with the munici- pal government and others who could help establish policies and incentives to promote deconstruction, such as integrating it into local permitting and building codes. Talk to your construction industry contacts about retooling waste-management procedures. Evaluate construction budgets to incorpo- rate deconstruction and benefi t from tax savings or salvage resale. Encourage decon- struction, salvage and reuse businesses to work with each other for the benefi t of the industry and develop a strong infrastructure within the building industry to promote their individual causes cooperatively. Visit architectural and engineering schools and vigorously promote salvage and reuse in pre-design where it’s practical.
A HOLISTIC MODEL This mantra of giving new life to old ma- terials is what led me to become a board member of the Savannah, Ga.-based non- profi t Emergent Structures. The organiza- tion’s mission is to increase the value and accessibility of salvaged building materials through facilitation, collaboration, educa- tion and advocacy. By creating relation- ships between construction professionals, property owners, municipal governments and anyone else who has a relationship to the built environment, Emergent Structures hopes to replace shortsighted demolition practices with sustainable deconstruction and reuse strategies. Emergent Structures has had success
SKYLIGHTS & TRANSLUCENT WALL SYSTEMS
MAJORSKYLIGHTS.COM 888-759-2678
Circle No. 14 22 RETROFIT // May-June 2013
with several local projects, which is spread- ing the word in memorable fashion. For example, Savannah Gardens, a housing project, is a great example of how much of the potential waste stream actually can be reused. Built in the 1940s for shipbuilder housing, the units in Savannah Gardens were deemed unusable by today’s codes and were scheduled to be demolished for
new housing. Although it was impossible to save all the materials within Savannah Gardens, pre-demolition meetings with the municipality (owner) , engineering company and general contractor allowed for the salvaging of heart-pine tongue-and- groove fl ooring, trusses, bricks, windows and many other items. Emergent Structures organized a group
of volunteers to assist in general labor while the contractor supervised and assisted with machinery for heavy lifting. Trusses were reused in a local Girl Scout camp to create new shelters. Reclaimed bricks were used in the foyer of a new mixed-income housing development. Roof sheathing was repurposed into fl ooring and installed in a community room, library and two foyers in the housing development. Reclaimed fl oor- ing that was unusable became shelving. Still other material reclaimed from the site was used to build 20 rain-barrel stands for the community. In fact, a community workshop organized by Emergent Structures brought neighbors together to build and stain the rain-barrel stands. Emergent Structures has also teamed
with local homeowners who have donated a portion of their homes to be deconstructed for reuse. Materials from these houses have been used in more than a dozen projects in and around Savannah, including an outdoor classroom for a middle school in a low- income neighborhood. This particular reuse project not only teaches kids about growing vegetables, but also teaches them—through direct and tactile experience—there is real and lasting value in materials that were once headed to a landfi ll. Emergent Structures currently is leading
a collaborative effort to build an educational greenhouse, which will include solar energy, rainwater catchment and passive solar heating. The greenhouse will be the agricul- tural training center for Design for Ability, a non-profi t dedicated to green-job training for special-needs teenagers in the Savannah area. Located in an economically challenged neighborhood that has been designated a food desert, the greenhouse also is intended to be a nutritional resource for the entire community. Discarded glass from a nearby modular-offi ce-furniture factory will be incorporated with other reclaimed materials from around the city.
Page 1 |
Page 2 |
Page 3 |
Page 4 |
Page 5 |
Page 6 |
Page 7 |
Page 8 |
Page 9 |
Page 10 |
Page 11 |
Page 12 |
Page 13 |
Page 14 |
Page 15 |
Page 16 |
Page 17 |
Page 18 |
Page 19 |
Page 20 |
Page 21 |
Page 22 |
Page 23 |
Page 24 |
Page 25 |
Page 26 |
Page 27 |
Page 28 |
Page 29 |
Page 30 |
Page 31 |
Page 32 |
Page 33 |
Page 34 |
Page 35 |
Page 36 |
Page 37 |
Page 38 |
Page 39 |
Page 40 |
Page 41 |
Page 42 |
Page 43 |
Page 44 |
Page 45 |
Page 46 |
Page 47 |
Page 48 |
Page 49 |
Page 50 |
Page 51 |
Page 52 |
Page 53 |
Page 54 |
Page 55 |
Page 56 |
Page 57 |
Page 58 |
Page 59 |
Page 60 |
Page 61 |
Page 62 |
Page 63 |
Page 64 |
Page 65 |
Page 66 |
Page 67 |
Page 68 |
Page 69 |
Page 70 |
Page 71 |
Page 72 |
Page 73 |
Page 74 |
Page 75 |
Page 76 |
Page 77 |
Page 78 |
Page 79 |
Page 80 |
Page 81 |
Page 82 |
Page 83 |
Page 84