To Advance Sustainable Building and LEED Credits, PlanetReuse Partners with GreenWizard to Provide Comprehensive Online Source for Reclaimed, FSC, & Excess New Building Materials
PRESS RELEASE:
Charleston, SC – September 1, 2010 – GreenWizard, Inc., the largest collection of green building product data for intelligent material selection, and PlanetReuse, a consulting-and-brokering company focused on reclaimed, FSC, and excess new building materials, have formed a new alliance that makes reclaimed building materials even more accessible to architects, engineers, and contractors (AEC) focused on LEED credits and green-and-sustainable building.
Initially, PlanetReuse will list 20+ categories of reclaimed and excess new building products in GreenWizard’s database. A product specifier can request a product by category (e.g. wood, flooring, furniture, doors, etc.), and enter in their project location. With that information, the team at PlanetReuse will source the product from its regional inventory or actively search for the desired product in current demolition and salvage projects. The quality and quantity of the reclaimed products are assured by PlanetReuse.
PlanetReuse prefers to engage AEC firms, owners, and contractors during the design-and-preconstruction phases, because that’s the way to maximize LEED credits through local use, which takes advanced planning. PlanetReuse works at no cost to the design team during the design phase on projects, and its minimal brokering fee is included when materials are delivered to the new project, so PlanetReuse’s service is essentially free-of-charge. With planning, PlanetReuse clients typically obtain reused products for less than the cost of new.
“Only 6 to 8% of LEED-certified projects have ever obtained the LEED Materials Reuse credits, MRc3.1 or MRc3.2, which require that 5%-10% of materials have been installed previously,” explains Nathan Benjamin, PlanetReuse’s Principal + Founder. “We believe we can drive that number significantly higher. After all, it’s a relatively easy LEED credit to obtain when working through the process with partners like PlanetReuse and Green Wizard.”
“AEC firms are not adverse to using reclaimed materials, if they are quality- and quantity-assured,” explains GreenWizard’s Adam Bernholz. “Now, with PlanetReuse, those firms finally have a viable alternative materials source.”
About PlanetReuse
If you make using reclaimed material reuse easier, more people will do it. This simple but revolutionary goal drove the founders of PlanetReuse to create a new kind of company. Frustrated by the time and resources it took to track down salvaged materials for their own commercial projects, the PlanetReuse team took an entrepreneurial leap to uncover a solution for the entire built industry.
Initially an internet-based e-commerce material website, PlanetReuse has evolved into a consulting-and-brokering company focused on providing the insight, experience, and materials its clients need. With a well-defined and efficient process, PlanetReuse expertly matches materials with designers, builders, and owners to save projects money, serve LEED efforts, and sustain the planet. Under the leadership of founder Nathan Benjamin, the company has grown 300 percent in the last year. Learn more: www.PlanetReuse.com
About GreenWizard
GreenWizard Inc. is a technology company offering the most comprehensive web-based software platform for green building materials from thousands of manufacturers. GreenWizard’s WORKflow Pro software is the only data-driven workflow solution helping the design and construction community by putting search, compare, purchase, and LEED documentation capabilities at their fingertips. MARKET Pro software is the only data-driven marketing solution that brings green building products face to face with decision makers in the design and construction community actively engaged in projects. The Company employs a Service Oriented Architecture (SOA) software model delivered over the Internet for its process automation tool, communication center, business analytics, and interactive marketplace. Combined, this platform allows project participants to efficiently navigate the most comprehensive and up-to-date database of green building products, utilizing the most advanced analytical tools and information available in the market. The Charleston, SC-based company was founded in 2008. More info: www.GreenWizard.com.
Looking for options on your project where you can save money and divert materials from landfills? There are some great reclaimed, excess new and FSC options from great sources throughout North America in our latest PlanetReuse flyer. The latest summary contains some innovative materials and a lot of great deals. Here are just a couple:
Granite Pavers/Brick made from excess/discarded granite scrap - Perfect for commercial and residential installations, these brick cut from scrap granite countertop material are perfect for walkways, countertops, backsplashes, flooring, sidewalks, etc. Sustainable and durable solutions with great color selection, thickness options, and variety of finishes
Excess New CFL Lightolier Fixtures - 50% less than the price of new. Canceled project with single and dual-lamp fixtures still in original boxes available immediately. There are 350 of each type - excellent opportunity to save money!
