DESIGN

FOR REUSE
PRIMER
15 SUCCESSFUL REUSE PROJECTS
WITHIN DIFFERENT SECTORS EXPLORED
IN-DEPTH. RESEARCHED AND EDITED BY
PUBLIC ARCHITECTURE

VERSION 2.0
PUBLIC ARCHITECTURE
Acknowledgements 1
Introduction 3

CIVIC 13 — 34
Portola Valley Town Center 17
Vancouver Materials Testing Facility 29

EDUCATION 35 — 64
Chartwell School 39
Sidwell Friends Middle School 51
University Of Texas School Of Nursing and
Student Community Center 59

HOUSING 65 — 83
Benny Farm 69
Eastern Sierra House 77

OFFICE 85 — 108
Phillips Eco-Enterprise Center 89
Alberici Corporate Headquarters 97

RETAIL 103—116
Mountain Equipment Co-Op Ottawa & Winnipeg 107

INTERPRETIVE CENTER 117—136

Operation Comeback 5200 Dauphine Street 121
Omega Center for Sustainable Living 131

CULTURAL/RELIGIOUS 137—158
Jewish Reconstructionist Congregation 141
Long Center for the Performing Arts 153

LEARN MORE 159—169

Glossary 160
Resources 162
Index 167

© 2010 Public Architecture. All rights reserved.

The photographs in this book are used with permission and their authors retain all rights in their possession.
Designed by Studio Lin [Link]
ACKNOWLEDGEMENTS

This publication would not have been possible

without the great many people who generously
contributed time and energy or lent support.
This includes current and past members of the
Public Architecture staff: Brad Leibin, Cali Pfaff,
John Peterson, Nick McClintock, Amy Ress,
Mia Scharphie, Evelyn Lee, Milton Marks,
and John Cary.
A team of dedicated volunteers were instru-
mental to doing the research, developing the case
studies, and facilitating outreach. Grant Alexander,
Virginia Alexander, Mary Casper, Tiffany Chen,
Roselle Curwen, Barbara Franzoia, Trudy Garber,
Taj Hanson, Julia Howe, Annie Koo, Shanti Levy,
Nicole Melas, Tammy Ng, Ashley Turner, and Liz
Westbrook have contributed many long hours
throughout the two-year development of this project.
A knowledgeable team of advisors have also
provided their invaluable expertise to this
research. That team includes co-Principal Investi-
gator Brad Guy, now of Catholic University, as
well as advisory team members Gregory Dick of
the California Integrated Waste Management
Board, Timonie Hood of US EPA Region 9,
Mark Palmer of San Francisco Department of the
Environment, and Meri Soll and Wes Sullens,
both of [Link].
Editor Jennifer Roberts provided invaluable
assistance in helping to bring an engaging tone to
the case studies. We are grateful to the graphic
vision of Alex Lin/Studio Lin, for adding a visual
richness to the stories.
The U.S. Green Building Council
(USGBC) provided the generous funding that
made the Design for Reuse Primer possible. We also
thank the USGBC research program staff for
providing additional resources and support over
the course of the project. Thanks as well to the
research grant’s technical review team; they have
been a great sounding board throughout.

1
 INTRO-
Finally, we would like to extend our
deepest gratitude to all the individuals and orga-
nizations involved with the case study projects
who generously took the time to talk or work with
our research team. Your stories and insights are

DUCTION
the foundation of this publication. We feel hon-
ored to be able to share these signature examples
of reuse with a wider public.

Thank you.

Liz Ogbu
Co-Principal Investigator and Project Director Liz Ogbu
Design for Reuse Primer

WASTE NOT
What does it mean to build green? As the con-
cept of sustainable building has gained greater
traction within and outside of the design and
construction industry, “building green” has
often been linked with achieving higher levels of
energy efficiency or improved air quality. Mate-
rials have often played a secondary role. Even The Jewish Reconstructionist
when considered, the sustainable materials mar- Congregation used reclaimed
ket tends to focus on new rapidly renewable materials extensively as part of
the first LEED Platinum house
materials, sustainably harvested materials and of worship.
materials with recycled content such as bamboo
flooring, certified wood and recycled glass fin-
ishes. Yet, as the 15 projects profiled in the
Design for Reuse Primer show, material reuse rep-
resents one of most creative, exciting and
effective approaches to building green.
Reused, or reclaimed, materials are materi-
als extracted from the waste stream and
repurposed without further processing or with
only minor processing that does not alter the
material’s nature. Old bricks cleaned of their
mortar and used to create a new facade, wood
beams remilled into flooring, and wood from
packing crates fashioned into window trim are all
examples of reuse. Reuse is not to be confused
with recycling. Recycling also involves removal

2 3
Introduction Introduction

of materials from the waste stream, but those reduces methane emissions from landfills.
materials undergo significant processing to con- What’s more, according to the Deconstruction
vert them into new products. Waste paper Institute, every ton of reused wood avoids the
reduced to pulp and then combined with pulp emission of 60 pounds of greenhouse gases cre-
from new wood to produce new paper is a form ated when new lumber is harvested and milled.
of recycling. The projects profiled here are part of a
By not undertaking extensive reprocessing, movement among certain designers, builders and
material reuse provides buildings with features A living building, the Omega
clients to turn these statistics around. By reduc- Ever since ScrapHouse,
difficult to retain in the recycling process. From Center incorporates reclaimed ing the need for raw material consumption, the a demonstration house built
reclaimed cypress that recalls 19th-century East- Cypress as part of its energy associated with manufacturing and trans- completely from scrap in
commitment to tread lightly 2005 in San Francisco,
ern European Jewish culture to 100-year-old on the earth. porting raw materials, and the amount of waste Public Architecture has been
brick from the deconstruction of an Army ware- sent to landfills, reclaimed materials provide a committed to inspiring and
prime opportunity to follow the sustainability facilitating reuse. Previous
house, reclaimed materials infuse the buildings resources developed
profiled here with a beauty, texture and history mantra of “Do more with less.” include a podcast, articles
and presentations. Visit
that inspired creativity in the designers and [Link] to learn
brings richness to the experience of the users. SEE ONE, DO ONE, TEACH ONE more.
The potential of material reuse to impact Despite the potential of material reuse, it has
the building industry’s environmental footprint been a largely untapped resource. Although
is significant. Environmental Building News many case studies exist about sustainable build-
reports that building construction accounts for ing projects, it is often difficult find examples of
nearly 30% of all raw material consumption. material reuse. This is particularly true in com-
Unfortunately, much of that material winds up mercial-scale construction, where integrating
trashed. Nearly one-third of the waste in U.S. material reuse into the design and construction
landfills comes from building construction and process can sometimes seem daunting. The
Design for Reuse Primer is part of an ongoing ini-
demolition debris, according to the U.S. Envi-
tiative by Public Architecture to bring reuse
ronmental Protection Agency. If, as
stories to light. By discussing the challenges and
Environmental Building News reports, over 25%
demonstrating the benefits of reclaimed materi-
of the buildings existing in 2000 will be replaced als, we hope to demystify reuse.
by 2030, we’ll have a staggering amount of dis- The case studies represent a diverse mix of
carded material on our hands over the next two program type, location, size and client. They
decades. reveal that there is not one path to material reuse.
This is alarming not only because we’re However, some common lessons to consider can
filling up landfills and wasting valuable materi- be found across projects:
als, but because of the harm it is doing to our
atmosphere. Organic materials such as wood, Think reuse from the start
which represent a significant amount of overall Building sustainably requires thinking about rel-
construction and demolition debris, eventually evant strategies from the early phases of design.
break down and produce methane. A greenhouse Material reuse, which should be integrated into a
gas, methane has a global warming impact many comprehensive sustainability strategy, should be
times worse than carbon dioxide. Reusing wood

4 5
Introduction Introduction

discussed from the beginning. The project team rial stores, suppliers and brokers can also be
of the Vancouver Materials Testing Facility valuable sources. Building relationships with
found strategizing early about reuse made it eas- these additional sources can make you more
ier to navigate the challenges and capitalize on familiar with the range of materials available and
the benefits. make suppliers better acquainted with your
needs. Knowing more can facilitate a more effi-
Get team buy in cient, creative and cost-effective material reuse
Beyond starting the discussions early, it is critical Aluminum panels from the process.
to engage all stakeholders in the process. Many original structure’s dome
addded color to the Long
good ideas arise outside of the formal design pro- Center’s facade. Be flexible
cess. At the Alberici Corporate Headquarters, Reclaimed materials have an inherent variability
members of the construction team came up with to them. Everyone, from the client to the designer
the idea of using reclaimed sheet piling for a to the contractor, needs to maintain some flexibil- “MOM
landscaping retaining wall. ity around material appearance and availability. TAUGHT US
But also identify things that shouldn’t be compro- TO EAT
Don’t write the specs in stone mised, such as energy efficiency, indoor air EVERYTHING
Reclaimed materials aren’t off the shelf products quality and overall aesthetic goals.
for which a manufacturer can provide standard ON THE
information. It is important to write specifica- Factor in time PLATE.
tions that are clear about expectations, such as On every construction project, timing is always I VIEW IT THE
structural performance or storage requirements, an issue, and it’s even more so when it comes to SAME WAY
but build in flexibility, such as providing a range material reuse. New materials can often be
of acceptable hues for a particular finish mate- ordered within a defined time frame that fits the
DEALING
rial. Clear specifications for the Long Center for mainstream building process. The infrastruc- WITH
Performing Arts helped with the deconstruction ture around reclaimed materials, particularly for STRUCTURE.
and reuse of tricky items such as the multicolored commercial-scale construction, is less refined. IF THERE’S
aluminum roof panel. By also being clear about By engaging a reuse supplier early in the design MATERIAL
who has responsibility for sourcing, approving, process, the Sidwell Friends Middle School proj-
purchasing, storing, decontaminating, refurbish- ect team was able to factor into the overall project AVAILABLE,
ing or modifying, and installing the reclaimed schedule adequate time for identification, sourc- WHY WASTE
materials, they made it easier for subcontractors ing, procurement and refurbishment of key IT IF IT
to bid on the job. reclaimed materials. COULD BE
Build reuse relationships Be strategic with contracts SENSIBLY
Several projects, including the Mountain From design/build to multiple prime, there are BUILT IN
Equipment Co-op stores in Ottawa and Winni- various types of contracts used in the building A NEW
peg, obtained materials through “shopping the industry. When it comes to reuse, it is important DESIGN?”
site,” or onsite deconstruction. Others, such as to clarify roles and responsibilities regardless of
—Paul Fast, structural engineer,
the Omega Center for Sustainable Living and the the type contract used. The Portola Valley Town Vancouver Materials Testing
Chartwell School, showed how reclaimed mate- Center found the multiple prime contract struc- Facility

6 7
Introduction Introduction

ture facilitated the reuse process through DOES REUSE COST MORE?
strategies such as phasing. Splitting up abate- As frustrating as it can be to hear this, the
ment, deconstruction and demolition helped answer is: It depends.
manage costs. It also enabled them to have a Sometimes using reclaimed materials is
construction manager serve as the primary reuse flat-out less expensive, such as when reclaimed
champion and keep everyone on track. lumber provided a cost savings over new Forest
Stewardship Certified wood for the Omega Cen-
Be creative ter for Sustainable Living. Reuse can also be a Portola Valley Town Center.
Think of reclaimed materials as a tool for creative way to build with higher quality materials that Reclaimed Yellow Cedar was
invention. Their features can sometimes provide would be too expensive if purchased new, such as used to create sunscreen
louvers. The buildings are clad
textures, colors or sizes unavailable — the wood flooring at Benny Farm. In other cases, in reclaimed redwood.
or unaffordable — new. Also think about reusing the cost of the material or refurbishment may be a
materials in applications different than their origi- significant increase over new but the client may
nal use, such as the steel railroad tracks used as a choose it anyway because it meets their design,
trellis at the Eastern Sierra House or the exterior functional or environmental goals. When build-
aluminum roof panels used as interior paneling at ing their Town Center, the Town of Portola Valley
the Long Center for the Performing Arts. decided to purchase reclaimed Alaska Yellow
Cedar at a premium because it provided an aes-
Test it out thetic that reflected the values of the community.
Reclaimed materials may not come from a fac- Reclaimed materials often have intangible finan-
tory, but that doesn’t mean they can’t be viewed cial benefits. Several projects, such as the Portola
beforehand. Try to get samples during the design Valley Town Center and the Long Center for
process, and test out ideas and address challenges Performing Arts, found that incorporating
with mockups as was done with the interior wall reclaimed materials provided a compelling nar-
and ceiling panel assemblies in the Portola Valley rative that gave their capital campaign efforts an
Town Center. Testing materials for structural extra boost
integrity or grading wood can also make the When evaluating cost, it is important to be
reuse process easier. strategic and to understand tradeoffs. Before
deciding on a material, the project team should
Share the story “WE WANTED assess what’s involved, from decontamination
Unlike most new materials, reclaimed materials A BUILDING and storage to refurbishment, installation and
often come with a history. Incorporating these THAT WOULD future maintenance. Tapping into the network of
materials, with their embedded narrative of a reuse consultants such as deconstruction con-
place or culture, can provide a meaningful con- PHYSICALLY tractors, reuse suppliers and reuse brokers can
nection to a sustainable vision. Projects such as EMBODY help supply this knowledge. This evaluation
the Omega Center for Sustainable Living and the WHO WE should not only be based on pre-installation cost,
Sidwell Friends Middle School show how high- WERE.” but should also include what it takes to maintain
lighting reclaimed materials through design, the material once the project is built.
—Rabbi Brant Rosen, client,
signage or tours shares that history and vision Jewish Reconstructionist Con-
with others. gregation

8 9
Introduction Introduction

used in structural applications.

THE REUSE PROCESS Other common materials used include
The various projects reveal several strategies of brick and metal. But many of the projects pro-
how to deal with these issues. In general, it is use- filed here also provide examples of a wide range
ful if material identification occurs at the project of reclaimed materials and components, from
start or initial design phases. Research around marble toilet partitions in the Long Center for
sourcing should also occur at this point, but the Performing Arts, airplane flaps in the East-
depending on the contract structure and materials Reclaimed wood samples ern Sierra House, granite slabs in the Alberici A shelf made from a salvaged
desired, actual sourcing and procurement, can considered for use in the Corporate Headquarters, carpet in the Philips airplane flap in the Eastern
Operation Comeback 5200 Sierra House.
occur in the latter design phases or during con- Eco-Enterprise Center and gas-fired HVAC
Dauphine Street project.
struction. It is sometimes advisable for the owner units in the Vancouver Materials Testing Facil-
to pre-purchase high value materials that may be ity.
of limited availability. But the financial and storage
capacity of the owner is an important consider- WHERE DO WE GO FROM HERE?
ation. In some cases, reuse brokers or contractors As sustainable building continues to evolve
may be able to help provide the space. beyond energy efficiency to encompass issues
Any reclaimed material chosen should be like cradle to cradle design and carbon footprint
carefully evaluated for its refurbishment needs, reduction, material reuse takes on even greater
and the time associated with that process should be importance. Clearly, the infrastructure of the
factored into the overall project timeline. This reclaimed materials market has not fully
information as well as details concerning selection, matured. Issues around codes, supply and
storage, and installation processes should be cap- demand, and experience present challenges to
tured in the project’s material specifications. development. This is not dissimilar to the state of
During construction, the design team should the recycled materials market more than a
review the quality of any reclaimed materials pro- decade ago. At the time, few manufacturers
cured by the contractor. developed products with — let alone provided
information about — recycled content. Yet, as
WHAT TO REUSE? the green building movement matured, demand
Wood is by far the most commonly reclaimed for such products increased. Now, there are
material used in the case study projects. In the past countless products that brandish their recycled
decade, the infrastructure around this market has content as the foundation of their marketing
matured considerably. There are many sources, strategy. Such materials have become common-
from deconstruction companies to reuse retailers place.
to specialty suppliers. Much of the reclaimed wood At the heart of many of the issues around a
available is old growth lumber, often of greater material reuse market is lack of awareness. Shar-
quality and durability than the newer woods on the ing knowledge is perhaps the best solution to
market. If using reclaimed wood from onsite that. The Design for Reuse Primer features pro-
deconstruction, a certified wood grader is helpful cess-based case studies of 15 projects from the
for verifying strength and quality. A structural U.S. and Canada and a variety of resources.
engineer should be brought in if the wood is to be From a school for children with learning differ-

10 11
ences to a performing arts center to a corporate
headquarters, the diverse projects in the Design
for Reuse Primer provide insights about the mate-
rial reuse process in many contexts. Notably,
they are not just fascinating examples of material
reuse, but inspiring models of good design.
CIVIC
17 Portola Valley Town Center
Chartwell School not only 29 Vancouver Materials Testing Facility
incorporates reuse, but thinks
for the future by being designed
for disassembly.

p. 3 Photo: Steve Hall ©

Hedrich Blessing
p. 4 Photo: Copyright © Assassi
p. 5 Photo: © 2005 Cesar
Rubio Photography
p. 6 Photo: © Nelsen Partners,
Dan Gruber
p. 5 Photo: © 2009 Cesar
Rubio Photography
p. 11 Photo: ©Edward Caldwell
[Link]
p. 12 Photo: Michael David
Rose / [Link]

12 13
Civic Civic

“IF YOU BUILD A PROMINENT

PROJECT THAT CHANGES
THE PERCEPTION OF THE
MASSES, THEN THE
DEMAND WILL GO UP.”
—David Desrochers, client, Vancouver Materials Testing Facility

Federal, state, and local governments are helping

to propel the sustainable building movement
by enacting green codes and policies. Civic
buildings are increasingly serving as models of
how to build better and greener. These buildings
illustrate a commitment to sustainability that can
be more concrete than changes in policy. Despite
this trend, material reuse has been an underuti-
lized strategy in civic buildings, often because
of concerns about cost and quality. The public
projects featured here demonstrate that reclaimed
materials can be used to create beautiful, high
quality buildings without breaking the bank.
Portola Valley’s new Town Center exempli-
fies how carefully selected reused materials can
reflect and reinforce a community’s sense of self.
Vancouver’s Material Testing Facility incorpo-
rates extensive material and equipment reuse,
resulting in a building that instilled a sense a
pride in the project team, clients, and building
users. In these civic projects, we find not only
beacons of sustainability but also of reuse.

14 15
Civic Civic

TOWN
CENTER

16 Photo:
© 2009©Cesar
2009Rubio
Cesar Rubio
Civic Civic

TOWN
CENTER

Photo: © 2009 Cesar Rubio

Civic Civic

TOWN
CENTER

Photo: © 2009 Cesar Rubio

Civic Civic

TOWN
CENTER
KEY INFO AND REUSE-RELATED
PROJECT TEAM MEMBERS

PROJECT NAME TOTAL PROJECT CONTRACTOR

Portola Valley Town COST (LAND MANAGER
Center EXCLUDED) TBI Construction &
$20 million Construction
LOCATION Management
Portola Valley, CA CERTIFICATIONS
Portola Valley, CA LEED-NC Platinum STRUCTURAL
YEAR COMPLETED ENGINEER
2008 SIZE Forell/Elsesser
19,900 Sq ft Engineers
PRIMARY USE
Assembly, Public CLIENT/OWNER REUSE
order & safety, Town of Portola Valley CONSULTANT
Library Reusable Lumber
ARCHITECT Company
CONSTRUCTION Siegel & Strain
TYPE Architects with DECONSTRUCTION
New construction Goring & Straja CONTRACTOR
Architects Roldan Construction

17
Civic Civic Town Center

CIVIC CENTER WINS ter. When town leaders proposed

SUPPORT BY HONORING THE replacing the outdated Town Cen-
PAST AND BUILDING FOR THE ter with a new campus, there was
FUTURE an outcry from many citizens who
felt an emotional connection to the
Portola Valley’s new Town Center old buildings.
is “a story about reusing materials,” But as the project’s architects
said Town Councilmember Ted introduced the proposed design—
Driscoll. and as that design evolved in
Since opening its doors in response to the community’s con-
2008, this small but remarkable cerns and priorities—attitudes
civic center has pulled in numerous changed.
design awards and honors, includ- A focus on sustainability,
ing LEED Platinum certification. including a commitment to reuse,
Reflecting the community’s long- ultimately earned the project over-
standing commitment to environ- whelming community approval.
mental stewardship, the new Town In fact, there was such a ground-
Center was envisioned as a model swell of support that $17 million of
of green design, with deconstruc- private donations flowed into the
tion and reuse at the heart of the town’s coffers, funding 85 percent
green building strategies. of the project’s costs.
The Town Center’s three “We are a unique town,”
buildings—a town hall, library, and said Councilmember Driscoll.
community hall—replaced seismi- “We had the resources and educa-
cally unsafe structures built in the tion level to know what do. If not
1940’s. Rather than demolishing here, where? It was important for us
the old facility and landfilling the to show leadership.”
materials, the buildings were care-
fully dismantled and the materials
creatively incorporated into the
new structures. The new campus,
which features three single-story
buildings clustered around a plaza,
has a low-key beauty that blends “IF NOT HERE,
into the wooded landscape. WHERE? IT WAS
Portola Valley is an affluent IMPORTANT FOR US
bedroom community for Silicon
Valley and Stanford University, TO SHOW
with residents who value the area’s LEADERSHIP.”
scenic landscape and rural charac- — Ted Driscoll, Town Councilmember

18 19
Civic Town Center Civic Town Center

FLEXIBILITY IS ESSENTIAL first his firm had written—was far Flexibility is one of the keys to suc- MULTI-PRIME CONTRACTS
WHEN DESIGNING FOR from perfect. cess when designing with reused CAN HELP MANAGE COSTS
REUSE Later when Jim Steinmetz of materials, said Strain. The design
Reusable Lumber Company joined needs to be adaptable as new From a contractual standpoint,
Siegel & Strain Architects, Goring the team as a deconstruction con- reclaimed materials become avail- deconstruction and onsite reuse
& Straja Architects and TBI Con- sultant, he advised the architects to able or expected ones go away. can be challenging to execute. For
struction and Construction reconsider certain materials they Ultimately, “well over 90 per- the Town Center, deconstruction
Management were all brought on had planned to use. For instance, cent of the old buildings, by weight, required three separate contrac-
board while the town was still the specification called for milling were reused,” said Driscoll. tors—an abatement contractor to
determining budget. Without this new interior wall paneling out of remove materials contaminated
early engagement, a high level of the old Town Center’s Douglas Fir with lead paint, a deconstruction
material reuse probably wouldn’t roof framing beams. However, contractor to dismantle and stock-
have been possible given thatthe Steinmetz noted that there was pile the salvageable materials, and a
availability of salvaged material plenty of 2x6 roof decking avail- demolition contractor to remove
drove many of the design decisions. able, which had fewer knots and what was left.
Upfront costs of deconstruc- could be de-nailed and milled into The project team initially put
tion also need to be built into the interior wall paneling more easily the demolition contract out to bid
beforedoing the abatement and
budget from the start. As Driscoll than the thick framing beams. A Interior of library building with deconstruction work. The bids
recalls, Larry Strain of Siegel & decision was made to use the roof salvaged wood ceiling paneling.
came back higher than anticipated,
Strain Architects argued that if you decking, instead, which saved time
in part because the bidding con-
pay more for deconstruction rather and money. tractors didn’t know how much
than demolition, you’ll save in As the project progressed, material would be removed during
materials cost later. the community’s commitment to deconstruction.
“Larry was always talking green building and reuse grew. “Sometimes the demo guy
about the economics of this,” This sparked some design changes. doesn’t know what the salvage guy
Driscoll said. Persuaded by Strain, The exterior siding of the new is going to take out,” said the proj-
the town council agreed that it buildings, for example, was origi- ect’s construction manager, C.R.
would be cost effective to pay more nally designed to be cement fiber Hodgson of TBI Construction and
for deconstruction in order to sal- shingles. But in light of the town’s Construction Management.
vage reusable materials. commitment to using salvaged “Sometimes the salvage guy takes
Following the schematic materials, the architects changed out a lot and sometimes not.”
design development, which laid out course and specified reclaimed red- The town decided to hold off
the project’s general scope, the wood siding—sourced offsite—for on awarding the demolition con-
architects wrote a deconstruction the building exteriors. Cladding “WELL OVER 90 tract, and Hodgson began looking
specification that instructed the sal- the building with old-growth red- PERCENT OF THE for ways to hold down costs. The
vage crew on exactly what should wood linked the buildings to the OLD BUILDINGS, project’s multiple prime contract
be extracted from the buildings. redwood groves on site and became structure proved to be an effective
The building industry doesn’t have a major featureof the Town Cen- BY WEIGHT, WERE means of cost control.
common standards for this and ter’s visual identity. REUSED.” In such a structure, each con-
Strain admitted that this one—the — Ted Driscoll, Town Councilmember tract can be let out to bid

