| When a structure is slated for demolition, there is a significant opportunity to maximize reuse of existing materials by deconstructing rather than demolishing the building. Because deconstruction is time intensive and time is money in construction, project stakeholders choose demolition over deconstruction and send construction and demolition (C&D) materials to a landfill. C&D waste can make up a large portion of the materials handled on a typical construction project. Project stakeholders overlook the potential of reusing these materials in a new facility, capturing and preserving the embodied energy invested in these materials.;At best, designers and constructors reuse a very narrow range of materials, "low hanging fruit," so to speak, such as concrete, wood, and masonry. This approach ignores the true tenets of sustainability. When C&D materials are not recycled and introduced back into the material supply chain, new resources must be mined, processed and manufactured and their embodied energy is lost and must be made up somewhere along the line contributing to the further depletion of the earths' non-renewable resources. Increased efforts in the sustainable reuse of building materials will lead to substantive and tangible results such as reduction in environmental damage, reduction in greenhouse gases, conservation of landfill space, reduced demand for new materials, and decreased raw materials' mining.;Structural steel, a significant component in most building projects, has enormous potential for reuse in future building projects. Testing and recertification of steel members to ensure they meet the performance characteristic requirements is achievable with applications of specific testing measures available in academia and/or independent testing labs. Structural steel components recovered for reuse have enormous potential in the construction materials marketplace and the material supply stream without causing further damage to the environment through various reproduction processes. |