In continuing their educational outreach to help grow the local chapter presence and to educate it's members, the USGBC Central Plains Chapter - USGBC for Wichita, will be hosting Nathan Benjamin of PlanetReuse on August 26, 2010. He will provide an overview of the company, discuss their services for the design and construction community, and review ways they promote reclamation of building materials nationwide to increase landfill diversion opportunities.
As a follow-up to his presentation to the International Interior Design Association (IIDA) -Wichita on June 15th, 2010, PlanetReuse continues its outreach efforts with design and construction professionals in the Wichita and Central Kansas region.
Please join for the luncheon at Water Center, 101 East Pawnee Street Wichita, KS.
Every month members of the Iowa Chapter of the U.S. Green Building Council get together for a program in which they can discuss and learn about new green technologies or design strategies. Their July monthly meeting will be held this afternoon with guests from The Weidt Group discussing the benefits of comparative analysis through energy modeling. "Energy modeling" can normally allow the designers and owner, "to evaluate mechanical system options and to maximize daylighting potential in early design stages."
Next month the event will change gears to focus it's attention on the world of reclaimed and salvaged materials. Guest speaker Nathan Benjamin will deliver the August program titled, "Making Reclaimed Material Reuse Easier." If you are in the area and interested in learning more about incorporating reclaimed materials into your next project, or just looking to further your LEED knowledge base, be sure to attend the Iowa USGBC Chapter August program. Find out more about registering for this event here.
In recent years, furniture festivals and exhibits such as the International Contemporary Furniture Fair in New York City and the Milan Furniture Fair have had a growing number of sustainable furniture entries. The overwhelming push with the green movement has made the practice of designing sustainable pieces almost commonplace. The new sustainable furniture market has created many 'trends' such as the use of reclaimed & salvaged materials. Notable examples from this niche market can easily be found on almost any continent around the world.
In America, one interesting material re-use story begins with the furniture design company Uhuru Design which is based in Brooklyn, New York. Uhuru's newest charming line of furniture is called the "Coney Island Line." This six-piece collection is inspired by as well as created from the demolished boardwalk ipe remnants.
If we look across the pond to Great Britain we will find more intriguing work from designer Ryan Frank. His South African roots fuel an intense passion for material reuse motivating the creation of his "free-range" furniture pieces which use primarily locally sourced lumber or salvaged waste-wood. Dutch designer Piet Hein Eek's work with reclaimed materials can also be found in Great Britain in addition to many other European nations. Eek handcrafts his pieces through the use of recycled wood and metals in a way which is commonly described as "poetic functionalism."
Moving to another region, Israel has a hidden gem. All furniture from Ubico Studio located in Tel-Aviv is made from 100% recycled industrial waste, urban waste, and materials from waste disposal centers. It may sound pretty gritty, but this industrial "garbage" deceivingly transforms into chic and functional furniture at Ubico Studio. Our last inspiring reuse story comes from the continent of South America. In Brazil, Hugo Franca is able to acquire roots, trunks and branches from the Pataxo Indians located along the Bahian southern coast. Franca allows these "unusable" portions of trees to become something functional, as well as develop their own personality.
Hopefully this trip around the globe has been an inspiring one and challenges you to think more deeply when you go to purchase your next home furnishing. The strong presence of reclaimed materials in the world of furniture design will hopefully continue to flourish and perhaps someday become less of a novelty and more of an industry standard.
So far this summer season has had no shortage of notable, worldwide design events which have all in some way or another accentuated the importance of sustainability. One intriguing concept came from the London Festival of Architecture, that took place for nearly a month from June 19th through July 4th. This year's LFA brought artists, architects, gardeners and scientists together to create an orchard that was anything but normal.
The Union Street Urban Orchard was designed by Heather Ring of the Wayward Plant Registry for The Architecture Foundation. This temporary community gem was once a vacant urban London lot which found a new life from June through September as a public garden complete with apple trees and a timber pavilion. A zero-carbon modular sustainable living pod can be found on the site as well called the "LivingARK." To demonstrate it's livability, volunteers inhabited the residence during the course of the festival.
Design students of the Finnish Institute were also able to participate in the design & build of the Urban Orchard with their timber pavilion creation titled "The Nest." Other highlights of this site included the skip turned ping-pong table created by Oliver Bishop-Young and the The Identikit Urban Playground from Thomas Kendall and Tamsin Hanke. For the next few months this temporary community haven will host several events and workshops. In September when the Urban Orchard is dismantled, the trees and greenery will be donated to local estates and gardens. To find out more about this exciting urban infill project created sustainably to bring a community together specifically for the London Festival of Architecture and summertime, check out their website here.