20 21
Civic Town Center Civic Town Center

individually rather than all at once. Strain listed several possible suppli- CONSTRUCTION PROCESS During the course of construction,
This allowed Hodgson to stagger ers in the specifications. For some CHARACTERIZED BY the quest to reuse materials became
the bids on the abatement, decon- materials, Hodgson also used the CREATIVE PROBLEM SOLVING almost competitive, recalls
struction, and demolition work. Internet to find additional sources. Driscoll. “I’d show up and the con-
The abatement work was carried On a typical construction project, if tractor or superintendent on the
out first to remove contaminated you underestimate how much of a project would say they had to take
material. This made the subsequent material you need, you can buy down a tree but saved it for reuse.
deconstruction work easier and more. But it’s not always that easy Everyone got into it,” he said. “It
reduced its cost. when building with reclaimed was like they were trying to one-up
Even so, Jeff Roldan of materials. Some salvaged wood, for each other a little bit.”
Roldan Construction, the selected example, has a unique look that can For certain design elements,
deconstruction contractor, said that be difficult and expensive to match mock-ups were used to evaluate sal-
“it was difficult to bid because a lot if the original supply runs short. vaged material options. For
of the materials were hidden. It’s For the Portola Valley team, example, the architect originally
Salvaged wood from old town
hard to guarantee. During bidding, center buildings being reworked the potential for shortages was requested that 20-foot long boards
I was concerned about covering our by Reuseable Lumber. amplified by the fact that the be used to create interior wall and
hours because deconstruction was deconstruction specification was ceiling paneling. However, Reus-
not something we had historical written so early in the design pro- able Lumber Company, which was
data for.” cess. Fortunately, Hodgson was doing the milling, wasn’t able to
After Roldan completed extremely proactive in working obtain 20-foot boards from the
deconstruction and the demolition with the contractors to find solu- available salvaged wood.
contract was rebid, the bidding tions when problems arose. Hodgson then requested
contractors could see how little of In one instance, when a con- samples of shorter boards in order
the buildings remained. Thus, they tractor ran short of the salvaged to build a mock-up. He also
were able to provide more accu- Douglas fir he was using as trim for requested “worst-case scenario”
rate—and significantly lower highly visible windows, his instinct samples from the milling contrac-
priced—bids. was to make up the remainder with tor, in order to prepare the architect
The multi-prime contract new fir. But when Hodgson got wind and client for the unpredictable
structure also provided flexibility of the shortage, he remembered that look that can sometimes result
when sourcing off-site reclaimed metal roofing panels had been when using salvaged materials.
materials. If desired materials like shipped to the site in crates made of The mock-ups, which went
the redwood siding were not avail- fir. The crates, which were still on through a series of iterations,
able at a given time, the site, were disassembled, de-nailed, allowed everyone to visualize what
construction manager would post- “IT WAS DIFFICULT and cut to size for the window trim. the paneling would look like before
pone bidding out that portion of TO BID BECAUSE A The crate wood matched the sal- it was installed.
work until an adequate source was LOT OF THE vaged wood trim that was already in
located. This ability to “shop place so well that the architect didn’t
around” saved money and pro-
MATERIALS WERE notice the change until Hodgson
duced a higher quality end result. HIDDEN.” pointed it out.
For each material sourced off site, — Jeff Roldan, deconstruction contractor

22 23
Civic Town Center Civic Town Center

A PLACE TO BE PROUD OF Pulverizing the old buildings’ con- LESSONS LEARNED LEARN MORE
crete foundations and reusing the
The project achieved Platinum cer- crushed concrete as site fill and MAKE MOCK-UPS IDENTIFY REUSE ABOUT THE PORTOLA VALLEY
tification, the highest rating Budget for mock-ups. Use them CHAMPIONS TOWN CENTER
road cover saved 11.7 tons of car- to resolve unexpected problems Make sure the project has [Link]/index.
available from the LEED for New bon by eliminating many truck and help the team evaluate leaders—like the Town Center’s aspx?page=102
Construction Green Building Rat- trips to and from the site. design decisions related to construction manager—who
ing System. Among the LEED reused materials. embrace the project’s reuse AIA COTE TOP
Town staff now use the proj- goals and help the entire TEN CASE STUDY
credits it achieved were Materials ect to encourage residents and local BE FLEXIBLE construction team accomplish [Link]/hpb/overview.
and Resources (MR) 3.1 and 3.2, businesspeople to include more Be willing to adjust them. cfm?ProjectID=1322
certain design elements
two resource reuse credits that are deconstruction and reuse in their to accommodate special PLAN FOR SHORTFALLS GORING & STRAJA
rarely attained by LEED certified construction projects. “When peo- characteristics of salvaged Anticipate potential shortages ARCHITECTS
buildings. The Portola Valley Town ple come to the town and say, ‘I materials, such as available of reclaimed materials and [Link]
board lengths. This flexibility identify additional sources or
Center earned them thanks to its don’t really think it’s a good idea to makes it easier for contractors alternatives before you need SIEGEL & STRAIN
extensive use of reclaimed wood deconstruct my house in a sustain- to source salvaged materials in them. ARCHITECTS
and other salvaged materials. sufficient quantity and quality. [Link]
able way and reuse it,’ the person FIND COMMON GROUND
Strain estimated that approx- behind the desk can say we did it THINK REUSE Tap into the community’s values. TOWN OF PORTOLA VALLEY
imately 25 percent, in board feet, and got a really nice building out of FROM THE START Reusing the old Town Center’s C&D WASTE ORDINANCE
of the wood used to build the Town Committing to reuse early in building materials conveyed [Link]/
it,” said Driscoll. the design process allows time that the town respects its Modules/ShowDocument.
Center was reclaimed. Overall, In fact, it’s much more than a to gain team and community people, its past, and the planet. aspx?documentid=549
reclaimed materials accounted for nice building. Portola Valley’s acceptance for salvaged
materials.
14 percent of the total materials Town Center exemplifies a civic
cost, well over the 10 percent center at its best: it’s a place that ONE STEP AT A TIME
threshold required for achieving brings people together and show- Consider phasing in abatement,
deconstruction and demolition
the MR 3.1 and 3.2 credits. In fact, cases the values of the community. to allow for more accurate bids.
Strain noted that it was easier to More clarity about the structure
achieve this credit than some of the and materials can help reduce
the fear of unforeseen field
other materials and resources credits. conditions that tend to trigger
After the project was com- large cushions within bids.
pleted, Strain continued to analyze BID BETTER
its impacts in an effort to under- Consider contract structures,
stand and demonstrate the power of such as multiple prime
contracts, that can provide
material reuse to significantly flexibility in the bid process and
reduce a building’s carbon foot- facilitate deconstruction and
print. Using the U.S. EPA’s WAste reuse.
Reduction Model (WARM), a tool New libary building with
that calculates the greenhouse gas salvaged redwood siding and “WE DID IT AND
emissions savings of waste manage- Alaskan Yellow Cedar sunscreen
louvers. GOT A REALLY
ment practices, Strain determined
that the project’s use of salvaged NICE BUILDING OUT
lumber saved 24.8 tons of carbon p. 21, 24 Photos: © 2009 Cesar Rubio
OF IT.”
over the purchase of new lumber. p. 22 Photo: Courtesy Siegel & Strain — Ted Driscoll, Town Councilmember

24 25
Civic Town Center

MATERIAL ORIGINAL REUSE SOURCE SOURCE QTY REFURBISHMENT

USE APPLICATION LOCATION

6x10 Beams Beams On-site On-site 400 Faces

dimensional Ln ft resawn
lumber 2,000
Bd ft

2x6 Roof Interior On-site On-site 3,650 Milled

Douglas Fir Decking paneling Bd ft

2x6 Roof Ceiling

Douglas Fir Decking paneling On-site On-site 8,220 Milled
Bd ft

Glu-lam Beams Countertops On-site On-site 150 Milled

beams Sq ft

Blue-gum Trees Wood flooring Offsite Portola 2,635 Milled

Eucalyptus Valley, CA Bd ft
trees

Redwood Exterior Offsite, Crescent 11,914 Milled

siding vendor: City, CA Bd ft
McMullin
Lumber

Alaskan Sunscreen Offsite, Winthrop, 2,660 Milled

Yellow Cedar louvers vendor: WA Bd ft
Bear Creek
Lumber

12” – 16” Trees Cladding for On-site On-site 54 Cut-to-size

Alder trees steel columns Ln ft

Concrete & Site fill, On-site On-site 2,770 Crushed

CMU road base rock Tons

26
Civic Civic

MATERIALS
TESTING
FACILITY

28 Photo: Courtesy of Busby Perkins+Will

Civic Civic

MATERIALS
TESTING
FACILITY

28 Photo: Courtesy of Busby Perkins+Will

Civic Portolo Town Center Civic

MATERIALS
TESTING
FACILITY
KEY INFO AND REUSE-RELATED
Vancouver, BC
PROJECT TEAM MEMBERS

PROJECT NAME TOTAL PROJECT STRUCTURAL

Vancouver Materials COST (LAND ENGINEER
Testing Facility EXCLUDED) Fast + Epp
$550,000 CDN
LOCATION MEP
Vancouver, BC, SIZE Keen Engineering
Canada 4,284 Sq ft (now Integral Group)

YEAR COMPLETED CLIENT/OWNER CLIENT’S PROJECT

1999 City of Vancouver MANAGER
David Desrochers
PRIMARY USE ARCHITECT
Public order & safety, Busby + Associ-
Laboratory ates (now Busby
Perkins+Will)
CONSTRUCTION
TYPE CONTRACTOR
New construction MANAGER
Ken King &
Associates

28 29
Civic Portolo Town Center Civic Materials Testing Facility

MATERIALS TESTING employees about the decision to

FACILITY SHOWS THE build the new facility out of
SURPRISING BEAUTY OF reclaimed materials. But the final
WASTE product convinced the staff that
they were not going to work in a
The City of Vancouver runs its own “garbage building,” as project
advanced asphalt manufacturing manager David Desrochers put it,
plant that makes new asphalt as but in a “beautiful building built of
well as recycling old asphalt from garbage.”
the city’s roads. The Materials
Testing Facility provides lab spaces
and offices for a small group of
engineers who develop customized
asphalt mixes for a range of appli-
cations.
When the time came to build
a new testing facility, the city ini-
tially planned to erect a Office with beams and wood
pre-engineered structure. Archi- flooring from salvaged glulam.
tect Peter Busby of Busby +
Associates proposed an alternative:
creating a new building out of old
materials. Not only did reuse offer
environmental benefits, it seemed
appropriate for a client committed
to reuse and recycling in their own “I’M SURE WE COULD
work. An integrated project team of HAVE DONE A PRE-
the client’s project manager, archi-
tect, contractor, and structural and FAB THAT NO ONE
MEP (mechanical electrical and WOULD HAVE BEEN
plumbing) consultants treated the PROUD TO WORK IN,
project as an opportunity to experi- FOR CHEAPER, BUT
ment with material reuse and
provide the city with an inspira- IT WOULD HAVE
tional model of green building. BEEN NOWHERE
The project ultimately included a NEAR THE QUALITY
wide diversity of reused finishes, WE GOT AT THAT
structural members and MEP
equipment. There was initially
PRICE WITH REUSE.”
some discomfort among the lab’s — David Desrochers, client’s project manager

30 31
Civic Materials Testing Facility Civic Materials Testing Facility

DESIGN FOR REUSE response, the client purchased most LESSONS LEARNED LEARN MORE
HIGHLIGHTS of the reclaimed materials and fur-
nished them to the contractors for BID BETTER ENGAGE THE ENTIRE BUSBY PERKINS + WILL
— The project site had several wood Consider contract struc- TEAM IN REUSE [Link]
installation. tures, such as multiple prime Working together from the start
warehouses slated for removal. contracts, that can provide flex- can allow all project stake- CASCADIA GREEN BUILDING
Busby and structural engineer Paul — The high initial bids also led the ibility in the bid process and holders—the client, architect, COUNCIL, CASE STUDY
facilitate reuse. contractor and structural and [Link]/resources/
Fast of Fast + Epp visited the site to team to switch from a fixed tender MEP consultants—to play case-studies/COVTestingcenter-
identify potential materials. to a multiple prime contract struc- DON’T FORGET ABOUT MEP meaningful roles in the reuse [Link]
Together, they selected timber ture with a construction manager. Reclaimed MEP equipment process.
can be tricky because older DESIGN FOR DECONSTRUC-
trusses, glulam beams and roof The construction manager, Ken equipment is often less TION, CASE STUDY
decking. King & Associates, sent compo- efficient. But sometimes other [Link]/pdf/
nents out to bid only when the construction projects have [Link]
good quality heating units and
— Most of the project team came materials were identified and if nec- other equipment that is headed FAST + EPP
on board during the pre-design essary, refurbished. for the junk pile—either new [Link]
phase. Such early involvement products that were misordered
or lightly used equipment that’s INTEGRAL GROUP
allowed reused materials and equip- — The client wanted a double- no longer needed. Passive [Link]
ment to shape the design. For glazed curtain wall with a warranty. equipment such as piping is
often fine to reuse.
example, Fast + Epp worked with The architects wanted to accommo-
Busby + Associates to modify heavy date this request and still CHANGE THE CODES
timber trusses from the original incorporate reclaimed wood and During construction, the elec-
trical inspector noted that
building to create a span adequate glass. They found a contractor who
for the new building. Highest qual- agreed to fabricate double-glazed
the building code required
new electrical devices. The
“THE MANAGER OF
ity individual pieces from all glass pieces out of used, single- reclaimed electrical devices THE DEPARTMENT
original trusses were swapped in as glazed windows and provide a
were CSA rated (equivalent of
an American UL rating) and fully WAS DEAD-SET
needed to create the two trusses warranty. functional. Busby met with the
City to seek a resolution. Within
AGAINST THE
used.
— Reused materials include heavy
a week, the code was rewritten
to allow “new or used” electri-
CONCEPT OF REUSE,
— Mechanical engineer Kevin timber trusses combined to create cal devices. FEARING THE
Hyde of Keen Engineering obtained new trusses, glulam beams trans- MAKE STRUCTURAL CON- WORST… BUT ON
surplus heaters, air conditioners formed into floor decking, and STRAINTS WORK FOR YOU THE DAY IT OPENED
and plumbing systems from other surplus gas-fired HVAC units. Fast + Epp often found clever
job sites in the city. He sourced solutions around the struc- HE AGREED THE
tural constraints of reclaimed
lighting fixtures and piping from — A third-party examiner calcu- materials. Unsure about the PROJECT WAS
more traditional salvage sources. lated that over 80 percent of the structural integrity of the glulam
beams, they used many of them
SPLENDID AND A
— The team based its design on
materials in the facility are
reclaimed.
as flat 5” thick finished floor
decking. Not only did they avoid
GREAT NEW HOME
materials they saw in local salvage relying on the glue for struc- FOR HIS TEAM.”
tural strength, the thickness
yards. Uncertain of the availability of the deck also satisfied the — Peter Busby, architect
of the reclaimed materials, contrac- municipal code’s fire separation
requirements.
tors initially submitted high bids
based on using new materials. In p. 31 Photo: Courtesy Busby Perkins+Will

32 33
 EDUCATION
Civic Materials Testing Facility

MATERIAL ORIGINAL REUSE SOURCE SOURCE QTY REFURBISHMENT

USE APPLICATION LOCATION

Heavy timber Trusses Trusses On-site On-site 5 Reconfigured into

trusses Trusses 2 large trusses

Glulam Beams Joists On-site On-site 100 Cut-to-size 39 Chartwell School

Beams
51 Sidwell Friends Middle School
Glulam Beams Wood flooring On-site On-site Milled 59 University of Texas School of Nursing and Student
2x6 tongue Roof Roof decking, On-site On-site 30,000 N/A Community Center
& groove Decking sheathing, Sq ft
lumber exterior
windows

2x4 Framing Framing Off-site, Vancouver, Cut-to-size

dimensional vendor BC
lumber

Doors Doors Doors Off-site, Vancouver, Refinished

vendor BC

Glass panels Various Curtain wall Off-site, Vancouver, Cut-to-size,

vendor BC thermally broken

Plywood Formwork Sheathing Off-site, Vancouver, Cut-to-size

vendor BC

Interior Interior Interior Off-site, Vancouver,

lighting lighting lighting vendor BC

Water Water Water closets Off-site, Vancouver, Retrofitted

closets closets vendor BC

Steel Piping Piping Off-site, Vancouver,

pipes vendor BC

Fuel-fired N/A Fuel-fired Off-site, Vancouver,

heaters heaters construction BC
surplus

Air handling N/A Air handling Off-site, Vancouver,

equipment equipment construction BC
surplus

Exhaust N/A Exhaust hoods Off-site, Vancouver,

hoods construction BC
surplus

34 35
Education Education

“THERE ARE PROBABLY

A LOT OF PEOPLE WHO ARE
USING RECLAIMED
MATERIALS BECAUSE OF
THE STORY THEY TELL
AND THE TEXTURE AND
THE VIBRANCY THEY BRING
TO A SPACE ”
—Iris Amdur, consultant, Sidwell Friends Middle School

Successful green schools do more than conserve

energy ; they help advance sustainability on a
broader level by creating environments that are
more conducive to learning and more harmoni-
ous with nature. By integrating sustainable
features that are visible to their users, the build-
ings become learning tools that increase
environmental literacy in the community. Mate-
rial reuse figures prominently into the green
schools featured in this section. Chartwell
School uses reclaimed materials to play to the
strengths of their students who have language
learning differences and respond better to visual
cues. At Sidwell Friends Middle School,
reclaimed materials tangibly communicate the
school’s commitment to social responsibility
through action. For the University of Texas
Health Science Center’s School of Nursing and
Student Community Center, material reuse con-
tributes to the school’s vision of a nurturing
building. Together, the projects illustrate how
reclaimed materials can provide a meaningful
and highly visible statement of educational and
environmental stewardship.

36 37
Education Education

CHARTWELL
SCHOOL

38 Photo: Michael David Rose / [Link]

Education Education

CHARTWELL
SCHOOL

40 Photo: Michael David Rose / [Link]

Education Education

CHARTWELL
SCHOOL

Photo: Michael David Rose / [Link]

Education Education

CHARTWELL
SCHOOL
KEY INFO AND REUSE-RELATED
PROJECT TEAM MEMBERS

PROJECT NAME CERTIFICATIONS ARCHITECT DECONSTRUCTION

Chartwell School LEED-NC Platinum, EHDD Architecture CONTRACTOR
CHPS (Collaborative Paul T. Beck
LOCATION for High Performance CONTRACTOR Contractors (On-site
Seaside, California Schools) Designed Ausonio, Inc. Asphalt); Fort Ord
Reuse Authority and
YEAR COMPLETED AWARDS STRUCTURAL John Stephens (lead-
2006 CHPS 2007 Green ENGINEER based paint removal)
Apple Award, 2007 Tipping Mar +
Seaside, CA PRIMARY USE U.S. EPA Pacific Associates
K-12 education Southwest Environ-
ment Award DECONSTRUCTION
CONSTRUCTION CONSULTANT
TYPE SIZE Brad Guy
New construction 21,200 Sq ft

TOTAL PROJECT CLIENT/OWNER

COST (LAND Chartwell School
EXCLUDED)
$9.2 million

38 39
Education Education Chartwell School

CREATING BUILDINGS greenest campus possible—with

THAT TEACH healthy, daylit buildings that gener-
ate much of their own electricity
At Chartwell School, you won’t and make the most of beautiful
find educational signs explaining salvaged wood.
the campus’s green features. The Naturally, there are stories
buildings themselves teach the stu- behind all that salvaged wood.
dents about sustainability. The The redwood bench tops in the
motivation behind this was due in courtyard were fashioned from
part to the unique educational deconstructed trestles that once
needs of the school’s student body. supported railroad bridges in Sac-
Chartwell is an independent school ramento. The campus’s two
on California’s Monterey Peninsula buildings—a multi-use building
that serves first through eighth and a classroom building—are clad
graders with language-related inside with Douglas Fir salvaged
learning differences such as dys- from barracks disassembled at Fort
lexia. Ord. The exterior cladding comes
Douglas Atkins, the school’s
from old-growth redwood from
executive director, describes
dismantled wine and olive oil tanks.
Chartwell’s students as bright
When the school’s builders were
learners “who have relative
strengths in visual and spatial prob- first working with the wood, they
lem solving and are relatively weak could still smell the wine, although
at print learning.” At the school’s by now the fragrance is long gone.
new campus, completed in 2006 at Inside the buildings, beams,
Fort Ord, a decommissioned U.S. roof joists and other framing com-
Army base, students are sur- ponents were left exposed so that
rounded by building materials and students can see how the structures
exposed systems that serve as were put together and how, some-
hands on educational tools. Oral day, they might be taken apart and
and visual narratives, Atkins their materials reused. In fact, both
believes, have the power to engage buildings were deliberately
students and make environmental designed for disassembly. Com-
values more real to them. pared with a conventional building,
Atkins envisioned the new they should be easier to dismantle
campus as a place that would foster in whole or in part. The idea fol-
the development of “sustainability lowing that in the future the
natives,” children who grow up buildings can be readily adapted for
with the idea of sustainability as different uses and their compo-
second nature. And so he directed nents reused.
the project team to create the

40 41
Education Chartwell School Education Chartwell School

PROJECT TEAM DOES THEIR bly” concepts. struction,” which documents the DESIGNING A BUILDING THAT
HOMEWORK Over the course of his career, design team’s process of creating CAN BE UNBUILT
Shell has worked on many school mock-ups, testing scenarios,
Chartwell selected EHDD Archi- renovations that resulted in consid- researching local resources, and The lifecycle assessment contrib-
tecture in San Francisco to design erable waste because components analyzing the climatic impacts of uted to the choice of wood for the
the project, due to their strong like windows and wood framing material choices. structural frame as well as exterior
background in school design and weren’t designed or installed in a siding and interior paneling.
sustainable design. The school pro- manner that allowed for easy Although the school was built with
vided the architectural team with replacement. Shell believes much of a large amount of wood, the design
an “envisioning report” that the this waste could be avoided if team employed a number of strate-
school administration alongside a design for adaptation or disassem- gies to use the material efficiently
board of experts had produced to bly were standard practice among and facilitate future reuse. In addi-
articulate the school’s needs and architects. tion to reusing old wood for finishes
hopes for the new campus. For Chartwell School, the and furnishings, they utilized
Scott Shell, Principal at DfD research process began with a advanced framing strategies,
EHDD, brought Brad Guy onto look at construction materials that including framing 24 inches on
the project team. Guy is a leading tend to be replaced most frequently, center, which uses less wood than
researcher in deconstruction and the more conventional 16 inch on
both in the short term and long Exterior walkway with view to
design for disassembly (DfD). reclaimed redwood siding.
term. The researchers explored center framing.
Design for disassembly is still an
how the design and detailing of Reducing the overall amount
emerging technology and at the
specific materials and building of structural wood saved the school
time, wasn’t common practice in
the building industry. But Shell and components could allow for easy money, which freed up funds to
Guy thought the concept held removal later on. The material specify Forest Stewardship Council
promise for Chartwell: should the choices allowed for minimal dis- (FSC) certified wood for all the
school’s needs change in the future, ruption to adjacent materials and framing lumber; a sustainably for-
DfD would make it easier to adapt systems, such as how old windows ested wood, FSC certified wood
and update the spaces and infra- could be removed and new ones often costs more than conventional
structure. The DfD strategy also installed without affecting adjacent lumber.
reinforced the school’s commit- finishes and waterproofing. “Design for disassembly” fig-
ment to sustainability. The design team also calcu- ured prominently in the
Shell and Guy brought the lated the total embodied carbon for AN EPA GRANT construction process, although, in
DfD idea to Atkins who embraced all major building materials in the retrospect, the concept could have
it. Together, they applied for the proposed design and performed a ALLOWED THE been communicated more clearly to
U.S. EPA’s Waste Reduction grant. lifecycle assessment using ATH- PROJECT TEAM TO the contractor in early team meet-
This grant--a little over $29,000-- ENA software to try to understand RESEARCH ings and in the construction
allowed the design team, working and minimize the environmental MATERIAL CHOICES specifications. Joseph Piedimonte,
with Timonie Hood at the EPA’s impacts of major materials. Ausonio’s CFO/project manager,
Region 9 office, to conduct an in- The project research was
AND DESIGN FOR recalls that when his crew started
depth analysis of material choices published in a report funded by the DISASSEMBLY framing lumber and roughing in
and research “design for disassem- EPA grant, “Design for Decon- CONCEPTS. electrical and plumbing

