Many states in the U.S. now provide handy booklets to the trades to coax them to consider their waste during a building project. According to the State of Illinois it is estimated that between two and seven tons of waste materials are generated during the construction of a new single-family detached house. The cost alone of disposing this waste ($260-$300 per 20-cubic yard roll-off container) often makes waste reduction and recycling programs worthwhile.

Now consider the impact of a home demolition on our environment. When the wrecking ball appears there’s typically no time to do a soft salvage. A soft salvage is the process by which a salvage company comes in and removes fixed architectural elements such as fireplace surrounds, stained glass windows, doors, staircases, bathtubs, sinks, and built-in cabinetry.

Did you know that salvage companies will pay for the rights to salvage architectural elements from old homes? Yep. It’s true. And there are huge benefits to all of us. A developer can save money on the disposal of materials, from the destruction to the transportation, and any fees associated with depositing material in landfills (this varies by state). Plus the developer will receive payment for the architectural elements from the salvage company. And the public benefits because these items are then made available to all of us!

It’s a win, win and yet another way to be green!

For more information about soft salvaging, check out the book, Unbuilding. Written by Bob Falk and Brad Guy, published in 2007 by The Taunton Press, it’s a complete “how to” deconstruct a building for reuse. The book opens up with a Chinese Proverb that I try to live by; Waste…a resource in the wrong place.