June 24th Webinar 'Deconstruction Trends & Markets' - If you are curious about implementing deconstruction into future projects, have all of your questions answered on June 24th from 11:00 AM - 12:30 PM. WasteCap Resource Solutions & the Building Materials Reuse Association (BMRA) are teaming up to co-sponsor the webinar event, "Deconstruction Trends & Markets." During this time, experts in the realm of deconstruction will be available for an informative question & answer forum explaining more thoroughly the role that deconstruction material recycling can play in any prospective project.
This discussion will feature moderator Jenna Kunde of WasteCap Resource Solutions, Inc., Chuck Goddard, Dubuque Metropolitan Area Administrator, Thomas Napier, Research Architect of the Construction Engineering Research Lab US Army Corps of Engineers, and Nathan Benjamin of PlanetReuse. These experts will be able to share their knowledge of the industry and help participants explore potential marketing realms. Member discounts are available to WasteCap and BMRA membership but all are welcome to be a part of this beneficial session! For more information on Thursday's event, click here.
Recap: 2010 National Demolition Association Annual Convention - This year, the 2010 National Demolition Association Annual Convention was held at The Mirage in Las Vegas March 20-23. The NDA convention hosted many events which included the Exhibit Hall, Golf Tournament, speakers, and various breakout sessions. The Mirage Exhibit Hall boasted the ability to accommodate demolition equipment of any size from "everyone involved in the demolition process from around the globe."
As yet another sign that things are changing across all industries when it comes to sustainability, breakout sessions about sustainability and speakers engaged throughout the conference were equally as impressive. In addition to many other great sessions, one session explained the importance of LEED certification and was delivered exclusively to those involved with the demolition process as opposed to deconstruction. In the session, Nathan Benjamin was afforded the opportunity to speak about the significance of salvaging materials alongside John Lloyd of Lloyd's Construction Services Inc., and Jason Haus of Dem-Con Cos. LLC. It created a great dialog that received great feedback and questions. To get another perspective on this year's annual convention, click here for a wrap-up by "Recycling Today."
New EPA Lead Paint Regulations - Will the new lead paint regulations keep us safe and healthy? Will they be cost-effective? Will they encourage Demolition as opposed to Deconstruction?
Renovation, repair, and painting has gotten a little bit safer with the newest EPA lead paint regulations which can be found in the "Amendment to Opt-Out and Recordkeeping Provisions." Currently lead poisoning is still the most widespread environmental disease affecting Americans, children and adults alike. As we all know, lead paint can have catastrophic effects on young children, thus, the recent amendment seeks to lessen the chances of putting children under the age of 6 and pregnant women in harms way. The regulation will do away with the "opt-out" provision and instead hold any contractors/landlords responsible for performing renovation, repair or painting projects that could potentially disturb lead based paint in homes, schools, apartment buildings or child care facilities built before 1978. Exceptions to the rule include repairing less than six square feet of an interior, less than twenty square feet of an exterior or if the child occupied facility or home were built after 1978.
To perform the projects successfully and legally, the contractors/landlords must be certified & follow specific work practices to prevent lead contamination. Under new regulation, there are very specific methods for setting up a containment area, disposing of waste and cleaning up which must all be supervised by the "Renovator." Other changes to take place will be the prohibition of open-flame burning of lead-based paint, allowing only HEPA exhaust controlled power tools for removal, and the operation of heat guns will be strictly limited to 1,100 degrees Farenheit or below on lead-based paint. Along with new work practices and certification standards, contractors/landlords must also provide the owner, occupants, and/or operator of child-occupied facility with a copy of the records which verify compliance.
By July 6th, contractors will need to complete the application for certification and at least one employee will need to be licensed as a "Certified Renovator." This single employee must attend an eight-hour class with two hours of hands-on training to be certified for five years. Upon certification, the "Renovator" will then be presented with the task of educating and training co-workers as well as supervising work practices and cleaning. To re-validate their certification after the five years is up, the "Renovator" must participate in a four-hour continuing education refresher course.
Noncompliance comes with an expensive price-tag, can range to upwards of $37,000/day, and if a child comes into contact with lead particles or contracts lead poisoning, this will now leave the contractor legally liable.
If you have any more questions pertaining to the new regulations, click here to see the new EPA policy in full.