42 43
Education Chartwell School Education Chartwell School

Atkins happened to be on A NEW HOME FOR OLD WOOD TerraMai provided the remainder RIPPLE EFFECTS OF REUSE
site. Atkins halted the work and of the fir paneling, which had pre-
pointed out that by not drilling into Atkins, EHDD, and Ausonio all viously been the floor of the former Chartwell School was the first com-
the framing lumber, it would be played a role in locating salvaged Esprit company headquarters in plete educational campus to be
easier to reuse in the future and wood for the project, with the client San Francisco. awarded LEED-NC Platinum cer-
would preserve its quality and and architect approving all material In one of the most visually tification from the U.S. Green
value. Ausonio’s team instead samples. Most of the reclaimed striking examples of reuse, a Building Council. The project’s use
routed over fifteen miles of conduit wood was purchased from Terra- Monterey Cypress tree trunk, of reclaimed materials earned it
around the framing. Mai, a supplier that the architects found already cut down in an both LEED credits for resource
To preserve the integrity of had dealt with previously. Working arborist’s yard and sourced through reuse (MR 3.1 and 3.2), as well as
the high quality reclaimed wood with a large reclaimed-wood spe- Urban Lumber Jacks, was turned the regional materials credit
used for the interior paneling, the cialist made it easier to obtain the into a 12-foot tall structural col- (MR 5).
team utilized fastener systems materials needed to meet project umn in the atrium entrance to the The project also earned the
instead of screws or nails that can specifications and reduced the need classroom building. certification from the Collaborative
damage the wood. Wherever possi- to store materials on site. Wood that for High Performance Schools and
ble, connections between materials needed to be stored on site was kept was honored with the California
outside and protected under plastic Governor’s Economic Leadership
were simplified to facilitate decon-
sheeting. Award. In addition, the Chartwell
struction, and larger structural
The U.S. Army Engineer School project and its Design for
members were chosen over smaller Research and Development Center Deconstruction report helped
ones to reduce the number of had worked with local contractors inspire the EPA’s Lifecycle Build-
attachments. In addition, the roof is to deconstruct numerous wooden ing Challenge, a competition that
constructed of energy-efficient buildings on the former army base. honors innovative projects and
structural insulated panels (SIPs) Atkins wanted the new campus to ideas related to “design for disas-
that can be readily removed as indi- include some of that wood both to sembly.”
vidual units and reused elsewhere. reduce the project’s carbon foot- The design and construction
print and help keep the site’s history process benefited from highly
alive. Unfortunately, much of the qualified team members who were
wood was coated with lead-based committed to the project’s
paint. Using funds from the EPA sustainability goals. At EHDD
grant, the team was able to work FIR FOR INTERIOR Architecture, sustainability contin-
with the Fort Ord Reuse Authority PANELING CAME ues to be a leading principle. They
and John Stephens who had devel- FROM THE have applied the lessons learned on
oped a mobile, on-site system for Chartwell School to subsequent
Classrooms clad with reclaimed removing lead-based paint. DECONSTRUCTED projects, particularly material effi-
redwood siding. Ultimately, only about 800 BARRACKS AT FORT ciency and design for disassembly.
board feet of vertical grain Douglas ORD AND THE Although the general con-
fir from the old barracks was used tractor, Ausonio, Inc., had never
for interior paneling because its
FORMER ESPRIT previously worked on LEED or
availability did not coincide with HEADQUARTERS IN green building projects, Chartwell
Chartwell’s construction schedule. SAN FRANCISCO. School took them in a new direc-

44 45
Education Chartwell School Education Chartwell School

tion. The company has since LESSONS LEARNED LEARN MORE

worked on a number of LEED
Platinum projects, has been hired DO YOUR HOMEWORK— CONNECT DESIGN AIA COTE
AND WRITE IT DOWN AND VALUES TOP TEN CASE STUDY
as green building consultants and When embarking on ground- The most successful green [Link]/hpb/overview.
green general contractors, and has breaking projects with few buildings do more than cfm?ProjectID=1385
used design for deconstruction precedents, do thorough conserve resources. They
research and analysis. Make express the client’s hopes for AUSONIO, INC.
principles on subsequent projects. mock-ups when appropri- the future. At Chartwell School, [Link]
For Chartwell’s students, ate. Document and publicize the reclaimed materials, design
Redwood benches with wood research, methods and results, for disassembly and other green CHARTWELL SCHOOL
administrators, faculty and wider from railroad bridges. like the Chartwell team did with building elements speak to the [Link]
constituencies, the new campus their Design for Deconstruction priority placed on creating in-
embodies the community’s dual report, to help others follow in teractive learning environments DESIGN FOR DECONSTRUC-
commitments to care for the envi- your path. and building a sustainable TION REPORT
future. [Link]/UserFiles/File/
ronment and help children achieve TAKE THE LONG VIEW Design_for_Deconstruction.pdf
their full potential. Give future generations a break SAY YES TO SUSTAINABLE
and do your part to ensure that SCHOOLS EHDD ARCHITECTURE
the reclaimed materials you are School administrators and [Link]
using today will still be usable boards can sometimes be
50 or 100 years down the line. risk averse, notes Atkins, and EPA LIFECYCLE BUILDING
At Chartwell School, fasteners can shy away from building CHALLENGE
were used to hang the interior green because they fear it will [Link]
paneling without nails or screws, cost more. But Chartwell’s
protecting the quality of the old- new campus—an extraordi-
growth Douglas Fir. nary place that significantly
advanced the school’s mission
COMMUNICATE EARLY, and elevated its stature—
COMMUNICATE OFTEN came in 15% under the cost of
Designing for disassembly average school construction in
and building with reclaimed California, Atkins said.
materials aren’t standard
practice in the building industry.
Early and frequent commu-
nication about the project’s
goals, methods and materials
allows for a more collaborative
approach and reduces costly
mistakes.

p. 46 Photo: Michael David Rose / [Link]

46 47
Education Chartwell School

MATERIAL ORIGINAL REUSE SOURCE SOURCE QTY REFURBISHMENT

USE APPLICATION LOCATION

Old growth Wine Fascia board, Offsite, California 5850 Milled

redwood barrels interior vendor: Bd ft
paneling Terra Mai

Clear grain Wall Fascia board, Offsite, San 2850 Milled

Douglas-fir paneling & interior vendor: Francisco, Bd ft
soffits paneling Terra Mai CA

Old growth Wine Exterior siding Offsite, Various 1171 Milled

redwood and olive vendor: locations, Bd ft
storage Terra Mai CA
barrels

Vertical grain Flooring Millwork Offsite, 68 Milled

Douglas-fir vendor: Sq ft
Crossroads
Lumber

100-year-old Framing Interior Onsite, Seaside, 800 Lead paint

Douglas-fir studs paneling vendor: CA Bd ft abatement,
from old Pacific Milled
barracks at Heritage
Fort Ord

Clear all heart Wood Millwork Offsite, Sacramen- 50 Pieces Milled

redwood trestle from vendor: to, CA
railroad Reclaimed
bridge Wood
Products
Company

Redwood Offsite, 398 Milled

vendor: Bd ft
Hayward
Lumber

Asphalt Paving Foundation On-site On-site 1385 Crushed

sub base Cu yd

Eucalyptus Tree Wood framing Offsite, Salinas, CA 1 Tree Refurbished

tree vendor:
Urban
Lumber
Jacks

48
Education Education

SIDWELL
FRIENDS
SCHOOL
PROJECT NAME TOTAL PROJECT
Sidwell Friends COST (LAND CONTRACTOR
Middle School EXCLUDED) HITT Contracting Inc.
$28,000,000 FABRICATOR
LOCATION (includes central STRUCTURAL Symmetry Products
Washington, D.C. plant) ENGINEER Group, Loewen
CVM Engineers Windows
YEAR COMPLETED CERTIFICATIONS
2006 LEED-NC Platinum SUSTAINABILITY
CONSULTANT
PRIMARY USE SIZE GreenShape LLC, In-
K-12 education 72,500 Sq ft tegrative Design
Collaborative
CONSTRUCTION CLIENT/OWNER
TYPE Sidwell Friends REUSE CONSUL-
New construction Middle School TANT
Armster Reclaimed
ARCHITECT Lumber Company,
KieranTimberlake CitiLogs

50 Photo: © Peter Aaron/Esto

Education Education

SIDWELL
FRIENDS
SCHOOL
PROJECT NAME TOTAL PROJECT
Sidwell Friends COST (LAND CONTRACTOR
Middle School EXCLUDED) HITT Contracting Inc.
$28,000,000 FABRICATOR
LOCATION (includes central STRUCTURAL Symmetry Products
Washington, D.C. plant) ENGINEER Group, Loewen
CVM Engineers Windows
YEAR COMPLETED CERTIFICATIONS
2006 LEED-NC Platinum SUSTAINABILITY
CONSULTANT
PRIMARY USE SIZE GreenShape LLC, In-
K-12 education 72,500 Sq ft tegrative Design
Collaborative
CONSTRUCTION CLIENT/OWNER
TYPE Sidwell Friends REUSE CONSUL-
New construction Middle School TANT
Armster Reclaimed
ARCHITECT Lumber Company,
KieranTimberlake CitiLogs

Photo: © Peter Aaron/Esto

Education Education

SIDWELL
FRIENDS
SCHOOL
KEY INFO AND REUSE-RELATED
PROJECT TEAM MEMBERS

PROJECT NAME TOTAL PROJECT CONTRACTOR FABRICATOR

Sidwell Friends COST (LAND HITT Contracting Inc. Symmetry Products
Middle School EXCLUDED) Group, Loewen
$28 million STRUCTURAL Windows
LOCATION (includes central ENGINEER
Washington, D.C. plant) CVM Engineers
Washington, D.C.
YEAR COMPLETED CERTIFICATIONS SUSTAINABILITY
2006 LEED-NC Platinum CONSULTANT
GreenShape LLC,
PRIMARY USE SIZE Integrative Design
K-12 education 72,500 Sq ft Collaborative

CONSTRUCTION CLIENT/OWNER REUSE

TYPE Sidwell Friends CONSULTANT
New construction School Armster Reclaimed
Lumber Company,
ARCHITECT CitiLogs
KieranTimberlake

51
Education Education Sidwell Friends School

SIDWELL FRIENDS environment inside.

SCHOOL BUILDS A BEACON From the outset, the Middle
OF ENVIRONMENTAL School building was intended to
STEWARDSHIP serve as a learning tool. Through
integration of environmental sus-
Sidwell Friends School is a private tainability lessons into the
pre-K through12th grade institu- curriculum and green building
tion in Washington, D.C. founded tours offered to the public, the proj-
in 1883 on Quaker principles. As a ect educates students and others
prominent institution—and alma about environmental building prac-
mater to several children of U.S. tices. Reclaimed materials form an
presidents—the school embraced important part of this story, provid-
the opportunity to boldly promote ing a tangible statement of the
sustainability in the design of their school’s commitment to sustain-
Middle School Building’s renova- ability.
tion and addition. Drawing upon
the Quaker values of environmental
stewardship and social responsibil-
ity through action, the school set
the ambitious goal of achieving
LEED NC Platinum certification.
It ultimately became the first
LEED Platinum K-12 building in
the country.
The project scope consisted
of renovating the 55-year-old, “THE USE OF
33,500-square-foot building and
constructing a 39,000-square-foot RECLAIMED
addition. Material reuse provided a MATERIALS IN
prominent unifying element, aes- HIGHLY VISIBLE
thetically linking the exteriors of AREAS WAS VERY
both wings through a reclaimed
cedar panel system of vertical fins SUCCESSFUL IN
that protect the interior spaces from THAT IT REALLY
excessive heat gain. Reclaimed DRAWS PEOPLE IN
greenheart, a durable tropical hard- AND GETS THEM
wood, flows from the outside
decking to the floor of the entry
EXCITED ABOUT
lobby, linking the natural environ- GREEN BUILDING.”
ment outdoors to the learning — Mike Saxenian, client

52 53
Education Sidwell Friends School Education Sidwell Friends School

DESIGN FOR REUSE ucts to the site or the fabricator. LESSONS LEARNED LEARN MORE
HIGHLIGHTS
— Several subcontractors were START EARLY KEEP LOOKING FOR ARMSTER RECLAIMED
— The architect, KieranTimber- By considering reuse early in the WAYS TO REUSE LUMBER COMPANY
hesitant to procure materials out- project, the team benefited from While most material reuse [Link]
lake, collaborated with side of their traditional sources. the insight of several consultants elements were incorporat-
sustainability consultant Green- HITT Contracting was able to alle- as the design developed. Klaas ed into the design early, some GREENSHAPE
Armster of Armster Reclaimed materials like the Douglas fir [Link]
Shape and the client to generate an viate their concerns by purchasing Lumber Company said that the window trim emerged during the
overall material strategy that bal- certain reclaimed materials for the long time frame gave him and construction documents phase. HITT CONTRACTING INC.
anced conceptual and aesthetic subcontractors’ use. the architects time to work out Armster found the fir, which [Link]
solutions to potential challenges, was reclaimed from high school
desires with LEED Platinum such as the appropriate sizes for bleachers. The wood had drill KIERANTIMBERLAKE
requirements. — Reclaimed materials include the façade fins. holes every four feet where the [Link]
100-year-old Western red cedar bleachers had been bolted, but
BUILD REUSE its history and look suited the SIDWELL FRIENDS SCHOOL,
— The design team deliberately from wine tanks that form the exte- RELATIONSHIPS project. MIDDLE SCHOOL BUILDING
used reclaimed materials in highly rior fins on the façade, greenheart The project team’s network of [Link]/about_sfs/green-
visible applications, such as the reuse experts—including Green- UNDERSTAND TRADE-OFFS buildings/ms-green-building/
pilings from Baltimore Harbor that Shape, Armster Reclaimed When considering a reclaimed [Link]
wood panel façade, to emphasize provide exterior decking and entry Lumber Company and CitiLogs— material, be sure to under-
connections to local habitat and lobby flooring, and old Douglas fir gave them valuable advice on stand both the short- and USGBC PROJECT PROFILE
reclaimed lumber that informed long-term costs. In some cases, [Link]/ShowFile.
demonstrate the school’s dedication bleachers that gain new life as win- the design. the client paid a premium for aspx?DocumentID=3943
to environmental stewardship. dow trim. the reclaimed wood materials;
GET SAMPLES AND BUILD however, the durable wood will
MOCKUPS allow the client to avoid the cost
— Armster Reclaimed Lumber — Over 40,000 board feet of The design details and spec- and labor of constant upkeep.
Company joined the team early, reclaimed wood was incorporated ifications benefited from an
during the design development into the project. In total, reclaimed understanding of material types SHOW IT OFF
and qualities. Samples and Reclaimed materials are used to
phase. They offered insight into materials represented over 9% of mockups gave team members a their best advantage when they
available types and sources of the overall materials costs. better understanding of technical are prominently featured. The
reclaimed wood as well as provided details, weathering, and how materials relay the importance
to achieve the team’s desired of sustainability to an institu-
samples and mockups that played a aesthetic. tion by providing a strong visible
significant role in detailing. Kier- (and often tactile) connection to
WASTE NOT the earth. Sidwell’s sustainabil-
anTimberlake originally designed The salvaged greenheart pilings ity-influenced curriculum and
the cedar fins to be 7/8” thick, but from Baltimore Harbor had to green building tours reinforce
at Armster’s suggestion, they be ordered four to five months this connection and inspire
in advance to allow for adequate those within the Sidwell Friends
decreased the thickness to ¾” to drying time. What’s more, the community and beyond. They
reduce cost and waste. team was cautioned that quan- also reinforce the school’s role
tities yielded from milling could as an environmental steward.
vary. These conditions led the
— The bidding process for contractor to be even more
reclaimed lumber was a “sole judicious than normal with the
Window trim made from high wood. According to Kimberly
sourcing” arrangement, with Arm- school bleachers. Pexton, HITT’s Director of Sus-
ster Lumber as the designated tainable Construction, they
supplier. Armster assumed respon- “didn’t have the luxury of being
wasteful.”
sibility for procurement, storage,
and transportation of wood prod- p. 54 Photo: © Peter Aaron/Esto

54 55
Education Sidwell Friends School

MATERIAL ORIGINAL REUSE SOURCE SOURCE QTY REFURBISHMENT

USE APPLICATION LOCATION

Western Wine Fins for Offsite, Erie, PA 30,000 Milled

Red Cedar tanks exterior vendor: Bd ft
cladding Armster
Reclaimed
Lumber Co.

Green Pilings in Exterior Offsite, Baltimore, 1,000 Milled

Heart Baltimore decking, vendor: MD Sq ft
Harbor interior Armster
flooring Reclaimed
Lumber Co.

Green Pilings in Exterior Offsite, Baltimore, 2,000 Milled

Heart Baltimore decking, vendor: MD Bd ft
Harbor interior Armster
flooring Reclaimed
Lumber Co.

Douglas-fir High school Exterior Offsite, 6,000 Milled

bleachers window trim, vendor: Bd ft
sills, and Armster
jam covers Reclaimed
Lumber Co.

Stone Exterior Offsite,

masonry vendor: Paul
W. Steinbeis-
er Inc.

56 57
Education Education

SCHOOL OF
NURSING
OF
PROJECT NAME TOTAL PROJECT
University of Texas COST (LAND ARCHITECT DECONSTRUCTION
School of Nursing and EXCLUDED) BNIM and CONTRACTOR
Student Community $57,000,000 Lake | Flato D. H. Griffin of Texas,
Center Architects Inc.
CERTIFICATIONS
LOCATION LEED-NC Gold STRUCTURAL CONSTRUCTION
Houston, TX ENGINEER MANAGER
SIZE Jaster Quintanilla & Jacobs Vaughn
YEAR COMPLETED 195,000 Sq ft Associates
2004
CLIENT/OWNER SUSTAINABILITY
PRIMARY USE University of Texas CONSULTANT
Higher education, Health Science Center for Maximum
laboratory Center at Houston Potential Building
Systems
CONSTRUCTION
TYPE
New construction

58 Photo: © Hester + Hardaway Photographers ([Link])

Education Education

SCHOOL OF
NURSING
NURSING
PROJECT NAME TOTAL PROJECT
University of Texas COST (LAND ARCHITECT DECONSTRUCTION
School of Nursing and EXCLUDED) BNIM and CONTRACTOR
Student Community $57,000,000 Lake | Flato D. H. Griffin of Texas,
Center Architects Inc.
CERTIFICATIONS
LOCATION LEED-NC Gold STRUCTURAL CONSTRUCTION
Houston, TX ENGINEER MANAGER
SIZE Jaster Quintanilla & Jacobs Vaughn
YEAR COMPLETED 195,000 Sq ft Associates
2004
CLIENT/OWNER SUSTAINABILITY
PRIMARY USE University of Texas CONSULTANT
Higher education, Health Science Center for Maximum
laboratory Center at Houston Potential Building
Systems
CONSTRUCTION
TYPE
New construction

Photo: © Hester + Hardaway Photographers ([Link])

Education Education

SCHOOL OF
NURSING
NURSING
PROJECT NAME TOTAL PROJECT
University of Texas COST (LAND ARCHITECT DECONSTRUCTION
School of Nursing and EXCLUDED) BNIM and CONTRACTOR
Student Community $57,000,000 Lake | Flato D. H. Griffin of Texas,
Center Architects Inc.
CERTIFICATIONS
LOCATION LEED-NC Gold STRUCTURAL CONSTRUCTION
Houston, TX ENGINEER MANAGER
SIZE Jaster Quintanilla & Jacobs Vaughn
YEAR COMPLETED 195,000 Sq ft Associates
2004
CLIENT/OWNER SUSTAINABILITY
PRIMARY USE University of Texas CONSULTANT
Higher education, Health Science Center for Maximum
laboratory Center at Houston Potential Building
Systems
CONSTRUCTION
TYPE
New construction

Photo: © Hester + Hardaway Photographers ([Link])

Education Education

SCHOOL OF
NURSING
KEY INFO AND REUSE-RELATED
PROJECT TEAM MEMBERS

PROJECT NAME CONSTRUCTION ARCHITECT DECONSTRUCTION

University of Texas TYPE BNIM and CONTRACTOR
School of Nursing & New construction Lake | Flato D. H. Griffin of Texas,
Student Community Architects Inc.
Center TOTAL PROJECT
COST (LAND STRUCTURAL CONSTRUCTION
LOCATION EXCLUDED) ENGINEER MANAGER
Houston, TX $57 million Jaster Quintanilla & Jacobs Vaughn
Associates
YEAR COMPLETED CERTIFICATIONS
2004 LEED-NC Gold SUSTAINABILITY
CONSULTANT
PRIMARY USE SIZE Center for Maximum
Higher education, 195,000 Sq ft Potential Building
Houston, TX Laboratory Systems
CLIENT/OWNER
University of Texas
Health Science
Center at Houston

59
Education Education School of Nursing

UNIVERSITY OF TEXAS nurturing building where the next

BUILDS NURTURING FACILITY generation of caregivers is trained.
FOR ITS NURSING SCHOOL

For the University of Texas Health

Science Center at Houston’s new
School of Nursing and Student
Community Center, Dean Patricia
Starck wanted a building that was
“nurturing”—a building that
would foster human well-being and
be easier on the environment. Reclaimed brick helps frame
Inspired by Dean Starck’s vision, view to exterior courtyard.
the project team committed to cre-
ating a sustainable building from
the outset. From its classrooms to
laboratories, the building acts as a
learning tool. It teaches its users
about sustainability both inside and
out, according to architect David
Lake of Lake | Flato Architects.
Completed in 2004, this was the
University’s first LEED certified
building.
Material reuse emerged as a “IT WAS A GREAT
strategy in the early design phases. OPPORTUNITY TO
An existing brick building onsite
inspired the architectural team of SHOW HOW A
BNIM and Lake | Flato to incor- RECLAIMED
porate reclaimed brick into their MATERIAL
design. The brick deconstructed STRATEGY CAN
from the original building was ulti-
mately unsuitable for the new HAVE APPLICATION
facility, but the team went on to IN A LARGE PROJECT,
source reclaimed brick as well as PARTICULARLY IN
sinker cypress logs from regional AN INSTITUTIONAL
sources. With the engaging varie-
gated character of the brick and the
SETTING LIKE A
deep rich coloring of the cypress UNIVERSITY.”
siding, the façade sets the tone for a — Gail Vittori, sustainability consultant

60 61
Education School of Nursing Education School of Nursing

DESIGN FOR REUSE with their needs, particularly in LESSONS LEARNED LEARN MORE
HIGHLIGHTS terms of quality, which eased the
process. START EARLY UNDERSTAND TRADE-OFFS AIA COTE TOP
— Several companies played a role Defining goals early allows time When considering a reclaimed TEN CASE STUDY
for creating alternate strategies material, be sure to understand [Link]/hpb/overview.
in the reuse effort. The architects — As a public institution, the Uni- if conditions change. When the both the short- and long-term cfm?ProjectID=444
drafted the deconstruction specifi- versity did not want a single source original brick proved unusable, costs. Rich in color, the cypress
the project team had enough siding provides a unique beauty BNIM ARCHITECTS
cations for the original building supplier for any of the materials. time to engage an offsite vendor to the project. However, its [Link]
and sourced the sinker cypress logs The team wrote the specifications to source enough brick for the post-occupancy maintenance
(logged timbers that sank to the detailing the quality of material project. cost has been less than ideal. LAKE | FLATO ARCHITECTS
[Link]
bottom of a river). Along with the needed. They indicated that the BE SMART ABOUT EMBRACE BEAUTY
Center for Maximum Potential contractor could use material DECONSTRUCTION IN IMPERFECTION SCHOOL OF NURSING
Building Systems (CMPBS), the The architects knew that there Salvaged materials are not AND STUDENT COMMUNITY
sourced by the initial vendor or were several unknowns with the perfect but there can be beauty CENTER
architects researched regional present the equivalent. condition of the materials in the in that imperfection. New [Link]
sources for reclaimed bricks. original building. brick would have provided
As a result, they wrote the a uniform look. The project
— The team reached out to the deconstruction spec with con- team welcomed the distinctive
— Though the architects had brick supplier during the design tingencies. character of the reclaimed brick.
worked with reclaimed materials process, giving him enough time to BUILD REUSE
before, they had never written a source the quantities and quality RELATIONSHIPS
deconstruction specification. They Given that both architec-
needed. New brick tends to be
took a pragmatic approach, build- ture firms had incorporated
monotone in color. Older brick has reclaimed materials into other
ing in contingencies where projects, they knew reuse
a variation in color and texture,
appropriate. When they couldn’t vendors, such as the brick
identify how a component was put which the architects were drawn to. supplier, who were familiar with
together, they wrote instructions To ensure the reclaimed bricks met the quality of materials they
were looking for. Making use of
for the most likely conditions. For the specifications, the supplier sent these kinds of connections his
instance, a specification could pro- sample bricks to the team for can save time and money.

vide instruction for a bolted review.

