Deconstructing Buffalo

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There are 10,000 abandoned houses in Buffalo, New York; instead of just wrecking them, non-profit Buffalo ReUse is taking them apart and selling the materials and components. From the Buffalo News: “We saved 4 million pounds from the landfill each year,” says consultant David Bennick. “It’s like an urban forest. Every building in Buffalo represents ‘X’ number of trees . . . If you just demolish that building it’s like those trees are done and they’re in the landfill.” They are filling a warehouse with materials: “The goal here is to sell local,” Manager Michael Gainer said. “It’s very affordable material and it’s high quality material.” It is happening across America as a new economic model: "Nonprofits take on the job of deconstruction and open Home-Depot-like warehouses of used materials. A growing number of deconstruction related organizations have nonprofit status, such as Buffalo ReUse." ::Buffalo News and ::Buffalo ReUse

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volunteer doing dentil work

There is a national association that promotes the concept; The Building Materials Reuse Association aims to:

* Reduce the consumption of new resources
* Avoid landfill waste and pollution
* Create value-added markets and increase cost-effectiveness
* Expand job opportunities and workforce development skills

:: Building Materials Reuse Association's(BMRA)