This past month has been filled with fantastic sustainability conferences. To start off, PlanetReuse traveled to Seattle, Washington to attend the Cascadia Region Green Building Council Living Future Conference. Keynote speakers included Jason F. McLennan and Dr. John Francis, PhD. CEO of Cascadia GBC, McLennan annnounced during his presentation an interesting challenge to sustainability called the Living City Design Competition. To the most inspiring, informative entries, $125,000 in cash prizes awaits. Dr. Francis then shared with the audience many experiences which helped inspire his book Planetwalker. Dr. Francis helped with the 1971 oil spill in the San Francisco Bay scrubbing petroleum-covered beaches and creatures. Afterwards, he began a pact of no longer using any form of transportation that required petroleum and began traveling the country on-foot which later initiated a vow of silence. A fascinating presentation from an exceptionally interesting person. Many Living Building Challenge projects were reviewed and discussed in a very collaborative format throughout the conference. The Tyson Living Learning Future Project in St. Louis, MO, striving to be one of the first Living Building Challenge-certified projects, shared their successes as well as their struggles in a panel discussion with project Architect Dan Hellmuth with Hellmuth + Bicknese, Neil Myers with Williams Creek Consulting and Nathan Benjamin with PlanetReuse.
Next up was the USGBC Federal Summit which was held in Washington D.C. Among many others, speaking at the conference was the U.S. General Services Administration's Martha N. Johnson who announced the zero environmental footprint target for the U.S. GSA in her presentation. Nathan also got the opportunity to moderate a great panel in a session titled "Building Material Reuse - Successful Models and Future Tools" with Darin Headrick of Greensburg School, Liz Ogbu of Public Architecture, and Ted Huang with Webor Builders. To view their entire Federal Summit presentation, click here. It was great to see the excitement in the over 750 attendees from offices in DC and around the country that can really make change in Federal sustainable policies and procedures.
Then there was Greening the Heartland which took place in Minneapolis, MN. Perfect weather coupled with a great line-up of speakers and activities, this was a great conference. While there, Nathan spread the word about reclaimed materials reuse in his session "Reclaimed Material Reuse: Bridging the Gap Between Want and Need", met many great forward-thinking sustainable firms and companies, and heard a great presentation by keynote speaker Cameron Sinclair of Architecture for Humanity.
During the month of May, there was no shortage of beneficial sustainability conferences occurring around the nation. Despite the recession and budget cuts, it is great to see that sustainability is pushing forward with interest, support, and valuable conversation from coast to coast.
Steel Reuse in May issue of Modern Steel Construction -
Steel Reuse in New Commercial Construction?? Never seen it before? Don't think it's possible? You're going to see it more and more as designers look beyond the easy recycling option of structural steel.
In the May 2010 issue of Modern Steel Construction you can read "Reclaimed Structural Steel and LEED Credit MR 3 - Materials Reuse", a great progressive article by Erika Winters-Downey with the AISC. Erika examines associated costs, testing, carbon footprint information, and the open communication between the steel fabricator and the Engineer of Record. She also discusses how, "reclaiming and reusing steel products provides a strong environmental option not available with many other construction materials." Great research and data to support a change in thought that needs to happen more and more. PlanetReuse was happy to help with research and provide information to help push the reuse industry further forward with materials that are commonly overlooked.
To read the article in it's entirety, click on the images or go here and flip to page 64.
Local Sustainable Furniture Designer Highlighted in 'House and Home' section of KC Star - This past weekend, the Kansas City Star featured the local sustainable furniture designers of Edwin Blue on the front page of the House and Home section. This environmentally-conscious company was able to turn their designs into a reality with a little help from PlanetReuse. We supplied Edwin Blue with enough sinker cypress to complete their entire first collection, 'Rise' which will be released in New York City at the 2011 International Contemporary Furniture Fair. Two other local outdoor furniture companies mentioned in the article are Acronym Designs and Studiobuild which both share a work-space in Overland Park. Founders Jared Foster of Studiobuild and Andrew Dickson of Acronym explain more about their re-purposed materials of choice in the article which you can find in it's entirety here. Enjoy!