WORK AROUND MULTIPLE
connection and a welded connec- VENDOR REQUIREMENTS
tion. Influenced by this clarity, the — The brick specifications Public buildings often have re-
strictions against sole sourcing.
final bids from the subcontractors required that the supplier collect The team worked around the
were quite competitive. the true count. In other words, bro- University’s restrictions by “YOU’RE STRIVING
ken bricks could not be considered specifying that the contractor
FOR A BUILDING
could source from the vendor
— The brick from the original in the overall count needed. This
building inspired the idea of assured that the majority of the
listed or the equivalent, as long
as the material met the given re- THAT IMMEDIATELY
reclaimed materials, however it bricks delivered were usable. quirements. HAS AN INTRINSIC
could not be easily removed and so CHARACTER
could not be reused on this project. BECAUSE OF THE
Additional brick was sourced offsite
using suppliers with whom the
NATURE OF THE
architects had worked with previ- p. 61 Photo: © Hester + Hardaway Photogra-
MATERIALS.”
ously. The suppliers were familiar phers ([Link]) — David Lake, architect

62 63
 HOUSING
Education School of Nursing

MATERIAL ORIGINAL REUSE SOURCE SOURCE QTY REFURBISHMENT

USE APPLICATION LOCATION

Reclaimed Exterior Exterior Offsite San 120,000

Brick masonry masonry Antonio, Bricks
in 19th TX
century
warehouse 69 Benny Farm
Reclaimed Trees Exterior Offsite, Mississippi Kiln dried, 77 Eastern Sierra House
Sinker siding vendors: River, TX Milled
Cypress Frenchman
Contractors &
Riverfront
Lumber

64 65
Housing Housing

“WE OFTEN PROMOTE

THESE MATERIALS
BECAUSE THEY’RE OF
A HIGHER QUALITY…
OR THEY JUST HAVE
THE CHARACTER THAT
WE’RE AFTER.”
—David Arkin, architect, Eastern Sierra House

Reclaimed materials have a long history of use in

custom-designed single-family homes. Reuse is
relatively straightforward when sourcing basic
components, such as a reclaimed wooden door or
a kitchen sink. The two projects featured in this
section make the case for expanding beyond the
basics of reuse. In Eastern Sierra House, a nim-
ble team of architects and a builder help a
sustainability-minded client incorporate unusual
materials such as airplane flaps and ailerons in
addition to more traditional elements such as
reclaimed lumber. The architects of Benny Farm
used simple reclaimed materials, such as bricks
and radiators, to bring more life and texture to
an affordable multifamily residential develop-
ment. Though very different in scale and use
these two projects represent signature models of
housing infused with a deeper and more tangible
sense of place.

66 67
Housing Housing

BENNY
FARM

68 Photo: Courtesy L’OUEF

Housing Housing

BENNY
FARM

Photo: Courtesy L’OUEF

Housing Housing

BENNY
FARM
KEY INFO AND REUSE-RELATED
PROJECT TEAM MEMBERS
Montreal , QC
PROJECT NAME TOTAL PROJECT CONTRACTOR
Benny Farm COST (LAND Edilbec Construction
EXCLUDED)
LOCATION $5 million CDN STRUCTURAL
Montreal, QC, Canada ENGINEER
CERTIFICATIONS Jan Vrana
YEAR COMPLETED Novoclimat certified
2006 MEP
SIZE Martin Roy et
PRIMARY USE 70,460 Sq ft Associes
Multi-unit housing
CLIENT/OWNER
CONSTRUCTION Z.O.O. (Zone of Op-
TYPE portunity) Housing
New construction Cooperative

ARCHITECT
L’OEUF

69
Housing Housing Benny Farm

REHAB OF POST-WAR oritized preservation, reclamation

DEVELOPMENT PROVIDES and affordability.
SUSTAINABLE MODEL OF Ultimately, over 35% of the original
AFFORDABLE HOUSING structures across the 18-acre site
were rehabilitated, and substantial
The 18-acre site at Benny Farm, in quantities of materials from the
Montreal, was originally developed dismantled buildings were incorpo-
in the 1940s to provide housing for rated into new construction and
WWII veterans and their families. renovated buildings throughout the
Its design incorporated “Garden site. Reuse was part of a larger
City” concepts, such as abundant vision with multiple strategies
green spaces, and progressive ideas intended to provide environmental,
about social housing. Over time, economic and social benefits.
residents formed a tight knit com-
munity in which neighborhood
associations and recreational
groups thrived. When plans to
replace the existing housing with a
new high-density, market-rate
development were unveiled in the
early 1990s, the community rallied
to promote an alternative that
would preserve the complex’s
Reclaimed wood forms part of
unique socio-cultural heritage. exterior wall assembly.
After years of negotiations between
the community and the govern-
ment, a redevelopment plan was
adopted in 2003.
The architecture firm
L’OEUF, which had a long history
of involvement in the community,
was hired by Z.O.O. (Zone of
Opportunity) Housing Coopera-
tive to redevelop 46 units across “WHEN WE TOOK
two buildings on the site (several A POSITION OF NO
other buildings on the site, not cov- DEMOLITION, IT
ered by this case, were renovated/
constructed by various architecture
WAS A SOCIAL
firms, including L’OEUF). POSITION.”
L’OEUF proposed a plan that pri- — Danny Pearl, architect

70 71
Housing Benny Farm Housing Benny Farm

DESIGN FOR REUSE — To create more harmony LESSONS LEARNED LEARN MORE
HIGHLIGHTS between the new buildings and
existing construction, L’OEUF LINK THE OLD WITH THE NEW HOLCIM FOUNDATION FOR
— With both public and private Not only does reuse provide a SUSTAINABLE CONSTRUC-
used reclaimed brick on facades on tangible link with the commu- TION
entities involved, deconstruction the main street and new brick was nity’s past, the design of the [Link]
often was undertaken by the gov- used on side and rear facades. brick façade provides a visual
language to link old and new L’OEUF
ernment and their contractors L’OEUF created a design mixing construction. [Link]
rather than the project team. brick from several buildings to cre-
L’OEUF provided clear instruc- ate an interesting pattern. OLD MATERIALS CAN WORK Z.O.O.
IN HIGH PERFORMANCE [Link]
tions about which materials to save ENVIRONMENTS
and how to reclaim them. — Social housing budgets generally Reclaimed materials and com-
ponents can work with modern
accommodate vinyl for flooring and building performance goals.
— All materials for reuse came electric baseboards for heating. By installing new electronic
from the site. Prior to construction, Reclaimed wood flooring provided systems in reclaimed radiators
all materials were stored on site. that are served by a geothermal
a higher quality look that wouldn’t heating system, the team was
Wood flooring was stored in ship- have been affordable as new. able to provide an affordable yet
ping containers while radiators Reconfigured radiators worked well
high quality heating solution.
The reclaimed brick was tested
were locked in buildings not decon-
with the geothermal heating system and found to be stronger and
structed. The contractor took less water absorbent than new
and save more energy than electric
responsibility for all materials brick. Brick from dismantled
heating. buildings.
except the brick. DO MORE WITH LESS
Reclaimed materials can
— Brick from deconstructed build- — The project’s sustainability fea- provide a means to incorpo-
ings was dismantled and cleaned tures, including reuse, are rate high quality materials in
projects that couldn’t afford
according to a specification devel- promoted using signs at the site, as the equivalent quality in new
oped by L’OEUF. Mortar used in well as through reports and green materials.

older brick construction tends to building workshops.

KNOW YOUR STUFF
come off more easily than mortar Knowing the properties of a
used today. The team was able to — Reclaimed materials include material can facilitate reuse.
Brick provided an ideal reuse
easily knock down and separate the brick used as part of the exterior opportunity in part because
brick. façade, glass block at accessible older construction processes
entry vestibules, and wood flooring meant the mortar was easier
to remove and required less
— The contractor was concerned and radiators repurposed for the cleaning.
about the lack of guarantee on the same use.
brick. The project team sent sam-
ples to a lab to be tested. Results — Over 50% of both the brick and
indicated that the water absorption glass block were successfully recov-
rate and strength in old brick was ered from several deconstructed
better than new brick, so the client buildings.
accepted its use.
p. 71, 73 Photos: Courtesy L’OUEF

72 73
Housing Benny Farm

MATERIAL ORIGINAL REUSE SOURCE SOURCE QTY REFURBISHMENT

USE APPLICATION LOCATION

Brick Exterior Exterior On-site On-site Cleaned

masonry masonry walls
walls

Glass block Exterior Exterior facade On-site On-site N/A

facade

Wood Exterior Exterior wall On-site On-site N/A

strapping wall assembly
assembly

Radiators Radiators Radiators On-site On-site Refinished

and retrofitted

Wood Wood Wood flooring On-site On-site Refinished

flooring flooring

74 75
Housing Housing

EASTERN
SIERRA
HOUSE
PROJECT NAME COST (LAND STRUCTURAL
Eastern Sierra House EXCLUDED) ENGINEER
Undisclosed Peak Consulting
LOCATION Engineers
Northwestern Nevada SIZE
2,998 Sq ft PHOTO
YEAR COMPLETED (main house), DOCUMENTATION
2004 452 Sq ft Ed Caldwell
(guest house)
PRIMARY USE
Single-family resi- CLIENT/OWNER
dential Suzanne Johnson

CONSTRUCTION ARCHITECT
TYPE Arkin Tilt Architects
New construction
CONTRACTOR
Sage Design Build
TOTAL PROJECT

76 Photo:
12 ©Edward Caldwell [Link]
Housing Housing

EASTERN
SIERRA
HOUSE
PROJECT NAME COST (LAND STRUCTURAL
Eastern Sierra House EXCLUDED) ENGINEER
Undisclosed Peak Consulting
LOCATION Engineers
Northwestern Nevada SIZE
2,998 Sq ft PHOTO
YEAR COMPLETED (main house), DOCUMENTATION
2004 452 Sq ft Ed Caldwell
(guest house)
PRIMARY USE
Single-family resi- CLIENT/OWNER
dential Suzanne Johnson

CONSTRUCTION ARCHITECT
TYPE Arkin Tilt Architects
New construction
CONTRACTOR
Sage Design Build
TOTAL PROJECT

Photo:
12 ©Edward Caldwell [Link]
Housing Housing

EASTERN
SIERRA
HOUSE
PROJECT NAME COST (LAND STRUCTURAL
Eastern Sierra House EXCLUDED) ENGINEER
Undisclosed Peak Consulting
LOCATION Engineers
Northwestern Nevada SIZE
2,998 Sq ft PHOTO
YEAR COMPLETED (main house), DOCUMENTATION
2004 452 Sq ft Ed Caldwell
(guest house)
PRIMARY USE
Single-family resi- CLIENT/OWNER
dential Suzanne Johnson

CONSTRUCTION ARCHITECT
TYPE Arkin Tilt Architects
New construction
CONTRACTOR
Sage Design Build
TOTAL PROJECT

Photo:
12 ©Edward Caldwell [Link]
Housing Housing

EASTERN
SIERRA
HOUSE
KEY INFO AND REUSE-RELATED
PROJECT TEAM MEMBERS

PROJECT NAME TOTAL PROJECT STRUCTURAL

Eastern Sierra House COST (LAND ENGINEER
EXCLUDED) Peak Consulting
LOCATION Undisclosed Engineers
Northwestern Nevada
Northwestern Nevada SIZE PHOTO
YEAR COMPLETED 2,998 Sq ft DOCUMENTATION
2004 (main house), Ed Caldwell
452 Sq ft
PRIMARY USE (guest house)
Single-family resi-
dential CLIENT/OWNER
Suzanne Johnson
CONSTRUCTION
TYPE ARCHITECT
New construction Arkin Tilt Architects

CONTRACTOR
Sage Design Build

77
Housing Housing Eastern Sierra House

IN NEVADA’S HIGH DESERT, end result is a highly acclaimed

INVENTIVE REUSE GIVES RISE model of sustainable design in
TO DISTINCTIVE DWELLING which reclaimed materials visibly
articulate a depth of character that
Interested in developing a house resonates for the client and all who
that could be a canvas for high level visit the house.
sustainability, Suzanne Johnson
purchased land just east of the
Sierra Nevada Mountains. Johnson
wanted a house that would tread
lightly on the earth during con-
struction and use and that would be
healthy to live in. Johnson, together
with Arkin Tilt Architects and
Sage Design/Build, created a house
that maximizes solar design ele-
ments. It also incorporates an Used airline flaps were repur-
posed as garden shade fins.
impressive number of other sus-
tainable systems including green
roofs and insulated concrete form
and straw bale walls.
The decision to integrate
material reuse was in many respects
intuitive to the sustainable design
process. Material reuse can divert
waste, reduce raw material extrac-
tion and manufacturing, and
reduce the risk of off-gassing chem-
icals in the home. A wide diversity
of common and not-so-common
reclaimed materials—from wood
doors to steel railroad tracks—
“IT WAS AMAZING
played into the team’s creativity THE THINGS
and inventiveness. AVAILABLE TO
Johnson, her architects and REUSE.”
her general contractor were all — Suzanne Johnson, client
active in identifying and sourcing
materials. They speak as fondly of
the process of design and construc-
tion as of the final product. The Photo (above): Courtesy Arkin Tilt Architects

78 79
Housing Eastern Sierra House Housing Eastern Sierra House

DESIGN FOR REUSE — An avid glider pilot, Walters was LESSONS LEARNED LEARN MORE
HIGHLIGHTS well connected to the local flying
community. In addition to the air- DEVELOP A SHARED BE OPEN TO AIA COTE TOP TEN CASE
— Arkin Tilt kept their drawings VISION OF REUSE NONTRADITIONAL STUDY
plane flaps, he also sourced wood With different perspectives MATERIALS [Link]/hpb/overview.
loose so that the design could from a deconstructed hangar. The united around a common vision Though easy to visualize how cfm?ProjectID=434
accommodate the inherent variabil- wood was milled for several appli- of reuse, the entire team par- a used door or flooring could
ticipated in identifying and be reused in a residential ap- ARKIN TILT ARCHITECTS
ity of reclaimed materials. This cations including ceiling beams, sourcing reclaimed materials. plication, nontraditional [Link]
flexibility allowed them to adapt the trim, framing, and decorative Using their respective networks, materials can also find use in
design as needed. “barn wood” finishes. they each brought to the table such settings. Airplane flaps “REDUX: DESIGNS THAT
materials that others on the molded into shade fins and REUSE, RECYCLE, AND
team might not have thought of. steel railroad tracks employed REVEAL”
— For some design elements, they — Building inspectors requested as trellis beams provide striking Jennifer Roberts, Gibbs Smith,
hoped to incorporate reclaimed COMMUNICATE AND visual examples. Publisher (2005)
confirmation of the structural COLLABORATE
materials but hadn’t identified a capacity of certain reclaimed mate- Since multiple team members “VIRTUAL TOUR:
material. In such cases, a “skeleton” rials used for structural purposes. were engaged in the reclaimed JOHNSON HOME”
was inserted in the drawings to materials search, it was [Link]/watch?v=mgUCAzt
Arkin Tilt had such applications important to maintain regular SyZg&feature=player_embedded
indicate the approximate material certified by the structural engineer. communication across the
size and function. For example, project team. Team members
kept track of each other’s
horizontal shade fins were indicated
— Reclaimed materials include progress and collaborated on
on the greenhouse exterior. It was ways to use unique materials.
maple schoolhouse flooring, vine-
not until later in the project that
gar vat fir milled into ceiling finish, KNOW WHEN TO SAY NO
contractor Rick Walters recognized The team’s nimbleness in
that specific airplane flaps and aile- steel railroad tracks as trellis evaluating and incorporating
rons could indeed be used. beams, metal mining screens that materials as they were identi-
form part of custom light fixtures, fied greatly facilitated the reuse
process. But David Arkin and
— Reclaimed materials were and airplane flaps that were modi- Anni Tilt caution that working
sourced throughout the project’s fied into greenhouse shade fins. with reuse requires a keen
aesthetic eye and an ability Metal mining screens provide
design and development stages by to say no to items that do not shroud for light sconces.
the client, architects and contractor. — Over 7,000 board feet of various augment the design. Evaluat-
The team kept a running list of types and sizes of reclaimed wood ing the viability of a reclaimed
material needs to include not
items needed and communicated were used. Five steel railroad rails, only aesthetics but also cost,
regularly to discuss their progress. 44 airplane flaps and ailerons, and character and refurbishment
50 panels of glass (used in the needs.

— In addition to reuse stores, trombe wall) also found new life in

the team used the Internet to find this project.
materials. Nontraditional, indus-
trial sources such as a mining
equipment company, an airplane
salvage yard and a railroad salvage
yard also yielded valuable reclaimed
materials.
Photo (above): courtesy Arkin Tilt Architects

80 81
Housing Eastern Sierra House Housing Eastern Sierra House

MATERIAL ORIGINAL REUSE SOURCE SOURCE QTY REFURBISHMENT MATERIAL ORIGINAL REUSE SOURCE SOURCE QTY REFURBISHMENT
USE APPLICATION LOCATION USE APPLICATION LOCATION

Wood Airport Ceiling beams, Offsite, Nevada 1370 Milled Wood doors Interior Interior doors Offsite, Berkeley, 4 Doors Refinished
Hangar interior vendor: Bd ft Doors donation CA
Trusses paneling Soaring Club
Window n/a Window Offsite, Berkeley, 1 N/A
Fir wood Heinz Ceiling Offsite, Ukiah, CA 420 vendor: CA Window
Vinegar paneling vendor: Sq ft window man-
barrel Recycled ufacturer
staves Lumber
Works Explosion Light Interior Offsite, Berkeley, 1 Retrofitted
proof safety fixture in lighting vendor: CA Unit
Wood Millwork Offsite, McCloud, 300 light fixture mine Lund’s Used
vendor: CA Bd ft Mining Equip.
Jefferson
Recycled Steel posts Trellis Offsite, Berkeley, 6 N/A
Wood Works support vendor: CA Posts
Gilman
Douglas-fir N/A Trellis and On-site On-site 1 Tree Cut-to-size Salvage
Tree columns
Steel track Fruit cart Trellis Offsite, Mound 4 N/A
Maple Floor Wood flooring Offsite, Berkeley, 400 Refinished cart wheels wheels support vendor: House, NV Wheels
flooring decking vendor CA Sq ft Lund’s Used
Mining Equip.
Salvaged fir SIP splines Offsite, Farming- 2270 N/A
timbers vendor: ham, NY Bd ft Steel track Ore cart Trellis Offsite, Mound 2
Pioneer cart wheels wheels support vendor: House, NV Wheels N/A
Millworks Lund’s Used
Mining Equip.
Short fir Joists Offsite, McCloud, 3020 N/A
timbers vendor: CA Bd ft 1906 steel Railroad Trellis Offsite, Stockton, 100 N/A
Jefferson railroad track beams vendor: CA Lin ft
Recycled track K&N Railroad
Wood Works Salvage

Redwood Wood trim Offsite, Ukiah, CA 350 Milled Glass panels Trombe Wall Offsite, Berkeley, 50 Panels N/A
vendor: Bd ft vendor: CA 250 Sq ft
Recycled Urban Ore
Lumber
Works Metal screen Mining Light shroud Offsite, Mound Refabricated
screen for interior vendor: House, NV
Wood doors Interior Interior doors Offsite, Berkeley, 2 Doors Modified, lighting Lund’s Used
doors vendor: CA Refurbished Mining Equip.
Urban Ore
Aluminum Airplane Greenhouse Offsite, Northern 44 Units N/A
Wood doors Exterior Exterior door Offsite, East Palo 1 Door Refinished ailerons shade fins vendor: California
door vendor: Alto, CA + flaps Aircraft Part
Whole House Salvage
Building
Supply Aluminum Cessna Shelf Offsite, Northern 1 Unit Cut-to-size
aircraft vendor: California
Metal door Interior Interior door Offsite, San Pablo, 1 Door N/A stabilizer Aircraft Parts
door vendor: This CA Salvage
and That
Salvage

82 83
OFFICE
Civic

89 Phillips Eco-Enterprise Center

97 Alberici Corporate Headquarters

85
Office Office

“IF WE COULD REUSE

SOMETHING, WE DID.”
—Thomas Taylor, client/team leader,
Alberici Corporate Headquarters

As the nexus of an organization’s operation,

an office headquarters can be an incubator
and communicator of the organization’s beliefs
and goals. For the organizations profiled in this
section, reusing materials demonstrated their
respect for the project site’s historical and cul-
tural context. Prominent reclaimed materials
such as steel crane rail beams helped Alberici
Redevelopment Corporation’s headquarters set
the tone for a construction company moving
toward a sustainability-based practice. The
material reuse in the Phillips Eco-Enterprise
Center helped give physical shape to a pioneering
project in the aftermath of a long environmental
justice battle. Always part of larger green build-
ing strategies, material reuse in both projects
symbolizes the commitment of the clients and
their project teams to an optimistic vision of a
sustainable future.

86 87
Office Office

PHILLIPS
ECO-
ENTERPRISE
PROJECT NAME TOTAL PROJECT
Phillips Eco-Enter- COST (LAND
prise Center EXCLUDED) PRE-DESIGN
$6 million ARCHITECT
LOCATION Sirny Architects
Minneapolis, MN CERTIFICATIONS
Energy Star Rated CONTRACTOR
YEAR COMPLETED 2008 & 2009 Kraus-Anderson
1999
SIZE STRUCTURAL
PRIMARY USE 64,000 Sq ft ENGINEER
Commercial office, LHB Engineers and
Industrial CLIENT Architects
The Green Institute
CONSTRUCTION
TYPE PROJECT
New construction ARCHITECT
LHB Engineers and
Architects

88 Photo: © 2000 Don F. Wong

12
Office Office

PHILLIPS
ECO-
ENTERPRISE
PROJECT NAME TOTAL PROJECT
Phillips Eco-Enter- COST (LAND
prise Center EXCLUDED) PRE-DESIGN
$6 million ARCHITECT
LOCATION Sirny Architects
Minneapolis, MN CERTIFICATIONS
Energy Star Rated CONTRACTOR
YEAR COMPLETED 2008 & 2009 Kraus-Anderson
1999
SIZE STRUCTURAL
PRIMARY USE 64,000 Sq ft ENGINEER
Commercial office, LHB Engineers and
Industrial CLIENT Architects
The Green Institute
CONSTRUCTION
TYPE PROJECT
New construction ARCHITECT
LHB Engineers and
Architects

88 Photo: © 2000 Don F. Wong

12
Office Office

PHILLIPS
ECO-
ENTERPRISE
KEY INFO AND REUSE-RELATED
PROJECT TEAM MEMBERS

PROJECT NAME TOTAL PROJECT PRE-DESIGN

Phillips Eco-Enter- COST (LAND ARCHITECT
Minneapolis, MN prise Center EXCLUDED) Sirny Architects
$6 million
LOCATION CONTRACTOR
Minneapolis, MN CERTIFICATIONS Kraus-Anderson
Energy Star Rated
YEAR COMPLETED 2008 & 2009 STRUCTURAL
1999 ENGINEER
SIZE LHB, Inc.
PRIMARY USE 64,000 Sq ft
Commercial office,
Industrial CLIENT
The Green Institute
CONSTRUCTION
TYPE PROJECT
New construction ARCHITECT
LHB,Inc.

