Reuse Salvaged
Materials
Many salvaged building
and landscape materials can be reused: brick, regraded and re-sawn wood,
hardware, doors, plumbing fixtures, metalwork, and plants. However,
use of salvaged materials typically requires finding them early, and
planning from the start of conceptual design and through construction.
From both environmental
and heritage perspectives, materials salvaged from buildings already
existing on the site are preferable; less transportation is required,
and historic continuity is preserved.
If there is little
worthwhile on-site material, demolition sales and stockpiles of regional
demolition and salvage contractors and suppliers should be surveyed
to establish what and how much is available. Internet recycling information
services and materials exchanges are useful resources. Once a decision
is made, contract to reserve and store the materials until required
for construction.
Specifying use of
salvaged materials in contract documents is the best way to preserve
valuable materials during deconstruction, and to ensure salvaged materials
are purchased from suppliers.
Cautions
- Significant time
and effort by both designers and contractors is needed to locate and
use salvaged materials.
- Materials must
be inspected and their quality verified before purchase; structural
timbers in particular must be regraded.
- Plumbing and lighting
fixtures must be checked to verify that they meet current codes.
- Some salvaged materials
require extra labor to install and finish.