Greening the Heartland 2010: May 19-21. - The 7th annual Greening the Heartland conference will be held in Minneapolis on May 19-21. This years' theme will be "Bridging" since it is now being held by both the USGBC of Minnesota and Minnesota Green Communities. Keynote for the conference will be the executive director and co-founder of Architecture for Humanity, Cameron Sinclair. Other than offering the opportunity to hear esteemed speakers, there will also be a USGBC-Heartland Regional Council meeting, workshops, sessions and tours of notable downtown Minneapolis architecture. Nathan Benjamin will be speaking on the topic of, 'Reclaimed Material Reuse: Bridging the Gap Between Have and Need' as part of the 'Holistic Green Track' sessions offered on Friday, the 21st.
The varying events scheduled at this conference will help to create an experience for attendees that will enrich their knowledge of sustainability, environmental protection, green building, social justice, LEED and Green Communities criteria. Check out more information on this must-attend event here.
Deadlines, schedules and routines are constants in the design and construction world. It can be challenging to incorporate new ideas into a process that’s already so demanding. So, how do we keep evolving? By making sure the concepts we embrace are faster, smarter and more cost-effective. When thinking green, the industry demands solutions that are as beneficial for the project as they are for the planet.
Traditionally, material reuse in commercial construction has been subject to mis-perceptions that limited the practice. But as the movement progresses, times change. And as many sustainably-minded professionals have demonstrated over the years, when you perpetuate beneficial adjustments to the system, the system responds.
This same approach is revolutionizing the way people view material reuse. By overcoming and solving reuse material concerns, people are changing these processes—not only for good, but for the greater good.
The old-school design process is familiar: Schematic Design, Design Development and Construction Documents. But is something missing? Bayne Dickinson of Concordia Architects asks, “With no cost to projects, possible savings and LEED points, why wouldn't I run every project through your company? It's a great idea to open all projects up to more reuse opportunities.”
PlanetReuse is on a mission to encourage Reuse Development as a part of the process on every project, regardless of whether LEED certification is planned. Material reuse saves clients money, helps divert materials from landfills and provides great stories of reuse—without complicating the design process.
Reuse Development is a cost-free way to evaluate reclaimed material opportunities. By considering reuse opportunities earlier in the process, the scope of potential materials grows exponentially. And because the efforts happen in parallel with design work, there is no impact to the schedule.
In the new model, the design process becomes: Schematic Design, Reuse Development, Design Development and Construction Documents.
Here’s how it works: send PlanetReuse project drawings as PDFs—the earlier the better—with a project description or material lists if available. PlanetReuse assembles a summary of reclaimed materials for use on your project, including options like structural steel, access flooring, office furniture, carpet tile and many other items. Once identified and reviewed, the company coordinates photos, samples, purchase orders and shipping.
PlanetReuse is working with designers to reframe the typical process to include reuse development. “Sustainable designers want to do the right thing. Architects ask me to send them reminders about our services all the time, since it isn’t part of the traditional process—yet,” said PlanetReuse Principal + Founder Nathan Benjamin. “Material reuse doesn’t have to require additional budget or time, and it’s within the realm of possibility for all projects. We’re here to show people that it’s easy too.”
Last week’s Earth Day celebration marked a wonderful upsurge in attention to sustainable activities. Many cities planned week-long activities to increase awareness of recycling and energy efficiency, offering significant opportunities to educate youth and shift mindsets for daily routines.
The official holiday is also a good time to consider your personal and professional goals for aiding the planet throughout the year. The Earth Day mindset can certainly apply to the professional world, specifically in how projects are conceived and constructed. A major way to think sustainably in the building process is to source and specify local and regional materials. This cuts down on the fuel consumption and pollution necessary to truck materials long distances.
The USGBC’s LEED requirements have successfully promoted this practice by establishing criteria that encourages sourcing materials within a 500-mile radius. Cascadia’s Living Building Challenge Project requirements raise the bar by requiring all materials to be sourced from within a more restricted radii based on material weight (250, 500 and maximum of 1,000 miles from origin/source and project site). But even projects that aren’t pursuing certification can benefit from local and regional sourcing.
PlanetReuse works with clients to source materials as close to the project site as possible, both for sustainable and financial reasons. “Not only is it good for the environment, it also cuts down on the transportation costs,” said Tim Bensman, PlanetReuse Operations Manager. “Reduced shipping costs, a smaller carbon footprint and landfill diversion all in one makes sourcing local reclaimed materials an attractive choice.”
The company helped source and coordinate many reclaimed materials for the first two projects slated for Living Building Challenge certification in the Omega Center for Spiritual Living and the Tyson Research Center at Washington University. “Providing regional, reclaimed material options can go a long way in helping design teams hit their goals,” said Nathan Benjamin, PlanetReuse’s Principal + Founder.