92 89
Office Office Phillips Eco-Enterprise

PIONEERING SUSTAINABLE Reclaimed materials were

BUSINESS HUB integral to the design. An early pro-
EMERGES IN AFTERMATH gram of the Green Institute had
OF ENVIRONMENTAL been the ReUse Center, a building
JUSTICE BATTLE deconstruction and material resale
program. Incorporating reclaimed
In 1999, the Green Institute materials into the PEEC was both a
opened the Phillips Eco-Enterprise natural extension of the ReUse
Center (PEEC), a building that Center’s activities and an opportu-
provides office and manufacturing nity to model sustainability for the
space to community-oriented, neighborhood and beyond.
environmentally conscious busi-
nesses. The Green Institute arose
from an environmental justice
movement to prevent the construc-
tion of a garbage transfer station in
Phillips, an economically chal-
lenged, environmentally degraded
neighborhood in Minneapolis.
Years of protest led the state to
Facade features brick from
abandon the proposed project even a deconstructed industrial
though relocation and demolition warehouse.
had already begun. The move-
ment’s organizers founded the
Green Institute to channel the
momentum from the protest effort
into a positive economic engine,
based on environmental and social
activism, for the neighborhood.
When the time came to con- “WE WANTED TO
struct a headquarters facility that DO THINGS
would also serve as a green business
center, the organization was deter- DIFFERENTLY;
mined to “walk the talk” by making WE WANTED TO
the building as green as possible. STRETCH IN
A pilot project for the LEED certi- AREAS THAT
fication system, many of the
facilities’ features such as geother-
OTHERS MIGHT
mal heating were far from the norm NOT.”
at the time. — Corey Brinkema, client

90 91
Office Phillips Eco-Enterprise Office Phillips Eco-Enterprise

DESIGN FOR REUSE — There was no storage space or LESSONS LEARNED LEARN MORE
HIGHLIGHTS financing to pre-purchase much of
the materials. Many reclaimed START EARLY TURN SUBCONTRACTORS KRAUS-ANDERSON
— The client established an initial Material reuse was factored INTO REUSE CHAMPIONS CONSTRUCTION
materials were delivered directly to into design and construction Contractors may participate in [Link]
goal of using 10% salvaged materi- the construction site after purchase early. It was included as part of early meetings about reuse, but
als. Some materials, such as the or refurbishment. the initial construction bidding subcontractors are often ulti- LHB, INC.
process, and the contractor mately responsible for material [Link]
brick and wood used around the developed an understanding of installation. Unfamiliarity
main entrance, were incorporated — Final installation design was the code and specifications re- with reclaimed materials can THE GREEN INSTITUTE
into the design early. Others, like determined in the field for materials quirements early. lead to decisions that increase [Link]
costs. Get everyone—including
fire extinguisher cabinets, were not obtained until construction. BE FLEXIBLE subs—on board at the start of THE REUSE CENTER
found later in the process. With limited resources to construction, and keep talking [Link]
buy or store materials prior about material reuse strategies
— Reclaimed materials often were to the design phase, many of throughout construction.
— The contractor, Kraus-Ander- sourced regionally, reducing the the reclaimed materials were
son Construction, came on board in environmental and financial cost of secured during construction. LEAVE NO SOURCE
the Design Development phase. The project team maintained UNTURNED
long distance transport oftedn flexibility around design and Reclaimed materials don’t only
Material reuse was discussed as part associated with new materials. installation details in order to have to come from a reuse
of the bid process, and the contrac- accommodate materials as they store or salvage yard. Project
were found. team members sourced
tor factored in an allowance for — The Green Institute uses tours materials from places as diverse
reclaimed materials into their bid. TALK IT OVER as newspaper ads,
and signage to educate visitors An open dialog was estab- a deconstructed Army
about the reclaimed materials and lished across the team and with warehouse, and another
— Reclaimed material came from building officials and inspectors demolition job.
other green building strategies.
the ReUse Center and a variety of early on. This communication
other sources. Heavy timbers came facilitated material sourcing
from the deconstruction of an — Reclaimed materials include and procurement and helped
the team deal with challenges
Army warehouse. The contractor 100-year-old brick used as exterior during construction.
secured the kitchen cabinets from cladding, and 5,000 square feet of
another demolition project. Project carpet that only had two years of GET SUPPORT FROM THE TOP
Having a client who values reuse
architect LHB found the steel joists use. is key if reclaimed materials
are going to be effectively in-
that formed nearly three-quarters corporated into a project. When
of the building’s structural system, — Reclaimed timber beams used as challenges arise during procure-
from a classified newspaper ad. stair treads and trim avoided the ment, design or construction,
use of 804 board feet of virgin a supportive client can help
smooth bumps in the road.
— Unfamiliarity of subcontractors wood. Reclaimed steel joists saved
with material reuse sometimes led nearly 50 tons of new steel that
to challenges. Computer modeling would have required 110 million
and testing determined usability of BTUs of energy to manufacture.
the steel joists. However, the sub-
contractor insisted on also welding
all the connections, which added an
unanticipated cost.
p. 91 Photo: LHB, copyright 2010

92 93
Office Phillips Eco-Enterprise

MATERIAL ORIGINAL REUSE SOURCE SOURCE QTY REFURBISHMENT

USE APPLICATION LOCATION

Steel Roof joists Joists Offsite, Hugo, MN 50 Tons Sandblasted

vendor in and refin-
newspaper ished

Wood timbers Beams Stair treads & Offsite, army Minneapo- Milled
trim warehouse lis, MN
deconstruc-
tion

Brick Exterior Exterior Offsite, Chicago, IL 22,000 Cleaned

masonry masonry industrial Bricks
warehouse
decon.

Countertops Counter- Countertops Offsite, Minneapo-

tops vendor: Re- lis, MN
Use Center

Fire Fire Fire Offsite, Minneapo-

Extinguisher Extinguish- Extinguisher vendor: Re- lis, MN
Cabinets er Cabinets Cabinets Use Center

Photovoltaics Solar Solar Energy Offsite,

Energy Collectors vendor: Re-
Collectors Use Center

Carpet Carpeting Carpeting Offsite, Minneapo- 5,000 Sq

contractor lis, MN ft
demo job

Kitchen Kitchen Kitchen Offsite,

cabinets Cabinets Cabinets vendor: Re-
Use Center

Sinks Restroom Sinks Offsite, Minneapo-

sinks vendor: Re- lis, MN
Use Center

Benches and Benches Benches Offsite, Minneapo-

exterior deck and and exterior vendor: Re- lis, MN
decking decking Use Center

Workstations Worksta- Office worksta- Offsite, Minneapo- Refurbished

tions tions vendor: Re- lis, MN
Use Center

Doors and Exterior Interior doors Offsite, Minneapo-

frames doors and and frames vendor: Re- lis, MN
frames Use Center

Windows Exterior Interior Offsite, Minneapo-

windows windows vendor: Re- lis, MN
Use Center

94
Office Office

ALBERICI
HEAD-
QUARTERS

96 Photo: Courtesy Alberici

Office Office

ALBERICI
HEAD-
QUARTERS

98 Photo: Courtesy Alberici

Office Office

ALBERICI
HEAD-
QUARTERS

100 Photo: Courtesy Alberici

Office Office

ALBERICI
HEAD-
QUARTERS
KEY INFO AND REUSE-RELATED
PROJECT TEAM MEMBERS

PROJECT NAME TOTAL PROJECT STRUCTURAL

Alberici Corporate COST (LAND ENGINEER
Headquarters EXCLUDED) Alper Audi, Inc.
$20.1 million
LOCATION SUSTAINABILITY
Overland, MO CERTIFICATIONS CONSULTANT
LEED-NC Platinum Vertegy, an Alberici
Overland, MO YEAR COMPLETED Enterprise
2004 SIZE
110,000 Sq ft CONSTRUCTION
PRIMARY USE MANAGER
Commercial office CLIENT/OWNER Alberici Constructors,
Alberici Redevelop- Inc.
CONSTRUCTION ment Corporation
TYPE
Adaptive reuse ARCHITECT
Mackey Mitchell
Associates

102 97
Office Office Alberici Headquarters

CONSTRUCTION COMPANY ings, as well as Alberici’s easy

TRANSFORMS FORMER access to construction debris from
METAL PLANT INTO MODERN other projects, material reuse
HEADQUARTERS BUILDING became a creative means of achiev-
ing sustainability goals despite
Alberici Redevelopment Corpora- budget constraints.
tion is a construction company with
a portfolio across the Midwest,
Southeast, Canada and Mexico.
Headquartered in St. Louis, Mis-
souri, the company had outgrown
their original facility, and pur-
chased a 14-acre site for their new
headquarters. It was not until after
the site had been selected and the
project budget determined that Used metal sheet piling from
John Alberici, Chairman of the other Alberici job sites was used
to reshape the landscape for
Board, boldly set a goal of achiev- stormwater mitigation.
ing LEED NC Platinum
certification. It would be the first
LEED certified project that the
company had worked on.
After a series of ‘eco-
charettes,’ the project team decided
not to build from the ground up.
Instead, they opted to renovate the
156,000-square-foot former metal
manufacturing facility and reclaim
materials from a vacant 1950’s
three-story office building, both
located on-site. The original budget “YOU HAVE TO
didn’t account for any added green
building or LEED certification HAVE… A LITTLE
costs, requiring the project team to BIT OF A DUMPSTER-
be extremely resourceful. DIVER MENTALITY
Material reuse was a major OF, ‘WHAT CAN
component of the project team’s
efforts to do a lot with a little. By
WE USE THIS STUFF
taking advantage of the abundance FOR?’”
of materials in the existing build- — Thomas Taylor, client/team leader

98 99
Office Office Alberici Headquarters

DESIGN FOR REUSE spected for structural deficiencies. LESSONS LEARNED LEARN MORE
HIGHLIGHTS
— Many of the offsite reclaimed BE RESOURCEFUL AIA COTE TOP TEN
— This was a design-build project, Instead of being a hindrance, CASE STUDY
materials came from other Alberici the tight budget sparked cre- [Link]/hpb/overview.
in which a single entity oversees job sites. For a retaining wall, Al- ativity. When seeking finishes cfm?ProjectID=662
both design and construction. As a berici was able to secure large quan- for a conference room, Taylor
reached out to local granite ALBERICI ENTERPRISES
contractor-led design-build project, tities of used metal sheet piling, dis- vendors for broken slabs. Such [Link]
Alberici was at the helm and Mack- carded from another site. high quality granite would not
ey Mitchell was the design firm. have otherwise been affordable MACKEY MITCHELL
within the project budget. ARCHITECTS
— Taylor sought to create buy-in [Link]
— This arrangement allowed more about reuse across the entire project GET TEAM BUY-IN
time and flexibility for locating re- Excited about the possibili-
team. The construction crew be- ties of reuse, team members
claimed materials. Apart from the came resourceful in sourcing mate- uncovered opportunities that
crane rail beams indentified in the rials, such as suggesting precast might have otherwise gone over-
pre-design phase, all other re- looked.
panels removed from another Al-
claimed materials were sourced by berici project for use in the transfer OVERSIZE STRUCTURAL
Alberici during construction. Al- culvert pipe.
MEMBERS
Using reclaimed structural
berici used Mackey Mitchell’s members that are larger than
drawings as the basis of the design specified can increase the
— The project achieved MR credit
and made substitutions where ap- likelihood of approval by the
3.1. Taylor noted that it was not dif- structural engineer. Open offices within former
propriate. metal manufacturing facility.
ficult to track the reclaimed materi-
FOR LEED CREDITS, BE
— The crane rail beams once sup- als used, but it was difficult to STRATEGIC ABOUT REUSE

ported large overhead cranes in the achieve the credit’s minimum The LEED credits relating to
material reuse, MR 3.1 and
manufacturing facility. In the reno- threshold because it is based on 3.2, currently are based on
vated building, they support the costs. The project benefited from reclaimed materials as a per-
materials with high replacement centage of overall material
second floor, complementing the costs. By strategically using
heavy steel presence of the build- values such as steel and brick. materials with high replace-
ment value, the project team
ing’s original structure. Since the overcame the cost barrier often
beams had a greater load capacity — The project’s reclaimed materi- associated with this credit.
than what was specified, it was easy als include 4,000 linear feet of crane
for the structural engineer to ap- rail beams used as structural sup- STAND OUT FROM THE
CROWD
prove their use. port, sheet pile used in the land- The adaptive reuse of the man-
scaping retaining wall, broken gran- ufacturing facility created a
distinctive appearance that
— The crane rail beams required ite slabs turned into countertops in architect Jim Konrad of Mackey
decontamination. Spot abatement the conference rooms, and approxi- Mitchell calls “very strong and
occurred on connections in situ to mately 9,000 tons of reused con- brawny.” The scale of the large
crane rail beams fit perfectly
facilitate safe dismantling. More crete and brick. within this context, and
comprehensive paint stripping oc- provided a look that would have
been unaffordable if purchased
curred once the beams were re- new.
moved. Then they were visually in- p. 99, 101 Photos: Courtesy Alberici

100 101
 RETAIL
Office Alberici Headquarters

MATERIAL ORIGINAL REUSE SOURCE SOURCE QTY REFURBISHMENT

USE APPLICATION LOCATION

Steel Crane rail Beams On-site Overland, 4,000 Lead Paint

beams MO Ln ft Abatement,
Cut-to-Size

Steel Steel sheet Steel sheet Off-site, St. Louis, N/A

piling piling contractor MO
job site 107 Mountain Equipment Co-op Ottawa & Winnipeg
Concrete Precast Pipe culvert Off-site, St. Louis, 8 Panels N/A
concrete contractor MO
panels job site

Brick and Masonry Site fill On-site Overland, >9,000 Crushed

concrete MO Tons

Broken N/A Stone Offsite, St. Louis, Cut-to-size

granite slabs tabletops vendor: MO
granite
supplier

Limestone Window Landscape On-site Overland, Cut-to-size

sills and elements MO
parapet
coping

Wind turbine Wind Wind turbine Offsite California 1 Wind N/A

turbine turbine

102 103
Retail Retail

“WE BUILD WHAT WE

BUILD BECAUSE IT’S THE
RIGHT THING TO DO.”
—Sandy Treagus, client, Mountain Equipment Co-op

A retail company’s stores are the visual calling

card of its brand, physically relaying a company’s
values to their clientele. To be effective, brand
strategy must extend beyond one location to the
entire network of stores. Mountain Equipment
Co-op (MEC), a recreational gear retailer with
locations across Canada, wanted to create stores
that would reflect the company’s commitment to
sustainability and their customers’ passion for
the outdoors. In particular, they wanted their
stores, their staff, and their product supply chain
to move toward carbon neutrality. Building their
new stores with reclaimed materials was a signif-
icant part of this sustainable vision. The case
study that follows profiles two of the company’s
stores, demonstrating not only a long-term
enthusiasm and dedication to building green but
also large-scale models of reuse for Canada and
beyond.

104 105
Retail Retail

MOUNTAIN
EQUIPMENT
CO-OP

106 Photo: Courtesy Mountain Equipment Co-op

Retail Retail

MOUNTAIN
EQUIPMENT
CO-OP

Photo: by Gerry Kopelow

Retail Retail

MOUNTAIN
EQUIPMENT
CO-OP

Photo: by Gerry Kopelow

Retail Retail

MOUNTAIN
EQUIPMENT
Winnipeg, MB

Ottawa, ON

CO-OP
KEY INFO AND REUSE-RELATED
PROJECT TEAM MEMBERS
OTTAWA STORE WINNIPEG STORE
PROJECT NAME SIZE PROJECT NAME CERTIFICATIONS
Mountain Equipment 26,910 Sq ft Mountain Equipment LEED Canada–NC
Co-op Ottawa Co-op Winnipeg 2.1 Gold, C-2000
CLIENT/OWNER standard
LOCATION Mountain Equipment LOCATION
Ottawa, ON Canada Co-op Winnipeg, MB Canada SIZE
30,200 Sq ft
YEAR COMPLETED ARCHITECT YEAR COMPLETED
2000 Linda Chapman 2002 CLIENT/OWNER
Architect / Chris- Mountain Equipment
PRIMARY USE topher Simmonds PRIMARY USE Co-op
Commercial office Architect Retail
ARCHITECT
CONSTRUCTION STRUCTURAL CONSTRUCTION Prairie Architects
TYPE ENGINEER TYPE
Retail Cleland Jardine Engi- New construction STRUCTURAL
neering Limited ENGINEER
TOTAL PROJECT TOTAL PROJECT Wolfrom and
COST (LAND CONSTRUCTION COST (LAND Associates
EXCLUDED) MANAGER EXCLUDED)
$2.9 milion CDN Justice Construction $2.5 million CDN CONSTRUCTION
MANAGER
CERTIFICATIONS Milestone Project
C-2000 standard Management

107
Retail Retail Mountain Equipment Co-op

DESIGN FOR REUSE IS A OTTAWA STORE DESIGN

GOOD FIT FOR OUTDOOR TAKES DECONSTRUCTION
RETAILER FULL CIRCLE

As Canada’s largest retailer of out- When MEC set out to build a new
door gear, Mountain Equipment store in Ottawa, they acquired a
Co-op (MEC) attracts customers property occupied by a 40-year-old
who care about the health of the en- grocery store. The company and its
vironment. So it is only natural that project architects, Linda Chapman
the company has made a commit- Architects and Christopher Sim-
ment to designing and operating its monds Architect, evaluated the
stores to use natural resources effi- existing two-story, steel-frame
ciently. structure and decided it wasn’t
For more than a decade, practical to adapt it to suit MEC’s
MEC has been building green “be- needs. Rather than demolishing the
cause it’s the right thing to do,” said building, they took a greener path:
Sandy Treagus, MEC’s Chief Fi- they had it deconstructed and
nancial Officer. The company’s designed the new building to reuse
Ottawa and Winnipeg stores, built as much of the old one as possible.
in 2000 and 2002 respectively, Materials not slated for reuse were
were the first two retail buildings to sold at the end of deconstruction at
meet the requirements of Canada’s an onsite sale to demolition con-
C-2000 Program for Advanced tractors and the general public.
Commercial Buildings. This early Architect Linda Chapman
green building standard served as a saw an advantage to combining
precursor to LEED Canada. The deconstruction with reuse on the
Winnipeg store has also been certi- same property. “It makes it more
fied at the Gold level by LEED cost effective if the building that
Canada. you’re salvaging materials from is
Although these two stores are the building that happens to be on
no longer new, they continue to the site,” she said.
serve as models for how retailers While scheduling is some-
and other businesses can reduce times a challenge when working
their carbon footprint, enhance with reclaimed materials, CFO
their brand and conserve resources Treagus noted that planning ahead
by designing for reuse. solved most issues and that the ben-
efits of reuse make the extra effort
“IT’S THE RIGHT worthwhile.
THING TO DO.” Using an integrated design
— Sandy Treagus, client process, the team designed a struc-

108 109
Retail Mountain Equipment Co-op Retail Mountain Equipment Co-op

tural framework that combines components were modified as of the overall project material costs. WINNIPEG STORE KEEPS
salvaged timber on the ground floor needed and returned to the site. MEC’s priority was not on material THREE BUILDINGS OUT OF
with a second-story and roof built There they were reassembled, cost, Chapman said, but on the THE LANDFILL
of steel reclaimed from the old gro- along with new steel components, weight and volume of material kept
cery store. to form the new roof and support- out of the landfill. Ultimately, more A few years later, MEC built
The design team initially ing structure. than 1,300 tons of salvaged mate- on the successes of the Ottawa store
considered a ground-floor struc- To make it easier to reuse the rial was used on the project, when developing a new store in
tural system made of new steel or steel columns, beams and founda- accounting for roughly 57 percent Winnipeg. When the company
concrete, but were dissuaded by the tion, the architects followed the of the total material used to con- acquired the Winnipeg property,
high embodied energy of those column locations and structural struct the building. the City of Winnipeg was on the
materials. Instead, they designed a grid dimensions of the original In addition to reusing much verge of demolishing three derelict
timber-frame structure, using high building. Components that could of the old building, the project team buildings on the site. MEC and
quality Douglas fir timbers sal- not be removed without compro- took their commitment to reuse a their architects, Prairie Architects,
vaged from the bottom of the St. mising their structural integrity, step further: they designed and asked the city to hold off on the
Lawrence River; the timbers were such as the welded roof deck, were built the Ottawa store for disassem- demolition and brought in a struc-
once floating log booms used to sent to a recycling facility. bly. Its structural systems are nail tural engineer to evaluate whether
keep logged trees from drifting Other reused materials free, with connections either bolted the buildings could be reused or
away. include the old grocery store’s con- or screwed so that the building can their materials reclaimed. The
The timbers were evaluated crete slab and terrazzo flooring, be readily adapted or decon- engineer inspected the three build-
by a professional grader, remilled which was retained on the first structed in the future. ings and advised that the largest of
into posts and beams, and used to floor, and glass blocks that were them, a four-story building, was
build a dramatic, exposed timber reused as interior partitions. Con- structurally sound. The others
frame that subtly evokes the experi- crete blocks from the original were too dilapidated for occupancy
ence of hiking through a forest. building were mixed with new but could be deconstructed and
Additional salvaged fir was used for blocks to form the façade, creating their materials recovered.
exterior siding and shade trellises. a visual effect similar to tumbled Prairie Architects came up
From a resource conservation marble, Chapman said. Additional with a design concept that com-
perspective, using salvaged timber flooring material was milled of red bined a complete overhaul of the
made sense, and from the shop- elm beams from a deconstructed four-story building with a signifi-
per’s perspective, the look of barn. “IT MAKES IT MORE cant addition, and together with
salvaged wood “just fits,” says store Chapman estimates that 75 COST EFFECTIVE IF MEC convinced the city to reallo-
manager Colleen Mooney. percent of the material, by weight, cate the demolition funds to
For the second-story struc- was reused from the original build- THE BUILDING THAT deconstruction.
tural frame and roof, the team used ing. The project team, however, YOU’RE SALVAGING As deconstruction pro-
all the steel posts, beams and open- took a different approach to valuing MATERIALS FROM IS ceeded, the project team developed
web joists from the original the reclaimed materials than the THE BUILDING “a shopping list of all the materials
building. These components were LEED Green Building Rating Sys- that were taken out,” said Dudley
disassembled, labeled and taken to tem does. LEED’s material reuse THAT HAPPENS TO Thompson, Principal of Prairie
an off-site facility. After inspection credits are based on the cost of the BE ON THE SITE.” Architects. “That is what we used
by a structural engineer, the steel reclaimed materials as a percentage — Linda Chapman, Ottawa store architect to design the new building.”

