Environmental Stewardship of Used Building Materials The Benefits of Deconstruction and Reuse

Why We Exist Second chances Personal redemption Current practices are unfair and cost too much Work matters Before we move into an overview of our model and how it works, I want to talk about why we launched this social change enterprise We believe that everyone deserves a fair shot at the American dream. To us, this dream includes a decent job, a safe place to live, the chance to have meaningful relationships and connections, a chance to be a good parent and raise your children, and the chance to be a contributing member of society. We believe in personal redemption and second chances. The men we serve did some bad things but they are not bad people. Like all of us, they need to take responsibility for their past and they should the chance to pursue a better future. We also believe in that the current systems and practices are unfair and produce unacceptable outcomes. We believe that taxpayers and our society deserves much better results And we believe that work matters, that a job has practical and intrinsic value. 2

Throwing Away Building Materials A Wasteful Practice Quick, efficient, cheap Majority of used building materials are buried in landfills In 2013, 1.6 million tons of construction “waste” was generated in MN Only 18% diverted from landfills statewide 1,341,167 tons of building material buried Produced 3,742,000 metric tons of CO2e emissions TIM It’s quick, efficient and cheap. But only a small fraction of the materials are diverted from landfills and most of the buildings contain valuable materials that are undervalued and wasted. At least 90% of construction and demolition waste contains valuable material that can not only be recycled but also used to manufacture new products or reused in construction and renovation of buildings. In demolishing and burying these used building materials we generate serious, negative environmental consequences.

Why Reuse Buildings Substantial Environmental Benefits Social Benefits for Families and Community Creates Local Jobs Earns Revenue Demolition is not a sustainable practice

A Typical Project Disassemble a building in a safe and methodical manner Preserve maximum amount of reusable materials Recycle most of remaining materials Remove foundation and clear lot for next use Sell reclaimed materials on-line & in warehouse 12-14 days to take apart a typical house Divert 80%-90% of the materials from landfill Net zero emissions an achievable outcome

Mix of Materials ReUse Cabinets, light fixtures, wood flooring, windows, wood trim, roof and floor decking, lumber, sinks, toilets, tubs Recycling Steel, concrete, other metals, wood, cardboard, and sometimes shingles

Observations High quality and high value Medium quality and value Low quality, low value Building built before 1950 3000 sq ft or larger An appraisal of $30K or more is likely Old barns The older the home the better 1500-2000 sq ft Marginal need for an appraisal but high value for structural lumber if older building Private owners are willing to pay a higher cost for deconstruction since tax deduction for materials can make project cost effective Public owners value the positive return of creating and typically value the significant increases of recycling and reuse

4 Jobs – ReUSE, Recycling, Landfill Comparisons Recycle scenario: 100% of concrete is recycled, then the remainder is sent to DemCon or Atomic. Off-site recycling numbers are modeled with DemCon’s 2016 YTD proportions by material type. Landfill scenario: 100% of concrete recycled; remainder sent to landfill.

Higher Value Products Transform harvested materials into new products Reclaimed wood to build furniture Doors and windows for art and design NRRI experimenting with drywall

Leopold Bench An outreach and education opportunity for deconstruction while also bringing attention to the social and economic sides of the Better Futures operation. Connecting conservation and Deconstruction. Education and skill development, adding value to materials and building value in individuals.

Tables and Tops

Reclaimed for Art

Difficult to Reuse Insulation Drywall Porcelain

Drywall Reuse Potential Uses Soil amendment Field marking chalk Litter product Oil absorbent

Recommendations Consider Establish goals and provide financial incentives Require much higher rates of reuse Provide incentives to deconstruct and reuse Support enterprises focused on deconstruction and reuse Purchase goods made from reclaimed materials Track the social, economic, and environmental benefits of deconstruction compared to demolition Thomas Purchasing recycled and reused materials for your home from our warehouse. Choosing deconstruction over demolition for your upcoming projects. Donating your used materials to use instead of paying to dump them in a landfill. Pro-deconstruction policy changes.

A New Policy and Practice State-Counties-Cities Focus on Net Zero Emissions Reuse at least 5% of the materials Recycle 70% of the materials Preservation/Reuse generates 7x more jobs

For more information about Better Futures and Deconstruction Contact us at 612.455-6133 or betterfuturesminnesota.com Visit our Sales Warehouse, 2620 Minnehaha, Minneapolis Like us on Facebook at Better Futures Minnesota Follow us on Twitter at BetterFuturesMN