Sourcing materials locally reduces your projects carbon footprint, an admirable goal whether or not you plan to pursue certification. Committing to this practice keeps the purpose of Earth Day—to promote a more sustainable world—active year round.
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PRESS RELEASE:
Charleston, SC – September 1, 2010 – GreenWizard, Inc., the largest collection of green building product data for intelligent material selection, and PlanetReuse, a consulting-and-brokering company focused on reclaimed, FSC, and excess new building materials, have formed a new alliance that makes reclaimed building materials even more accessible to architects, engineers, and contractors (AEC) focused on LEED credits and green-and-sustainable building.
Initially, PlanetReuse will list 20+ categories of reclaimed and excess new building products in GreenWizard’s database. A product specifier can request a product by category (e.g. wood, flooring, furniture, doors, etc.), and enter in their project location. With that information, the team at PlanetReuse will source the product from its regional inventory or actively search for the desired product in current demolition and salvage projects. The quality and quantity of the reclaimed products are assured by PlanetReuse.
PlanetReuse prefers to engage AEC firms, owners, and contractors during the design-and-preconstruction phases, because that’s the way to maximize LEED credits through local use, which takes advanced planning. PlanetReuse works at no cost to the design team during the design phase on projects, and its minimal brokering fee is included when materials are delivered to the new project, so PlanetReuse’s service is essentially free-of-charge. With planning, PlanetReuse clients typically obtain reused products for less than the cost of new.
“Only 6 to 8% of LEED-certified projects have ever obtained the LEED Materials Reuse credits, MRc3.1 or MRc3.2, which require that 5%-10% of materials have been installed previously,” explains Nathan Benjamin, PlanetReuse’s Principal + Founder. “We believe we can drive that number significantly higher. After all, it’s a relatively easy LEED credit to obtain when working through the process with partners like PlanetReuse and Green Wizard.”
“AEC firms are not adverse to using reclaimed materials, if they are quality- and quantity-assured,” explains GreenWizard’s Adam Bernholz. “Now, with PlanetReuse, those firms finally have a viable alternative materials source.”
About PlanetReuse
If you make using reclaimed material reuse easier, more people will do it. This simple but revolutionary goal drove the founders of PlanetReuse to create a new kind of company. Frustrated by the time and resources it took to track down salvaged materials for their own commercial projects, the PlanetReuse team took an entrepreneurial leap to uncover a solution for the entire built industry.
Initially an internet-based e-commerce material website, PlanetReuse has evolved into a consulting-and-brokering company focused on providing the insight, experience, and materials its clients need. With a well-defined and efficient process, PlanetReuse expertly matches materials with designers, builders, and owners to save projects money, serve LEED efforts, and sustain the planet. Under the leadership of founder Nathan Benjamin, the company has grown 300 percent in the last year. Learn more: www.PlanetReuse.com
About GreenWizard
GreenWizard Inc. is a technology company offering the most comprehensive web-based software platform for green building materials from thousands of manufacturers. GreenWizard’s WORKflow Pro software is the only data-driven workflow solution helping the design and construction community by putting search, compare, purchase, and LEED documentation capabilities at their fingertips. MARKET Pro software is the only data-driven marketing solution that brings green building products face to face with decision makers in the design and construction community actively engaged in projects. The Company employs a Service Oriented Architecture (SOA) software model delivered over the Internet for its process automation tool, communication center, business analytics, and interactive marketplace. Combined, this platform allows project participants to efficiently navigate the most comprehensive and up-to-date database of green building products, utilizing the most advanced analytical tools and information available in the market. The Charleston, SC-based company was founded in 2008. More info: www.GreenWizard.com.
Granite Pavers/Brick made from excess/discarded granite scrap - Perfect for commercial and residential installations, these brick cut from scrap granite countertop material are perfect for walkways, countertops, backsplashes, flooring, sidewalks, etc. Sustainable and durable solutions with great color selection, thickness options, and variety of finishes
Excess New CFL Lightolier Fixtures - 50% less than the price of new. Canceled project with single and dual-lamp fixtures still in original boxes available immediately. There are 350 of each type - excellent opportunity to save money!
To check out the latest flyer, click here.
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As a follow-up to his presentation to the International Interior Design Association (IIDA) -Wichita on June 15th, 2010, PlanetReuse continues its outreach efforts with design and construction professionals in the Wichita and Central Kansas region.