110 111
Retail Mountain Equipment Co-op Retail Mountain Equipment Co-op

While the two smaller build- were found ensconced in one of the BUILDING ON SUCCESS
ings were being deconstructed, the walls. The structural design was
remaining building served as a modified slightly to accommodate MEC’s goal is not only to
warehouse for all the salvaged the columns, which were left build and operate their stores more
materials. In a sense, “the lumber exposed. Old sheathing was reused sustainably but to create positive
store was already onsite,” said for the new floor decks and wall models for their customers, the
Thompson. sheathing. Tyndall stone, a type of general public and other compa-
Materials not slated for reuse limestone quarried only in Mani- nies. “The biggest compliment
anyone could give us is by copying Concrete block from the original
in the MEC store were put on the toba, was removed from the structure on the Ottawa site
sidewalk with a “free” sign; not original foundation and used to what we are doing,” said CFO found new life in the exterior
surprisingly, those materials disap- create the lower portions of the Treagus. facade.

peared quickly. In an innovative facade. Every MEC store has a sus-

deal, MEC donated the 300,000 The building achieved Gold tainability coordinator who
bricks stripped from the decon- certification from the LEED Can- oversees waste reduction efforts
and green building audits in addi-
structed buildings to Habitat for ada NC Green Building Rating
tion to conducting green building
Humanity, which brought in volun- System and received both Resource
tours. MEC is developing an in-
teers to clean the mortar from the Reuse credits, MR 3.1 and 3.2.
house standard for sustainable
bricks. Habitat for Humanity then The store was the first LEED certi- building that will include guide-
sold back 100,000 bricks to MEC fied building in Winnipeg and has lines for using reclaimed materials
at a discounted price of 10 cents helped Prairie Architects build a and designing for a building’s end
(Canadian) per brick. They sold reputation for sustainable design. of life. Their Burlington store,
the remaining bricks publicly at completed in 2008 in Ontario, has
market prices and as a result of a structure and envelope designed
these transactions made enough for disassembly. Panelized walls,
money to build two homes. mechanically fastened structural
MEC used the refurbished wood, and some exterior and inte-
bricks on the facade and as flooring rior finishes can be readily taken
on the ground level. Brick flooring apart and reused if the building
was an unusual choice for a store, needs to be adapted or taken down
but it looks beautiful and costs Douglas Fir from St. Lawrence in the future.
much less than the imported tile River were reused as columns
that was original specified. and beams in the Ottawa store.
The majority of the materials “THE BIGGEST
recovered during deconstruction COMPLIMENT
were reused in the Winnipeg store, ANYONE COULD
Thompson said. Timber and steel GIVE US IS BY
from the deconstructed building
now serve as the new structural sys- COPYING WHAT WE
tem. During deconstruction, six ARE DOING.”
beautiful old cast iron columns —Sandy Treagus, client

112 113
Retail Mountain Equipment Co-op Retail Mountain Equipment Co-op

LESSONS LEARNED LEARN MORE OTTAWA STORE

LEAD BY EXAMPLE COMPLETE THE CIRCLE CHRISTOPHER SIMMONDS MATERIAL ORIGINAL REUSE SOURCE SOURCE QTY REFURBISHMENT
Deconstruction, reuse, and Using reused materials in con- ARCHITECT USE APPLICATION LOCATION
design for disassembly take struction is a good beginning. [Link]
more effort than convention- But leading designers and Douglas-fir Log booms Columns, Offsite, 258,168 Milling
al demolition, design and building owners are going the LINDA CHAPMAN ARCHITECT in St. beams, truss, vendor: Lbs
construction. The most suc- next step and designing their [Link] Lawrence wood siding Goodfellow
cessful reuse projects start with buildings for disassembly— River Inc.
clients and designers explicitly making it easier for future MOUNTAIN EQUIPMENT
committed to sustainability. remodeling and for the next CO-OP Steel Structur- Joists, On-site On-site 74,055 Brushed
round of designers and owners [Link] al steel columns, and Lbs
DEVELOP A SHARED to keep valuable resources in framing beams
VISION OF REUSE circulation. PRAIRIE ARCHITECTS
Instead of viewing dilapidat- [Link] Red elm Beams in Wood flooring Offsite, Lanark, 29,140 Milled
ed structures as obstacles to old barn vendor: ON Lbs
be removed from the site, look Antique
at them as gold mines of high Timber
quality, inexpensive materials Products
with which to build a signature
and cost effective new building. Glass block Exterior Interior On-site On-site 2,000 De-mortared
walls partitions Lbs
ENHANCE YOUR BRAND
Reused building materials Concrete Exterior Exterior On-site On-site 100,600 De-mortared
can help give buildings a dis- block walls and interior Lbs
tinctive look and feel that masonry walls
will draw in customers and
keep them coming back. The
dramatic salvaged timbers in Winnepeg customers and staff
MEC’s Ottawa store reinforce have praised the character
the company’s reputation as a provided by the reclaimed wood.
protector of the environment.

LEAVE A SMALLER FOOTPRINT

When shoppers think about the
carbon footprint of a product
like hiking boots, they tend
to focus on the energy and
resources that went into making
and shipping those boots. But
climate-savvy retailers like
MEC pay attention to the bigger
picture, including how they
build and operate their stores.
Material reuse can help retailers
and other business tread a little
more lightly.

p. 112, 113 Photos: Courtesy Linda Chapman

Architect
p. 114 Photo: by Gerry Kopelow

114 115
 INTER-
Retail Mountain Equipment Co-op

WINNIPEG STORE

MATERIAL ORIGINAL REUSE SOURCE SOURCE QTY REFURBISHMENT

PRETIVE
USE APPLICATION LOCATION

Bricks Exterior Flooring and On-site On-site 5,965,820 De-mortared

Masonry facade Lbs

Cast iron Columns Columns On-site On-site 117 Ln ft

7,605 Lbs

CENTER
Steel L Structur- Structural On-site On-site 695 Ln ft
al steel steel framing 13,435 Lbs
framing

Tyndall stone N/A Exterior stone On-site On-site 285,000

cladding Lbs

Plywood Wood flooring On-site On-site 4,224 Lbs

Wood flooring Wood Wood flooring On-site On-site 20,000 Sandblasted

flooring Ln ft

Shiplap Sheathing Exterior siding On-site On-site 26,910 121 Operation Comeback 5200 Dauphine Street
siding Ln ft 131 Omega Center for Sustainable Living
Wood beams Wood Wood beams On-site On-site 3,120 Sandblasted
beams Ln ft

2x dimen- Wood Wood framing On-site On-site 44,025 Sandblasted

sional lumber framing Ln ft

1x dimen- Wood Wood framing On-site On-site 33,440 Sandblasted

sional lumber framing Ln ft

116 117
Interpretive Center Interpretive Center

“WE DON’T HAVE TO BUILD

NEW TO ACCOMMODATE
CLIMATE CHANGE.”
— Pam Bryan, client, 5200 Dauphine Street

The definition of what it means to build sustain-

ably is constantly evolving. Mainstream
definitions often revolve around new technolo-
gies such as high efficiency solar thermal or
ventilation systems. More recently however, the
concept of the triple bottom line—people, profit,
planet—has been gaining acceptance as a more
holistic vision of sustainable design and its bene-
fits. The two interpretive centers profiled here
directly engage this broader notion of sustain-
ability. Rising out of the destruction of
Hurricane Katrina, 5200 Dauphine Street will
be a community and education center that exem-
plifies a new standard for rebuilding in New
Orleans. The project approaches the area’s re-
birth quite literally by repurposing the ruins.
Showcasing the principles of the newly launched
Living Building Challenge, the Omega Center
for Sustainable Living brings together ecological
sensitivity with human well-being. In both proj-
ects, material reuse becomes an effective tool for
the clients to demonstrate new models of sustain-
able building and living.

118 119
Interpretive Center Interpretive Center

5200
DAUPHINE
STREET

120 Photo: Courtesy Preservation Resource Center

Interpretive Center Interpretive Center

5200
DAUPHINE
STREET
PROJECT NAME CONSTRUCTION Resource Center-
Operation Comeback TYPE ARCHITECT REUSE CONSUL-
5200 Dauphine New construction Wayne Troyer Archi- TANT
Street tects Environmental
TOTAL PROJECT Building Consultant
LOCATION COST (LAND GENERAL CONTRAC-
New Orleans, LA EXCLUDED) TOR DECONSTRUCTION
$450-540,000 Bulley & Andrews CONTRACTOR
YEAR COMPLETED (estimated) Environmental
2010 STRUCTURAL Building Consultant
CERTIFICATIONS ENGINEER
PRIMARY USE LEED-NC Platinum C. E. Anderson & As- HISTORIC PRES-
Assembly, com- (anticipated) sociates ERVATION
mercial office, CONSULTANT
interpretive center, SIZE SUSTAINABILITY Environmental
retail 2,670 Sq ft CONSULTANT Building Consultant
Environmental
CLIENT/OWNER Building Consultant LEED CONSULTANT
Preservation Environmental

12
Photo: by Operation Comeback Materials Reuse Shop
Interpretive Center Interpretive Center

5200
DAUPHINE
STREET

Photo: by Wayne Troyer WTA

Interpretive Center Interpretive Center

5200
DAUPHINE
STREET
KEY INFO AND REUSE-RELATED
PROJECT TEAM MEMBERS

PROJECT NAME TOTAL PROJECT GENERAL HISTORIC

Operation Comeback COST (LAND CONTRACTOR PRESERVATION
5200 Dauphine EXCLUDED) Insight Builders CONSULTANT
Street $450-540,000 William Dupont
(estimated) STRUCTURAL
LOCATION ENGINEER LEED CONSULTANT
New Orleans, LA CERTIFICATIONS Avegno, Bailey, & As- Chip Henderson
LEED-NC Platinum sociates
YEAR COMPLETED (anticipated)
2010 (anticipated) SUSTAINABILITY
SIZE CONSULTANT
PRIMARY USE 2,670 Sq ft PGAV Architects
Assembly, Com-
New Orleans, LA mercial office, CLIENT/OWNER REUSE
Interpretive center, Preservation CONSULTANT
Retail Resource Center Brad Guy

CONSTRUCTION ARCHITECT DECONSTRUCTION

TYPE Wayne Troyer CONTRACTOR
New construction Architects Hal Collums
Construction
121
Interpretive Center Interpretive Center 5200 Dauphine Street

DECONSTRUCTION/ scores of similar buildings have

RECONSTRUCTION: A MODEL been razed. “Since Katrina there
FOR DISASTER RECOVERY has been an incredible amount of
demolition in the city and the
The new home of the Holy majority of it has just gone straight
Cross Neighborhood Association to the landfills,” said architect
in New Orleans will be a model for Wayne Troyer, who worked with
how communities devastated by PRC on the 5200 Dauphine Street
natural disasters can rebuild sus- project.
tainably. By combining green With conventional rehabilita-
building design with cultural and tion unworkable because of the
historic preservation, the facility structure’s advanced state of ruin,
retains a strong aesthetic connec- and with demolition unpalatable to
tion to the neighborhood while an organization focused on preser-
celebrating its regrowth. vation, PRC forged a new path.
A few years after Hurricane “We want to be able to pro-
Katrina, the Preservation Resource vide an alternative to either
Center (PRC), which rebuilds his- demolition or preservation. There
toric properties in blighted areas, is a middle ground there,” said Pam
acquired the property at 5200 Dau- Bryan, director of PRC’s Operation
phine Street. The two-story, Comeback, which has been work-
100-year-old structure was located ing since 1987 to revitalize New
in the Holy Cross neighborhood of Orleans.
New Orleans’s Lower Ninth Ward, Instead of flattening the
one of the areas most affected by structure and hauling it off to a
the flooding. Today, five years later, landfill, the building was carefully
only about 20 percent of Holy deconstructed, the salvageable
Cross’s former residents have materials catalogued and stored,
returned. and a new building constructed in a
Before Katrina, the wood- similar form using much of the
frame building at 5200 Dauphine original material.
had already suffered years of The project team expects
neglect; however the hurricane’s 5200 Dauphine Street, slated to be
winds and floods left the bones of completed in Fall 2010, to be the
the building unsalvageable. first LEED Platinum certified
Although PRC focuses on rehabili- commercial building in Louisiana.
tating older homes, in this case it PRC also hopes that the project will
was clear that the building could be a model for building owners and
not be saved. the building industry, demonstrat-
Across the neighborhood, ing the possibilities of sustainable

122 123
 Interpretive Center 5200 Dauphine Street Interpretive Center 5200 Dauphine Street

design and material reuse even in NEW DESIGN REFLECTS serve as a community center of a MILLING AND FABRICATING,
the face of massive reconstruction THE OLD different sort, acting as the head- WITH A LITTLE HELP FROM
needs. quarters of the Holy Cross THE PRINCE
“This strategy is going to The building was deconstructed Neighborhood Association, a well-
serve as an economic model for over the course of three weeks with established organization engaged in The deconstruction contractor,
other areas that are afflicted with the help of many volunteers. An rebuilding the area. One of the Hal Collums Construction, cata-
disasters,” Bryan said. estimated 60 percent of the build- Association’s other projects is the logued the materials as the building
ing—primarily framing lumber, Lower Ninth Ward Center for Sus- was dismantled, recording the orig-
wood flooring and cypress siding— tainable Engagement and inal use and location of each piece
was salvaged and stored in Development (CSED), a resource of wood. “It really helps to have the
anticipation of later reuse. center that teaches returning resi- technical knowledge as to how
The design process got dents about sustainable rebuilding, these parts were put together origi-
underway more than a year later, in including material reuse. nally for you to be able to take them
the summer of 2009. Aided by a For PRC and the architects, apart to preserve them,” Hal Col-
grant from the Kresge Foundation, one of the major design challenges lums said. Most of the materials
the PRC held a series of design was deciding on the best uses for were stored in a trailer on the site.
charrettes with experts in historic the salvaged materials. “The type Materials that required refinishing
Wood from the original preservation, sustainable design,
structure was deconstructed of work I enjoy the most is adaptive or remilling were stored offsite at
and sorted. and material reuse. This group
reuse,” said Troyer, “and looking at PRC’s warehouse.
joined staff from PRC and the Holy
ways of using the existing fabric In 2009, PRC created a mill
Cross Neighborhood Association
in two design charrettes to explore and complementing that with new shop staffed with graduate appren-
and articulate the project’s goals. technologies and new systems so tices of the Building Crafts
PRC also hired Troyer’s firm, that there’s an expression of the Training Program. PRC started
which had experience blending past and present occurring in each the program in collaboration with
modern, sustainable design with and every project that we do.” The Prince’s Foundation for the
New Orleans’s distinctive architec- Recognizing the cultural leg- Built Environment, an organization
tural styles. acy that salvaged materials established by the Prince of Wales.
The new building, which is represent, Troyer and his design This Prince’s Rebuilding Program
located on a prominent corner in colleague Julie Kaminski looked for had been awarded a grant from the
the neighborhood, isn’t intended to ways to make them as visible as Louisiana Recovery Authority and
“THIS STRATEGY IS be a faithful recreation of the old possible and to evoke the building’s the Louisiana Workforce Commis-
one. Instead, it evokes the look of past uses. The new building’s tiled sion. In the mill shop, workers
GOING TO SERVE AS the original residence—a vernacu- front step, for example, still reads cleaned and remilled the wood
AN ECONOMIC lar style called “camelback “Ruiz Sandwich Shop,” giving from the deconstructed building.
MODEL FOR OTHER shotgun”—that started as a one- people a taste of the site’s history. They also fabricated new compo-
AREAS THAT ARE story double shotgun-style house, nents, including windows and
with a second story added later. exterior doors made from both new
AFFLICTED WITH In its later years, the building and used materials. The original
DISASTERS.” housed a neighborhood store. exterior windows and doors could
—Hal Collumns, deconstruction contractor Newly rebuilt, the building will not be reused as is because they

124 125
 Interpretive Center 5200 Dauphine Street Interpretive Center 5200 Dauphine Street

don’t meet today’s building code A NEW BUILDING GOES UP, tion. They retained the original INSPIRING A NEW APPROACH
requirements. The materials and ONE OLD BOARD AT A TIME tiled front steps at the site’s north- TO REBUILDING
components were then installed in west corner. On the building’s east
the building by the general contrac- Despite the ravages of time and the side, a portion of the original Until now, the Preservation
tor, Insight Builders. floodwaters, much of the salvaged ceramic flooring now serves as Resource Center has mostly
Several team members credit wood was still in excellent condi- pavement for an outdoor courtyard. focused on renovation and resale of
PRC’s capacity to store and recon- tion upon deconstruction. The remaining floor tiles are still historic houses in blighted neigh-
dition salvaged materials with “The beauty of the indige- intact three feet beneath the new borhoods. The 5200 Dauphine
helping to reduce the project’s cost. nous materials down here is that building, visible through viewports Street project is PRC’s first major
However, keeping track of who had they survived the storm fairly well,” in the floor. deconstruction and commercial
responsibility for supplying or said Collums. The way in which the construction venture, and may
installing the various materials and The old-growth cypress that reclaimed materials were used was serve as their springboard into the
components was a challenge, had once clad the building was influenced in part by the LEED realm of sustainable redevelopment
according to Kaminski. cleaned, remilled and used as inte- Green Building Rating System, of commercial properties in the
In the end, the architects rior wainscoting. Structural framing Kaminski said. The Material Reuse Holy Cross neighborhood.
noted all the reclaimed materials as lumber was milled into flooring. credits are calculated in a manner PRC plans to publish a tech-
well as components that were made The building’s counters and case- that favors using reclaimed materi- nical manual detailing the building
work were made from wood als for finishes instead of for systems and features, including the
with reclaimed materials in the
salvaged from the original structure. structural purposes, she said, deconstruction and reuse process,
specifications. They then delin-
For the exposed ceiling trusses in because it is based on replacement as well as the project’s decision-
eated the items into two categories: making and design processes.
the main assembly hall, there wasn’t value. Using reclaimed material for
those provided and installed by enough large-dimension structural This project was a new ven-
high value finishes makes it easier
owner, versus those provided by lumber left from the old building, so ture for many of the participants,
to earn the credits than using them
owner and installed by contractor. the trusses were instead built with for lower value structural compo- one that they hope will be a model
PRC is currently overseeing con- wood from a deconstructed 19th- nents. Based on this strategy, the for how communities can rebuild
struction to ensure close century cotton warehouse located project team expects it to earn both themselves after natural disasters.
coordination between themselves elsewhere in the state. Material Reuse credits, MR 3.1 When buildings are irreparably
and the contractor when installing Some of the reused materials and 3.2. damaged, deconstruction and
these items. proved to be more challenging. material reuse offer an important
The colorful ceramic tiles from the way to affordably recover high
building’s first floor and storefront quality building materials, create
“THE BEAUTY OF steps were installed directly on the good jobs, retain the community’s
THE INDIGENOUS slab, which made it impossible to cultural, historical, and architec-
remove them intact. They could tural legacies, and build sustainably
MATERIALS DOWN also not be incorporated into the for the future.
HERE IS THAT THEY new building’s first floor because
SURVIVED THE FEMA now requires structures in
this area to be elevated three feet
STORM FAIRLY above the highest grade. Faced with Reclaimed wood was milled and
WELL.” these limitations, the design team planed by the PRC.
p. 124 Photo: by Brad Guy
—Wayne Troyer, architect came up with an ingenious solu- p. 127 Photo: by John Robert Portman

126 127
Interpretive Center 5200 Dauphine Street Interpretive Center 5200 Dauphine Street

LESSONS LEARNED LEARN MORE MATERIAL ORIGINAL

USE
REUSE
APPLICATION
SOURCE SOURCE QTY REFURBISHMENT
LOCATION

PROVIDE STRONG Cypress Exterior Interior On-site On-site 1,070

LEADERSHIP HAL COLLUMS siding wainscot Sq ft
The design charrette team— CONSTRUCTION
a diverse group of building [Link]
experts, designers, educators
and activists—contributed a HISTORIC GREEN Lumber Wood Wood flooring Offsite, New 2,700 Milled
variety of ideas that were often [Link] framing in vendor: Orleans, Sq ft
in conflict with each other. St. Bernard Jim Walters LA 4,200 Lbs
Strong direction and a clear HOLY CROSS Housing Importer/
mandate from the client are NEIGHBORHOOD Project Exporter
required to create a cohesive ASSOCIATION
design that meets the tenant’s [Link] Tongue & Wood Ceiling On-site On-site
and community’s needs. groove wood flooring paneling
PRESERVATION
LOOK FOR A MIDDLE PATH RESOURCE CENTER Structural- Wood Trusses Offsite, Albany, GA
When working in historic neigh- [Link] grade wood framing vendor:
borhoods or rebuilding after Albany
natural disasters, rehabilitation WAYNE TROYER Woodworks
or demolition aren’t the only ARCHITECTS
options. Deconstruction and [Link] Wood Varied Millwork On-site On-site
rebuilding with the salvaged
materials provides a third Wood Varied Exterior On-site On-site Milled
path that can integrate green windows and
building design with historic doors
and cultural preservation.
Doors Interior Interior doors On-site On-site
KNOW ITS WORTH doors
Knowing the value of old
building materials—includ-
ing how much it would cost to
replace them—can help make
the economic case for decon-
struction. Not only can reuse
often save money on material
purchases, but frequently
the old materials are stronger,
more durable and more
beautiful than comparable new
materials.

UNCOVER LINKS TO THE PAST

Sometimes, materials are
worth preserving even if they
can’t be put to work as a
building component. At 5200
Dauphine Street, a window in “THERE’S AN
the floor gives people a peek at
the charming old floor tiles— EXPRESSION OF THE
a poignant reminder of what
came before.
PAST AND THE
PRESENT...”
—Wayne Troyer, architect

128 129
Interpretive Center Interpretive Center

OMEGA
CENTER

130 Photo: copyright © Assassi

Interpretive Center Interpretive Center

OMEGA
CENTER

Photo: copyright © Assassi

Interpretive Center Interpretive Center

OMEGA
CENTER

Photo: copyright © Assassi

Interpretive Center Interpretive Center

OMEGA
CENTER
Rhinebeck, NY

KEY INFO AND REUSE-RELATED

PROJECT TEAM MEMBERS

PROJECT NAME TOTAL PROJECT ARCHITECT

Omega Center for COST (LAND BNIM Architects
Sustainable Living EXCLUDED)
$3.2 million CONTRACTOR
Rhinebeck, NY LOCATION David Sember
Rhinebeck, NY CERTIFICATIONS Construction
LEED-NC Platinum
YEAR COMPLETED (pending), Living REUSE
2009 Building Challenge CONSULTANT
Certification PlanetReuse
PRIMARY USE
Educational, Waste- SIZE
water Treatment 6,200 Sq ft
Facility, Interpretive
Center CLIENT/OWNER
Omega Institute for
CONSTRUCTION Holistic Studies
TYPE
New construction

136 131
Interpretive Center Interpretive Center Omega Center

INSTITUTE FOR HOLISTIC today. From minimizing the car-

LIVING DEMONSTRATES bon footprint to providing
ULTIMATE SUSTAINABILITY significant cost savings, material
reuse played an integral role in
The Omega Center for Sustainable helping the Omega Center for Sus-
Living, located on 195 acres in the tainable Living set a new standard
Hudson River Valley, is the newest for sustainable building.
building at the Omega Institute for
Holistic Studies. The Institute, an
educational retreat center dedicated
to personal and social change,
developed the new building to be a
natural wastewater treatment facil-
ity and an innovative education
center. It includes learning space
for the community as well as a
Reclaimed cypress wood siding
research facility that focuses on came from mushroom farms.
wetland composition and ecology.
Sustainability is a core part of the
Omega Institute’s mission, reflect-
ing their ideals of the holistic
relationship people should have
with one another and with nature.
The project team received
the mandate to make Omega Cen-
ter the greenest building possible,
leading them to pursue both a
LEED Platinum rating and Living
Building certification. The Living
Building Challenge (LBC), for
which the Omega Center is a pilot
project, is a sustainability standard
developed by the Cascadia Region
Green Building Council. It’s
framed around seven performance
categories, including energy, mate-
rials and beauty. LBC’s goal is to “I WOULD USE
promote the most advanced mea- REUSED WOOD ON
sures of social, environmental and EVERY PROJECT.”
economic sustainability possible — David Sember, contractor

132 133
Inerpretive Center Omega Center Interpretive Center Omega Center

DESIGN FOR REUSE reclaimed materials. In addition to LESSONS LEARNED LEARN MORE
HIGHLIGHTS his own research, Sember brought on
CONSIDER A REUSE BROKER SAVE MONEY WITH BNIM ARCHITECTS
PlanetReuse, a materials broker, to Reuse brokers, such as Plan- RECLAIMED MATERIALS [Link]
— Architect Brad Clark of BNIM help source and procure materials. etReuse, are emerging to During construction it became
notes that the firm approached Skip serve clients, architects and clear that new FSC wood OMEGA CENTER FOR SUS-
Backus, executive director of the contractors in their material had a significant price tag. TAINABLE LIVING
Omega Institute, with the draft — BNIM decided early on to use sourcing needs. A good broker Reclaimed wood provided con- [Link]/omega/about/
wood extensively in the project. should handle chain of custody siderable cost savings. This ocsl
LBC guidelines early in the project. documents (bill of sale and savings enabled the team
The client quickly signed on and It tied in well to Omega’s holistic certificate of documenta- to balance increased costs PLANETREUSE
tion), engineering reports, and elsewhere due to other green [Link]
the building’s initial design focused vision and its bucolic setting. coordination around refurbish- project components.
on meeting this standard. Reclaimed materials such as the ment, transport and storage
for all reclaimed materials.
interior paneling, originally from For the Omega Center, this
— Dave Sember Construction tobacco warehouses, bring a dis- support helped the contractor
joined the team halfway through tinctive look and tactility that is in overcome a very short timeline.
the construction documents phase. harmony with this context. BUILD FLEXIBILITY
Sember had no prior experience INTO SPECS
with reuse, but he undertook exten- Specifications can be written
sive materials research. — Reused materials include wood like performance standards.
A project team should consider
Unprompted by BNIM, he began beams from mushroom farms in how flexible their “design” is
sourcing materials online such as Pennsylvania used as exterior sid- to allow for use of available
reclaimed materials. BNIM
wood from mushroom farms. ing, beech from tobacco originally specified maple as
warehouses that serve as interior the interior paneling. Benjamin
— The LBC has specific require- ultimately found reclaimed
paneling, interior doors from a hos- beech at a cheaper price that
ments about the maximum pital and a mill, and dimensional satisfied the performance re-
distances that materials can be lumber and plywood from Presi- quirements.
transported. In general, wood must dent Obama’s Inauguration stage USE REUSE TO SUPPORT Exterior siding detail.
hail from within 500 miles of the SUSTAINABILITY GOALS
project. It would have been expen- which find renewed life as framing The LBC promotes building
sive to buy new FSC (Forest and sheathing. to the highest sustainabili-
ty level possible. Reclaimed
Stewardship Council) that met this materials are the ultimate form
requirement. Instead, the project — Over 52,000 pounds of of recycling. Reusing materials
that otherwise would become
“USING RECLAIMED
team procured reclaimed wood reclaimed wood were used in this waste can significantly reduce MATERIALS IS ONE
within the distance perimeter for a project. This represents over 90 per- our carbon footprint. Use of
70 percent cost savings over new cent of the total wood used overall. culturally rich elements like OF THE PUREST
FSC wood.
wood from the inaugural stage
and aesthetic pieces like the WAYS TO BUILD
wood from the mushroom
farms contributed to the LBC’s
GREEN.”
— Sember discovered the high broader view of sustainability. —“Flow,” publication by BNIM
costs associated with new, locally
sourced wood at the beginning of
the construction process. This left
a window of one month to find the p. 133,135 Photos: Copyright © Assassi

134 135
 CULTURAL/
Interpretive Center Omega Center

MATERIAL ORIGINAL REUSE SOURCE SOURCE QTY REFURBISHMENT

USE APPLICATION LOCATION

Cypress Beams in Exterior siding Offsite, Pennsylva- Milled

RELIGIOUS
beams mushroom deconstruc- nia
farm tion project
buidlings

Beechwood Tobacco Interior Offsite, 550 Milled

Warehouse paneling deconstruc- Jackson, Sq ft
tion projects OH and

Dimensional Wood Wood framing Offsite 3,766 Milled

lumber framing in Pittsburg, Bd ft
old tobacco PA
warehouses

2x dimen- Framing Framing Offsite, 1,411 N/A 141 Jewish Reconstructionist Congregation
sional lumber and and interior deconstruc- Washing- Bd ft 153 Long Center for the Performing Arts
and plywood platform in paneling tion project ton, D.C.
Obama in-
auguration
stage

2x dimen- Joists and Framing and Offsite, 12,620

sional lumber beams sheathing deconstruc- Randolph, Bd ft
and plywood tion project VT

Interior doors Interior Interior doors Offsite, 4 Doors N/A

doors deconstruc- Spring-
tion project field, VT

Toilet par- Toilet par- Toilet par- Offsite,

titions and titions and titions and deconstruc- Kansas
accessories accesso- accessories tion project City, MO
ries

Timbers Wood Interior trim Offsite, 807 Milled

framing deconstruc- Layton- Bd ft
tion project ville, CA

Wood doors Doors Interior doors Offsite, N/A

deconstruc- Philadel-
tion project phia, PA

136 137
Cultural/Religious Cultural/Religious

“REUSE FIT RIGHT INTO THE

COMMUNITY. AND SO THE
BUILDING, WHAT IT IS AND
HOW WE GOT THERE,
CONTINUES TO MATCH UP
WITH THE PEOPLE WHO ARE
GOING TO USE IT.”
—Donald Rutledge, client’s project manager, the Long Center

Whether it’s a house of worship or a home for the

arts, cultural and religious buildings hold special
significance in our communities. The institu-
tions they contain offer opportunities for
communities to come together or to celebrate our
heritage. By building in a conscientious way that
honors the values or memories of a community,
material reuse can bring visibility and tactility to
the intangible. In the Jewish Reconstructionist
Congregation, the architects used reclaimed
cypress to echo the wood-clad synagogues of
Eastern Europe. The architects of the Long
Center for the Performing Arts retained a con-
nection to a beloved icon by reusing its
distinctive colorful metal panels prominently.
These two projects illustrate how a building can
embody a community’s beliefs and cultural
mores as well as the process it takes to get there.

138 139
Cultural/Religious Cultural/Religious

JEWISH
RECON-
STRUCTION-
IST

140 Photo: Steve Hall © Hedrich Blessing

Cultural/Religious Cultural/Religious

JEWISH
RECON-
STRUCTION-
IST

142 Photo: Steve Hall © Hedrich Blessing

Cultural/Religious Cultural/Religious

JEWISH
RECONSTR-
UCTIONIST
KEY INFO AND REUSE-RELATED
PROJECT TEAM MEMBERS

PROJECT NAME TOTAL PROJECT CONTRACTOR

Jewish Reconstruc- COST (LAND Bulley & Andrews
tionist Congregation EXCLUDED)
$7.6 million STRUCTURAL
Evanston, IL LOCATION ENGINEER
Evanston, IL CERTIFICATIONS C. E. Anderson &
LEED-NC Platinum Associates
YEAR COMPLETED
2008 SIZE SUSTAINABILITY
31,600 Sq ft CONSULTANT
PRIMARY USE Environmental
Assembly CLIENT/OWNER Building Consultant
Jewish
CONSTRUCTION Reconstructionist LEED CONSULTANT
TYPE Congregation Helen Kessler Asso-
New construction ciates
ARCHITECT
Ross Barney
Architects

144 141
Cultural/Religious Cultural/Religious Jewish Reconstructionist Congregation

BUILDING SACRED THE DESIGN PROCESS:

COMMUNITY REUSE AS REBIRTH

More than a decade ago, the Jewish In Ross Barney Architects, the con-
Reconstructionist Congregation gregation found a partner who
(JRC) came face-to-face with the shared their commitment to pursu-
fact that their old synagogue build- ing sustainable strategies and who
ing in Evanston, IL no longer met had experience incorporating
their needs. The congregation took reused materials in their designs.
a hard look at their options, includ- The congregation, which takes
ing adapting the existing structure, their role as educators seriously,
relocating to a new site, or tearing wanted the building to be a visible
down and replacing the old build- example of sustainable design. The
ing. With their analysis indicating architects identified the exterior
the latter solution to be the most cladding as a place where the aes-
cost effective, the congregation set thetic power of a reused material
out to create a new home that would could have the most impact. Origi-
reflect their spiritual and environ- nally, they envisioned the exterior
mental values. walls as gabions filled with demoli-
At the project’s inception, the tion rubble from the former
JRC board came to a consensus synagogue. A traditional method of
that the new building would be the building walls, dams and dikes,
as green as feasible, said Rabbi gabions typically consist of wire
Brant Rosen, a decision that paved frameworks filled with earth or
the way to using reclaimed materi- stones.
Although the congregation
als and ultimately led to the first
was not comfortable with the look
LEED Platinum place of worship.
of this initial cladding concept, it
Underlying the congregation’s
piqued their interest about the pos-
resolve is an environmental ethic
sibilities of reused materials.
built on the Jewish principle Bal Looking for alternatives to the gabi-
Tashchit, which teaches “do not ons, the project team drew upon a
destroy or waste,” as well as their tradition of wood-clad synagogues
application of the principle of Tik- from the shtetl era, a period that
kun Olam, “repairing the world,” often stands to symbolize 19th cen-
to environmental action. tury Eastern European Jewish
culture. The clients were drawn to
the idea of reimagining this cultur-
ally significant building type in a
contemporary setting. The archi-
tects were enthusiastic about how

142 143
Cultural/Religious Jewish Reconstructionist Congregation Cultural/Religious Jewish Reconstructionist Congregation

the character of reclaimed wood, tion projects. Though the debris is SOURCING REUSED feet of the cypress, with the sup-
with its nail holes and irregularities, not from the former synagogue, MATERIALS: A TEAM EFFORT plier delivering it in stages as it was
would aesthetically express this these pieces of crushed masonry needed, allowing the contractor to
reinterpretation. nonetheless relate a story of demoli- During the schematic design phase, work at their own pace without
The architects initially tion and rebuilding that links the old the architects started their search storage concerns.
designed the building with a rain- with the new. for salvaged wood for the rain To save money and
screen cladding made from an Among the congregation, screen and the interior slat walls of resources, a rock crusher was
unspecified source of reclaimed however, the gabion walls remain the sanctuary and chapel. Because brought on site to crush 2,700 tons
wood. (A rain screen is a weather- this was a project for a private cli- of concrete and other masonry
controversial. For some, the rubble
resistant surface that stands off from ent, they were able to procure from the demolished synagogue.
brings to mind destruction, or per-
the structural wall, repelling mois- materials early, unhindered by The former basement walls were
haps even the Holocaust. But for requirements that public projects
ture and allowing air to circulate Rabbi Rosen, “This is destruction left standing and backfilled with
behind it to keep the wall dry.) Lat- typically have for competitive ven- the crushed debris to form the new
that would have been discarded into dor sourcing. Starting this search
er, when they located reclaimed some landfill and in fact it was foundation.
cypress for the project, they devel- early proved critical since the pro- Construction of the gabion
reclaimed, renewed, reused. For me cess of finding appropriate
oped the specific milling and it represents rebirth, not destruc- walls took place later in the con-
installation details. materials required considerable struction process, as these were
tion,” he said. effort.
In the process, the architects freestanding site walls in the land-
Initially, they found cypress
learned how important it is for scape. Because the team had used
logs from freight that had been
reused-material specifications to be all the crushed masonry from the
dumped from shipwrecks in the
somewhat flexible. Ross Barney’s Great Lakes and the Gulf of Mex- old synagogue for the new founda-
original specifications for the siding ico. But when they had sample tion’s fill, they had to seek other
stipulated a minimum board length. boards milled, the wood’s greenish sources of debris for the gabion fill
To meet this spec, the contractor hue did not match their aesthetic material. The architects gave the
wound up ordering excess wood. intentions. Ultimately, they found contractors loose parameters, stip-
Had the architects realized the pro- cypress that had a color and grain ulating that the fill be local and not
curement implications of the board they liked; the wood came from virgin material but remaining open
length, they would have relaxed the Reclaimed Cypress was used for about its other qualities. The con-
interior wall and ceiling paneling, dismantled mushroom-growing
specification, and directed the con- as well as library shelving. buildings in the Northeast. tractors located broken waste bricks
tractor to intersperse shorter boards Since this cypress was from a local pre-cast manufacturer,
with longer ones to achieve their aes- located before the construction and additional brick and concrete
thetic intentions with less wood. “WE HAVE LEARNED contract was put out to bid, the from local demolition projects.
The architects returned to the THAT IT IS NOT THE congregation pre-purchased the As the project progressed,
gabion concept for the design of low BUILDING BUT THE wood and made its use a require- the contractors became increas-
walls around the site’s gardens and PROCESS OF ment of the contract. For the ingly proactive about looking for
children’s play area. As visitors contractor, Bulley & Andrews, pro- reused materials. They found
approach the synagogue, they BUILDING THAT curement and scheduling of the reclaimed black walnut for the
encounter these unusual walls, CREATES SACRED reclaimed wood was no more diffi- bimah, the raised dais in the main
which are filled with a mix of waste COMMUNITY.” cult than using virgin material. All sanctuary. Ordinarily, municipal
brick and rubble from local demoli- — Rabbi Brant Rosen, client told, they used about 18,000 square trees are mulched when they have

144 145
 Cultural/Religious Jewish Reconstructionist Congregation Cultural/Religious Jewish Reconstructionist Congregation

to be removed, which is a shame UNPREDICTABILITY IS did have four other pre-qualified PATH TO CERTIFICATION
since the wood is often high quality PREDICTABLE WITH SOME general contractors bid on the proj-
hardwood. These particular black REUSED MATERIALS ect, but ultimately awarded it to To achieve Platinum certification,
walnuts, cut down from Chicago Bulley & Andrews. it’s important to address the LEED
parks, were milled into 1,000 Quality control in the cypress process from the first conversations
square feet of flooring for the milling process was the only signif- with the client, said Ross. Most of
bimah. icant reuse challenge the project the strategies they employed to
Four crimson maples that team experienced. Although hav- achieve LEED Platinum, including
could not be saved on the property ing the cypress milled to size for the many regarding materials, were in
were cut down and milled locally. exterior cladding and interior slat place before schematic design.
These were used as the cladding for walls entailed only a very small cost The project team earned
the synagogue’s ceremonial door, premium—at that time negligible both the resource reuse credits,
helping to keep alive the congrega- compared to new wood—the sup- MR 3.1 and 3.2. With the help of a
tion’s connection to its history. plier was not very experienced and LEED consultant, they rigorously
Ceiling paneling of reclaimed monitored reused material selection
some of the wood they delivered Cypress. from design development forward,
was unsuitable.
tracking the materials against the
Irregularities in the boards,
thresholds required by the LEED
including damaged ends that had to credits. In addition, one of the proj-
be cut out onsite, meant the con- ect team’s weekly meetings every
tractors had to buy 5 to 10 percent month was devoted to ongoing
more wood than had initially been evaluation of LEED documenta-
planned. This also significantly tion.
increased the labor required to pre-
pare and install the wood.
Exterior view with reclaimed Architect Michael Ross
Cypress.
admits that “reusing material in a
new form has its own unpredictable
consequences.” But overall, the
team found the process of building
“THIS IS with reused materials to be quite
DESTRUCTIONTHAT manageable. One reason for the
success of the construction process
WOULD HAVE BEEN was that Bulley & Andrews had
DISCARDED INTO been retained at the outset of the “REUSING MATERIAL
SOME LANDFILL project for pre-construction ser- IN A NEW FORM HAS
AND IN FACT WAS vices, including cost estimating. ITS OWN
As a result, they became very
RECLAIMED, familiar with the architect’s and cli- UNPREDICTABLE
RENEWED, REUSED.” ent’s intentions, including the CONSEQUENCES.”
— Rabbi Brant Rosen, client commitment to material reuse. JRC — Michael Ross, architect

146 147
Cultural/Religious Jewish Reconstructionist Congregation Cultural/Religious Jewish Reconstructionist Congregation

SHARING THE STORY WITH LESSONS LEARNED LEARN MORE

THE LARGER COMMUNITY
DON’T WRITE INVOLVE THE COMMUNITY AIA COTE CASE STUDY
The salvaged wood siding and inte- SPECS IN STONE The decision to build a LEED [Link]/hpb/overview.
Specifications must clearly Platinum building captured cfm?ProjectID=1304
rior slat walls look dramatic, said define critical elements such as the congregation’s imagination
Rabbi Rosen, but there is more to structural properties, but can and boosted participation in BULLEY & ANDREWS, LLC
sometimes be more open for the project’s capital campaign. [Link]
them than meets the eye. “They certain aspects of the design, According to Rabbi Rosen, the
have a story behind them,” he said, especially those that relate to congregation ultimately raised JEWISH RECONSTRUCTION-
“so you don’t really understand the Gabion walls were filled with reused materials. On the JRC more money than needed IST CONGREGATION
broken brick from demolition. project, flexibility around the to construct the synagogue [Link]/green_
full meaning of them until they’re board lengths for the exterior building. synagogue
explained to you.” cladding would have reduced
Education is central to the the amount of wood needed and GET THE CLIENT’S SUPPORT RABBI BRANT ROSEN’S CON-
lowered labor costs. Having a dedicated and STRUCTION PROCESS BLOG
congregation’s view of its role in the engaged client who was flexible, [Link]/tag/jrc-con-
larger community. During con- INCORPORATE REUSE open minded, willing to take struction-diaries
struction, Rosen maintained a blog STRATEGIES EARLY some risks, and committed to
The process of researching and sustainability made it easier to ROSS BARNEY ARCHITECTS
that he used to share information procuring reclaimed materials achieve LEED Platinum and in- [Link]
about the building’s progress, can be lengthy. JRC’s architects corporate reclaimed materials.
started their search early in the
including the use of reclaimed schematic design phase, which
materials. With the building com- allowed them to find materials
plete, the congregation developed a that are featured prominently in
the building’s design, such as
formal docent program and an the beautiful salvaged cypress.
accompanying manual about the
building, and gives weekly guided ENGAGE THE
CONTRACTOR EARLY
tours. A section of JRC’s website, Having the contractor on the
“Green Synagogue,” champions team early, even if only in an
the concept of sustainability in rela- advisory capacity, can help
establish shared priorities and
tion to the congregation’s values, “WE’RE ON THE MAP understanding about intentions
supplies detailed information about AS BEING THE FIRST for including reuse materials.
the building’s green features, and
lists resources for others looking to LEED PLATINUM SPOT OPPORTUNITIES
IN UNEXPECTED PLACES
build and live green. HOUSE OF WORSHIP As the synagogue’s con-
struction got underway, the
“We’re on the map as being IN THE WORLD, architects and contractors
the first LEED Platinum house of AND THAT MEANS began to recognize possibilities
worship in the world,” said Rabbi for sourcing and incorporating
Rosen, “and that means we have to WE HAVE TO PONY salvage in unplanned for ways,
such as the black walnut for the
pony up in terms of our advocacy UP IN TERMS OF Bimah floor and the crimson
of environmental issues.” OUR ADVOCACY OF maples for the ceremonial
doorway.
ENVIRONMENTAL
ISSUES.” p. 144, 146, 147, 148 Photos: Steve Hall
— Rabbi Brant Rosen, client © Hedrich Blessing

148 149
Cultural/Religious Jewish Reconstructionist Congregation

MATERIAL ORIGINAL REUSE SOURCE SOURCE QTY REFURBISHMENT

USE APPLICATION LOCATION

Cypress wood Exterior Offsite, de- Canada 18,000 Milled

siding, interior construction Sq ft
paneling, project
library shelving

Concrete and Foundation Site fill On-site On-site 2700 Crushed

Brick masonry Tons

Black Walnut Trees Wood flooring Offsite, Chicago, 1000 Milled

Trees vendor: Il Sq ft
Municipal
Parks

Broken brick Demolition Gabion Offsite, Chicago, 1780 N/A

debris and wall vendor: Il Sq ft
brick man- fill brick manu-
ufacturing facturer and
waste other

Maple Wood Trees Ceremonial On-site On-site 240 Milled

Trees door Sq ft

150
Cultural/Religious Cultural/Religious

LONG
CENTER

152 Photo: Copyright Nelsen Partners, Dan Gruber Photographer

Cultural/Religious Cultural/Religious

LONG
CENTER

154
154 Photo: Copyright Nelsen Partners, Dan Gruber Photographer
Cultural/Religious Cultural/Religious

LONG
CENTER

156 Photo: Copyright Nelsen Partners, Dan Gruber Photographer

Cultural/Religious Cultural/Religious

LONG
CENTER
KEY INFO AND REUSE-RELATED
PROJECT TEAM MEMBERS

PROJECT NAME TOTAL PROJECT CONTRACTOR

Long Center for the COST (LAND Austin Commercial
Performing Arts EXCLUDED)
$77 million STRUCTURAL
LOCATION ENGINEER
Austin, TX SIZE Architectural
168,000 Sq ft Engineers
YEAR COMPLETED Collaborative
2008 CLIENT/OWNER
The Long Center for DECONSTRUCTION
PRIMARY USE the Performing Arts, CONTRACTOR
Assembly the City of Austin A&R Demolition

CONSTRUCTION ARCHITECT
Austin, TX TYPE Nelsen Partners
New Construction
ARCHITECT OF
RECORD
Zeidler Partnership
158
158 153
Cultural/Religious Cultural/Religious Long Center

AUSTIN LANDMARK REBORN Haas refers to as the “embodied

AS A STATE-OF-THE ART energy of memory.”
PERFORMANCE CENTER

The Long Center for the Perform-

ing Arts in Austin, TX developed
in response to the longstanding
need for a quality performing arts
venue in the city. As a public-pri-
vate partnership between the
nonprofit Long Center for the Per- Original Palmer Auditorium
under construction.
forming Arts and the City of
Austin, the Center opened its doors
not only as a theater but the perma-
nent home of a number of local
performing arts groups, including
the ballet, symphony and opera.
The original project scheme,
developed in 2001, called for
demolishing Palmer Auditorium,
a colorful mid-century domed
landmark, and building a new
structure. However, the difficult
fundraising environment at the
time made the $125 million price
tag challenging. Architect Stan
Haas of Nelsen Partners, who
worked for years as a pro bono “IF WE HAD NOT
advisor to the project, suggested a REUSED THE
new approach that focused on reus- STRUCTURE AND
ing the original foundation and THE MATERIALS, IT
structure around the stage as well
as salvaging materials. WOULD HAVE BEEN
Although reuse was initially HARDER TO FUND
implemented as a cost savings mea- AND IT WOULD NOT
sure, the client and project team HAVE ENJOYED THE
found it had innumerable benefits,
not the least of which was catalyz-
[SAME] SUCCESS IN
ing the project’s capital campaign THE COMMUNITY.”
and infusing the building with what — Donald Rutledge, client

154 155
Cultural/Religious Long Center Cultural/Religious Long Center

DESIGN FOR REUSE ing contractor. LESSONS LEARNED LEARN MORE

HIGHLIGHTS
— Reused materials include color- REPURPOSE BE SPECIFIC AUSTIN COMMERCIAL
— Alex Gregg of Austin Commer- Be open to reusing materials Clarity in specifications can [Link]/commercial
ful aluminum panels that adorn in a new capacity. The Palmer be key to successfully incor-
cial, the project’s general exterior facades and interior panel- Auditorium’s old dome was ul- porating reclaimed materials. THE LONG CENTER
contractor, joined the team in ing, marble toilet partitions recut timately incompatible with The Long Center’s specifica- [Link]
the acoustical goals of the tions served as a comprehensive
Design Development. Austin Com- into countertops, and glass curtain new facility, but the project reference guide, spelling out NELSEN PARTNERS
mercial contributed significantly to wall recast into donor plaques. The team was able to reuse the ring the materials to be selected and [Link]
reuse related pre-construction ring beam that supported the dome
beam that supported it as a structure to be preserved, the
prominent gateway to the new ways in which these materials ZEIDLER PARTNERSHIP
activities such as construction of the old auditorium serves as an building. The roof’s multi-col- were to be preserved prior to [Link]
specifications and the original ored aluminum panels are highly installation and by whom, and
iconic architectural element in the visible as exterior cladding and how and when they were to be
building’s selective demolition.
exterior plaza. interior paneling. refurbished and installed. As
such, subcontractors were
— Haas and Gregg surveyed the THINK STRATEGICALLY easily able to provide reasonably
original building extensively prior — Over 44 million pounds of con- Material reuse doesn’t have to priced bids for this aspect of the
struction materials were removed cost more. For the Long Center, project.
to demolition. They identified a the early decision to do reuse
variety of non-structural materials, from the original Palmer Audito- and strategic project planning
such as the glass curtain wall and rium. Ninety-five percent of that made incorporating reclaimed
materials easier and more cost
aluminum roof panels, that could material was recycled or reused in effective. Materials such as
be repurposed and inspire creative the new building or projects else- the marble toilet partitions and
light fixtures were cost savings.
design opportunities. where in the region. Notably, New aluminum panels would
60,000 square feet of the alumi- have cost less, but the project
—The client oversaw abatement of num panels found new life in the team’s detailed instructions for
removal, resizing, and installa-
the original building. Then the walls of the Long Center. tion kept the reclaimed panels’
structure underwent selective cost reasonable. The project
still came in well below market.
demolition, keeping the foundation
and stagehouse (includes stage and UNDERSTAND
supporting structure) intact. The INTANGIBLE BENEFITS
Reclaimed materials can tell
demolition contractor set aside any a powerful story. Although the
material specified for reuse by the decision to reuse the original
project team. structure was made because it
saved $1.5 million, reuse also
had intangible benefits, said
— As directed in the specifications,
the materials were stored carefully
Donald Rutledge, the Director
of Design & Construction for the “WITH PROPER
between demolition and construc- Glass curtain wall turned into
Long Center for Performing Arts.
It strengthened the communi-
PLANNING, REUSE
tion. The contractor stored donor panels. ty’s connection to the building
and propelled the capital
CAN BE DONE
mahogany paneling in metal con- campaign across the finish line. WITHOUT ADDED
tainers on site to prevent moisture
damage. Aluminum roof panels
COST OR EXPENSE
were stacked on pallets and taken p. 155 Photo: Courtesy, Austin History Center
p. 156 Photo: Copyright Nelsen Partners, Dan
TO A PROJECT.”
for resizing and storage by the roof- Gruber Photographer — Austin Gregg, contractor

156 157
 LEARN
Cultural/Religious Long Center

MATERIAL ORIGINAL REUSE SOURCE SOURCE QTY REFURBISHMENT

USE APPLICATION LOCATION

Concrete Perimeter Architectural On-site On-site

MORE
ring beam feature

Steel Structur- Structural On-site On-site 5 Tons Melted and

al steel steel framing recast
framing

Steel Compres- Landscape On-site On-site Refinished

sion ring element – lead paint
sealed in

Aluminum Roof Exterior On-site On-site 60,000 Cut-to-size

shingles and interior Sq ft
paneling
160 Glossary
Marble Restroom Countertops On-site On-site Cut-to-size 162 Resources
stall parti-
tions 167 Index
Wood Interior Interior On-site On-site Cut-to-size
paneling paneling and refin-
ished

Glass Curtain Donor plaques On-site On-site Melted and

wall recast

Interior Interior Interior On-site On-site

lighting lighting lighting Retrofitted

158 159
Learn More Glossary Learn More Glossary

GLOSSARY

ABATEMENT old building materials strategies such as FOREST STEWARD- LIFECYCLE MATERIAL REUSE RECYCLING SURPLUS
The removal of a removed from the site. building with sin- SHIP COUNCIL ASSESSMENT The act of incorpo- The processing of used MATERIALS
hazardous or toxic Separated materials gle-material parts A nonprofit organi- The Lifecycle As- rating reclaimed materials into new Materials and
coating (e.g. lead paint may be reused, but and using fasteners zation devoted to sessment (LCA) is an materials into a new products to prevent equipment that go
or asbestos) from a this is not neces- instead of adhesives. encouraging the re- environmental assess- assembly. waste or reduce con- unused or are no
building material. sarily the case. The (also called design sponsible management ment that considers sumption of raw longer needed during
materials are most for deconstruction or of the world’s forests. the entire value chain MATERIALS BROKER materials. Recycling a construction project
ADAPTIVE REUSE often recycled. design for reuse). The FSC is consid- involved in producing, Consultants that includes a series of either due to over-or-
The process of ered one of the world’s using, and disposing of locate and connect changes and/ or treat- dering or change-order.
adapting existing DECONSTRUCTION EMBODIED CARBON leading standard-set- a product. It includes reclaimed materials ments, as opposed to Often this material or
(typically old) The careful, selective A measurement of ting and accreditation data points such as with designers, owners, reuse which does not equipment is new or
materials or structures disassembly of the carbon impact of services in the area of energy consumption or contractors for a fee. include significant only lightly used.
for purposes other building components a product’s lifecycle, sustainable forestry. and related green- They often specialize treatments.
than those initially for reuse. Deconstruc- from cradle to grave, house-gas emissions. in a particular material
intended. Oftentimes tion is an alternative including extraction, GRADE such as paper, metals REFURBISH
a building’s historical to demolition, which manufacture, pro- A classification of LIFECYCLE BUILDING or plastic, although To restore a material,
features will remain often leaves materials duction, and disposal. the quality of lumber CHALLENGE some will handle product or assembly
intact even if the use unrecoverable. Embodied carbon based on factors An annual compe- multiple categories of through cleaning, re-
changes. is different from including the amount tition for “lifecycle materials. finishing or other
DEMOLITION embodied energy and size of knots, buildings,” which are modification.
CONSTRUCTION The planned, rapid because it takes into twist, and cracks in buildings that incor- MILL
MANAGER destruction of a full account the intrinsic the material. Many porate strategies of To shape wood to a REUSE RETAILER
Individual who directs or partial building physical proper- wood types have their adaptability and dis- desired dimension and A commercial outfit
the construction structure. ties of a product. For own grading systems; assembly to allow profile by running the selling used and
process and coordi- instance, cement there is no universal recovery of all building wood a machine that salvaged goods.
nates all contractors. DESIGN BUILD emits about half of standard for all woods. systems, components, removes material. Often reuse retailers
In some cases the con- A project delivery its embodied carbon and materials. have physical stores
struction manager is system in which a because of a chemical LEED TM MATERIAL MULTIPLE PRIME targeting specific
an agent of the general single entity is in process unrelated to REUSE CREDITS LIVING BUILDING A project delivery markets.
contractor, overseeing charge of both design energy use. The credits within CHALLENGE structure in which
a group of subcontrac- and construction. the USGBC’s LEED A certification program all contractors are SINKER LOGS
tors. In other project Unlike a design- EMBODIED ENERGY rating system that are that is considered employed under a Logs recovered from
delivery structures, bid-build delivery An assessment of the available to buildings the most advanced separate contract with the bottom of rivers.
like multiple prime, system in which energy required to which incorporate measure of sustain- the client, rather than In the 19th and 20th
the construction design and construc- extract raw materials material reuse. The re- ability in the built as sub consultants to a centuries, the lumber
manager may oversee tion typically occur from nature, plus the quirement for credit environment. The general contractor. industry often trans-
contractors contract- in distinct phases, energy used in primary is that reclaimed program has stringent ported logs to sawmills
ed to separate entity, distinct phases are and secondary man- materials account for requirements for the PLANE via rivers. Sinker
typically the client. not required in design- ufacturing activities at least 5% (Credit materials and energy To pass wood through a logs are those that
build. to provide a finished 3.1) or 10% (Credit impact of a building. device which smooths sank along the way.
CONSTRUCTION product and to dispose 3.2) based on cost, its surface. Preserved beneath
WASTE MANAGE- DESIGN FOR of that product. of the total value MATERIAL EXCHANGE the river, these logs
MENT DISASSEMBLY of materials on the A service that connects RECLAIMED are often in excellent
The separation of re- A design strategy to FIXED-PRICE project. individuals and entities MATERIALS condition and offer a
coverable waste maximize the recovery CONTRACT wishing to offload Materials extracted grade and character
materials generated and reuse of building A contract structure materials and products from the waste stream of wood not currently
during construction systems, compo- in which a contractor with those in need. that are reused without available on the
and remodeling from nents, and materials. agrees to complete a Many exchanges are further processing or market.
landfill waste. These It is meant to ease predetermined scope web-based, but some with only minor pro-
separated materials disassembly or recon- of work at a predeter- also have a physical cessing that does not
may be scraps of new figuration. Design for mined fee. warehouse or retail alter the nature of the
building materials or disassembly includes component. material.

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INFORMATIONAL WEBSITES CALCULATORS

AGC RECYCLING TOOLKIT: DECONSTRUCTION LIFECYCLE BUILDING CHALLENGE ATHENA INSTITUTE EPA WASTE REDUCTION MODEL
[Link]/cs/industry_topics/environment/recycling_ [Link]/[Link] [Link] (WARM) CALCULATOR
toolkit/deconstruction [Link]/warm
The Lifecycle Building Challenge is an annual The Institute’s website provides two tools, the
As part of the Association of General Con- competition for lifecycle buildings (which incor- ATHENA Impact Estimator for Buildings and The U.S. EPA’s WAste Reduction Model (WARM)
tractors’ (AGC) collection of resources for porate strategies adaptability and disassembly). the ATHENA EcoCalculator for Assemblies, for calculates the greenhouse gas emission savings
construction professionals, the Deconstruction Competition participants include academics, lifecycle analysis of a building’s environmental of waste management practices. Users can
section provides links to many related organi- students, and professionals in the construc- impact. The free EcoCalculator allows analysis compare baseline and alternative waste man-
zations. The website includes basic tools for tion and deconstruction industries. The website of individual assemblies within a building agement practices for over thirty materials. The
deconstruction, compiled by the organization. shares competition entries as well as provides (i.e. wall, floor, roof). The Impact Estimator is WARM Calculator does not recognize ‘reuse’ as
resources related to deconstruction, design for available for purchase and allows analysis of a waste management practice but it can be a
BUILDING MATERIALS REUSE disassembly, and material reuse to competition an entire building. Both tools factor the envi- useful tool for estimating the amount of carbon
ASSOCIATION participants and others interested in lifecycle ronmental impact of building materials from a offset of keeping materials out of the waste
[Link] building. cradle-to-grave perspective. stream.

The Building Materials Reuse Association REUSE ALLIANCE BUILDING MATERIALS REUSE CALCULATOR
(BMRA) is a nonprofit that promotes decon- [Link] [Link]/[Link]?dow_
struction and material reuse through education, ID=19
research, and advocacy. The website serves The Reuse Alliance is membership-based
a wide spectrum of stakeholders including national nonprofit focused on promoting and The Building Materials Reuse Calculator is a
building owners, designers, government supporting reuse-related organizations and tool for gauging the benefits of material reuse. It
agencies, contractors, as well as the general municipal agencies. The website provides news, measures the amount of savings that reclaimed
public. It provides news, event info, discussion reuse facts, and resources to these organiza- materials provide from the negative environmen-
forums, and resources including best practices, tions. tal impacts (e.g. greenhouse gas emissions and
case studies, and how-to guides. embodied energy) resulting from extracting, pro-
REUSE DEVELOPMENT ORGANIZATION cessing, manufacturing, and transporting new
DECONSTRUCTION INSTITUTE [Link] building materials.
[Link]
The Reuse Development Organization (ReDo) CARNEGIE MELLON ECONOMIC-INPUT
The Deconstruction Institute website shares is a national nonprofit focused on facilitating LIFECYCLE ASSESSMENT
information with anyone who is interested in de- and promoting reuse of surplus and discarded [Link]
construction as an alternative to demolition. The materials. The website provides info about the
interactive website provides a place for users benefits of reuse. It also provides informa- The EIO-LCA estimates the materials, energy,
to upload case studies, photos, and listings of tion on ReDo’s material donation program and a and emissions required for and resulting from
reuse businesses, as well as engage in discus- detailed list of reuse centers across the country. activities in our economy. Users indicate the
sions with others. industry and sector of a particular activity, such
as the scale of the activity in dollar value. The
EPA REDUCING C&D MATERIALS: calculator estimates the associated economic
RESOURCES BY MATERIAL TYPE activity, greenhouse gases, energy, toxic
[Link]/epawaste/conserve/rrr/imr/cdm/[Link] releases, and water use in dollars. The EIO-LCA
can provide a broad-level understanding of the
The website aggragates information on reused impacts of construction for various building
materials from other websites. Material types types, however it does not allow evaluation of
include asphalt, shingles, gypsum, steel, wood, the impacts of specific construction methodolo-
paint, and carpet among others. The website gies or materials.
is operated by the Envirionmental Protection
Agency (EPA).

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REUSE RETAILERS REUSE BROKERS & EXCHANGES

NATIONAL EAST WEST SOUTH/ CENTRAL NATIONAL REGIONAL

BUILDING BOSTON BUILDING BUILDING THE GREEN PROJECT AMERICAN BUILDER THE LOADING DOCK 2 GOOD 2 TOSS
MATERIALS REUSE RESOURCES RESOURCES [Link] SURPLUS [Link] NETWORK
ASSOCIATION [Link] [Link]/ New Orleans, LA americanbuildersurplus. [Link]
[Link] Boston, MA [Link] com THE REUSE
San Francisco, CA REBUILDING INSTITUTE BONEYARDNW
HABITAT RESTORE BUILD IT GREEN!NYC EXCHANGE BUILDER2- [Link]/ [Link]
[Link]/env/ [Link] BRING RECYCLING [Link] [Link] ReUseInstitute
[Link] New York, NY [Link] Chicago, IL [Link] CALIFORNIA
Eugene, OR USED BUILDING MATERIALS
THE REUSE PEOPLE COMMUNITY THE REUSE CENTER CONSTRUCTION MATERIALS EXCHANGE (CALMAX)
[Link] FORKLIFT MATERIALS MATTER [Link] MATERIAL DEPOT EXCHANGE [Link]/
[Link] [Link] Minneapolis, MN [Link] [Link]/ CalMAX
TERRA MAI Edmonston, MD Laguna Hills, CA exchange
[Link] STARDUST CRAIGSLIST GREEN RECYCLING
THE LOADING DOCK, OHMEGA SALVAGE BUILDING SUPPLIES [Link] NETWORK (GRN)
INC. [Link] [Link] greenrecyclingnetwork.
[Link] Berkeley, CA Phoenix & Mesa, AZ [Link] com
Baltimore, MD [Link]
THE REBUILDING PRESERVATION INDUSTRI-
REBUILD CENTER RESOURCE CENTER EPA’S LIST AL MATERIALS
[Link] [Link] [Link]/shop/ OF MATERIAL EXCHANGE (IMEX)
Burlington, VT Portland, OR [Link] EXCHANGES [Link]/home/IMEX/
New Orleans, LA [Link]/epawaste/ [Link]
REBUILD RESOURCE YARD conserve/tools/
[Link] [Link] WASTECAPDIRECT [Link] NW MATERIALSMART
Springfield, VA Boulder & Fort Collins, [Link]/ [Link]
CO wastecap-direct/about- THE INSTITU-
RENEW BUILDING wastecapdirect TION RECYCLING NYC WASTEMATCH
MATERIALS AND THE RE STORE Wisconsin NETWORK (IRN) [Link]
SALVAGE, INC. [Link] [Link]/index.
[Link] Seattle & Bellingham html REBUILDING
Brattleboro, VT WA EXCHANGE
PLANET REUSE [Link]
RESTORE SECOND USE [Link]
[Link] [Link] WASTE XCHANGE
Springfield, MA Seattle, WA THE RECYCLER’S [Link]
EXCHANGE
URBAN ORE [Link]/exchange
[Link]
Berkeley, CA RE-USE CONSULT-
ING
WHOLE HOUSE [Link]
BUILDING SUPPLY &
SALVAGE SALVAGED BUILDING
[Link] MATERIALS
East Palo Alto, CA EXCHANGE
[Link]/
exchange/[Link]

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PUBLICATIONS, FILMS, AND PODCASTS PROJECT TYPE CONSTRUCTION TYPE

PUBLICATIONS STUDIES & GUIDES FILMS & PODCASTS CIVIC NEW CONSTRUCTION
Portola Valley Town Center 17 Chartwell School 39
BUILDING WITH A GUIDE TO DECON- INCORPORAT- SCRAPHOUSE: SAN Vancouver Materials Testing Facility 29 Vancouver Materials Testing Facility 29
RECLAIMED STRUCTION ING RECLAIMED FRANCISCO Eastern Sierra House 77
COMPONENTS AND Brad Guy & Eleanor AND SALVAGED Anna Fitch EDUCATION Benny Farm* 69
MATERIALS Gibeau MATERIALS AND 2006, The National Chartwell School 39 Jewish Reconstructionist Congregation 141
Bill Addis 2003 COMPONENTS Geographic Channel Sidwell Friends Middle School 51 Mountain Equipment Co-op 107
2006 NTO CANADIAN University of Texas School of Nursing 59 Ottawa & Winnipeg*
DESIGN FOR DECON- CONSTRUCTION SUPER USE, E 2 & Student Community Center Omega Center for Sustainable Living 131
CRADLE TO CRADLE STRUCTION PROJECTS DESIGN, SEASON 3 Operation Comeback 5200 Dauphine* 121
Wiliam McDonough & Scott Shell, Octavio Lawrence Morettin & Tad Fettig & Karena HOUSING Phillips Eco-Enterprise Center 89
MIchael Braungart Gutierrez, Lynn Fisher, Dr. Mark Gorgolewski Albers Benny Farm 69 Portola Valley Town Center* 17
2002 et al for U.S. Envi- 2008 2008, PBS Eastern Sierra House 77 Sidwell Friends Middle School 51
ronmental Protection Long Center for the Performing Arts* 153
REDUX: DESIGNS Agency LEAD PAINT USGBC PODCAST: OFFICE University of Texas School of Nursing 59
THAT REUSE, 2006 AND HISTORIC SALVAGED MATERIAL Phillips Eco-Enterprise Center 89 & Student Community Center
RECYCLE, AND BUILDINGS: REUSE Alberici Corporate Headquarters 97
REVEAL DESIGN FOR DIS- TRAINING MANUAL Liz Ogbu &Tom ADAPTIVE REUSE
Jennifer Roberts ASSEMBLY IN THE Dennis Livingston, Jeff Dietsche RETAIL Alberici Corporate Headquarters* 97
2005 BUILT ENVIRON- Gordon, Carol J. Dyson 2010 Mountain Equipment Co-op 107
MENT: A GUIDE 2000 [Link]/ Ottawa & Winnipeg
REMATERIAL: FROM TO CLOSED LOOP us/podcast/usgbc- *Indicates on-site deconstruction
WASTE TO ARCHI- IN DESIGN AND LIFECYCLE CON- knowledge-exchange/ INTERPRETIVE CENTER
TECTURE BUILDING STRUCTION id357912494 Operation Comeback 5200 Dauphine 121
Alejandro Bahamón & Brad Guy & Nicholas RESOURCE GUIDE Omega Center for Sustainable Living 131
Maria Camila Sanjinés Ciarimboli for the City U.S. Environmental
2010 of Seattle Protection Agency CULTURAL/ RELIGIOUS
2008 Jewish Reconstructionist Congregation 141
UNBUILDING: FEDERAL GREEN Long Center for the Performing Arts 153
SALVAGING THE CONSTRUCTION OLD TO NEW DESIGN
ARCHITECTUR- GUIDE FOR SPECIFI- GUIDE:
AL TREASURES OF ERS SALVAGED BUILDING
UNWANTED HOUSES Dru Meadows MATERIALS
Bob Falk & Brad Guy 2010 IN NEW CONSTRUC-
2007 TION V. 3
GREEN HOME Scott Shell, Octavio
SUPERUSE: CON- REMODEL: SALVAGE Gutierrez, Lynn Fisher,
STRUCTING NEW & REUSE et al for U.S. Envi-
ARCHITECTURE BY Thor Peterson for ronmental Protection
SHORTCUTTING Seattle Public Utilities Agency
MATERIAL FLOWS Sustainable Building 2006
Ed van Hinte, Cesare Program
Peeren, & Jan Jongert, 2005 WASTESPEC: MODEL
ed. 2007 SPECIFICATIONS
FOR CONSTRUCTION
WASTE REDUCTION,
REUSE, AND
RECYCLING
Judith Kincaid, Cheryl
Walker & Greg Flynn
1995

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LOCATION DESIGN FOR DISASSEMBLY MATERIALS BY CSI (REUSE APPLICATION)

CANADA Chartwell School 39 CONCRETE (DIV. 3) FINISHES (DIV. 9)

Vancouver Materials Testing Facility 29 Mountain Equipment Co-op Ottawa 107 Long Center for the Performing Arts 153 Benny Farm 69
Mountain Equipment Co-op 107 Omega Center for Sustainable Living 131 Eastern Sierra House 77
Ottawa & Winnipeg MASONRY (DIV. 4) Mountain Equipment Co-op 107
Benny Farm 69 Benny Farm 69 Ottawa & Winnipeg
Mountain Equipment Co-op 107
HEARTLAND
LEED MR 3.1/3.2 CREDIT Ottawa & Winnipeg
Phillips Eco-Enterprise Center
Portola Valley Town Center
89
17
Alberici Corporate Headquarters 97 ACHIEVED Phillips Eco-Enterprise Center 89 Sidwell Friends Middle School 51
Jewish Reconstructionist Congregation 141 Sidwell Friends Middle School 51 Vancouver Materials Testing Facility 29
Phillips Eco-Enterprise Center 89 Alberici Corporate Headquarters 97 University of Texas School of Nursing 59
Chartwell School 39 & Student Community Center SPECIALTIES (DIV. 10)
NORTHEAST CORRIDOR Jewish Reconstructionist Congregation 141 Long Center for the Performing Arts 153
Sidwell Friends Middle School 51 Omega Center for Sustainable Living 131 METALS (DIV. 5) Omega Center for Sustainable Living 131
Portola Valley Town Center 17 Alberici Corporate Headquarters 97 Phillips Eco-Enterprise Center 89
PACIFIC Sidwell Friends Middle School 51 Eastern Sierra House 77
Chartwell School 39 Long Center for the Performing Arts 153 EQUIPMENT (DIV. 11)
Portola Valley Town Center 17 Mountain Equipment Co-op 107 Vancouver Materials Testing Facility 29
Ottawa & Winnipeg
SOUTH CENTRAL Phillips Eco-Enterprise Center 80 FURNISHINGS (DIV. 12)
Operation Comeback 5200 Dauphine 121 Alberici Corporate Headquarters 97
Long Center for the Performing Arts 153 WOOD, PLASTICS, COMPOSITES (DIV. 6) Long Center for the Performing Arts 153
University of Texas School of Nursing 59 Benny Farm 69 Phillips Eco-Enterprise Center 89
& Student Community Center Chartwell School 39 Portola Valley Town Center 17
Eastern Sierra House 77
UPPER NORTHEAST Jewish Reconstructionist Congregation 141 PLUMBING (DIV. 22)
Omega Center for Sustainable Living 131 Long Center for the Performing Arts 153 Phillips Eco-Enterprise Center 89
Mountain Equipment Co-op 107 Vancouver Materials Testing Facility 29
WEST Ottawa & Winnipeg
Eastern Sierra House 77 Omega Center for Sustainable Living 131 HEATING, VENTILATING & AIR (DIV. 23)
Operation Comeback 5200 Dauphine 121 Benny Farm 69
Phillips Eco-Enterprise Center 89 Vancouver Materials Testing Facility 29
Portola Valley Town Center 17
Sidwell Friends Middle School 51 ELECTRICAL (DIV. 26)
Phillips Eco-Enterprise Center 89 Eastern Sierra House 77
Long Center for the Performing Arts 153
THERMAL & MOISTURE PROTECTION (DIV. 7) Vancouver Materials Testing Facility 29
Chartwell School 39
Jewish Reconstructionist Congregation 141 EARTHWORK (DIV. 31)
Mountain Equipment Co-op 107 Alberici Corporate Headquarters 97
Ottawa & Winnipeg Jewish Reconstructionist Congregation 141
Portola Valley Town Center 17 Portola Valley Town Center 17
University of Texas School of Nursing 59
& Student Community Center EXTERIOR IMPROVEMENTS (DIV. 32)
Alberici Corporate Headquarters 97
OPENINGS (DIV. 8) Long Center for the Performing Arts 153
Eastern Sierra House 77
Jewish Reconstructionist Congregation 141 UTILITIES (DIV. 33)
Omega Center for Sustainable Living 131 Alberici Corporate Headquarters 97
Operation Comeback 5200 Dauphine 121
Phillips Eco-Enterprise Center 89 ELECTRICAL POWER GENERATION (DIV. 48)
Vancouver Materials Testing Facility 29 Alberici Corporate zHeadquarters 97
Phillips Eco-Enterprise Center 89

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© 2010 Public Architecture. All rights reserved.
The photographs in this book are used with permission and their authors retain all rights in their possession.
Designed by Studio Lin [Link]