Please join for the luncheon at Water Center, 101 East Pawnee Street Wichita, KS.
Click here to register.
If you are curious about implementing deconstruction into future projects, have all of your questions answered on June 24th from 11:00 AM - 12:30 PM. WasteCap Resource Solutions & the Building Materials Reuse Association (BMRA) are teaming up to co-sponsor the webinar event, "Deconstruction Trends & Markets." During this time, experts in the realm of deconstruction will be available for an informative question & answer forum explaining more thoroughly the role that deconstruction material recycling can play in any prospective project.
This discussion will feature moderator Jenna Kunde of WasteCap Resource Solutions, Inc., Chuck Goddard, Dubuque Metropolitan Area Administrator, Thomas Napier, Research Architect of the Construction Engineering Research Lab US Army Corps of Engineers, and Nathan Benjamin of PlanetReuse. These experts will be able to share their knowledge of the industry and help participants explore potential marketing realms. Member discounts are available to WasteCap and BMRA membership but all are welcome to be a part of this beneficial session! For more information on Thursday's event, click here.
This year, the 2010 National Demolition Association Annual Convention was held at The Mirage in Las Vegas March 20-23. The NDA convention hosted many events which included the Exhibit Hall, Golf Tournament, speakers, and various breakout sessions. The Mirage Exhibit Hall boasted the ability to accommodate demolition equipment of any size from "everyone involved in the demolition process from around the globe."
As yet another sign that things are changing across all industries when it comes to sustainability, breakout sessions about sustainability and speakers engaged throughout the conference were equally as impressive. In addition to many other great sessions, one session explained the importance of LEED certification and was delivered exclusively to those involved with the demolition process as opposed to deconstruction. In the session, Nathan Benjamin was afforded the opportunity to speak about the significance of salvaging materials alongside John Lloyd of Lloyd's Construction Services Inc., and Jason Haus of Dem-Con Cos. LLC. It created a great dialog that received great feedback and questions. To get another perspective on this year's annual convention, click here for a wrap-up by "Recycling Today."
Will the new lead paint regulations keep us safe and healthy? Will they be cost-effective? Will they encourage Demolition as opposed to Deconstruction?
Renovation, repair, and painting has gotten a little bit safer with the newest EPA lead paint regulations which can be found in the "Amendment to Opt-Out and Recordkeeping Provisions." Currently lead poisoning is still the most widespread environmental disease affecting Americans, children and adults alike. As we all know, lead paint can have catastrophic effects on young children, thus, the recent amendment seeks to lessen the chances of putting children under the age of 6 and pregnant women in harms way. The regulation will do away with the "opt-out" provision and instead hold any contractors/landlords responsible for performing renovation, repair or painting projects that could potentially disturb lead based paint in homes, schools, apartment buildings or child care facilities built before 1978. Exceptions to the rule include repairing less than six square feet of an interior, less than twenty square feet of an exterior or if the child occupied facility or home were built after 1978.
To perform the projects successfully and legally, the contractors/landlords must be certified & follow specific work practices to prevent lead contamination. Under new regulation, there are very specific methods for setting up a containment area, disposing of waste and cleaning up which must all be supervised by the "Renovator." Other changes to take place will be the prohibition of open-flame burning of lead-based paint, allowing only HEPA exhaust controlled power tools for removal, and the operation of heat guns will be strictly limited to 1,100 degrees Farenheit or below on lead-based paint. Along with new work practices and certification standards, contractors/landlords must also provide the owner, occupants, and/or operator of child-occupied facility with a copy of the records which verify compliance.
By July 6th, contractors will need to complete the application for certification and at least one employee will need to be licensed as a "Certified Renovator." This single employee must attend an eight-hour class with two hours of hands-on training to be certified for five years. Upon certification, the "Renovator" will then be presented with the task of educating and training co-workers as well as supervising work practices and cleaning. To re-validate their certification after the five years is up, the "Renovator" must participate in a four-hour continuing education refresher course.
Noncompliance comes with an expensive price-tag, can range to upwards of $37,000/day, and if a child comes into contact with lead particles or contracts lead poisoning, this will now leave the contractor legally liable.
If you have any more questions pertaining to the new regulations, click here to see the new EPA policy in full.
This past month has been filled with fantastic sustainability conferences. To start off, PlanetReuse traveled to Seattle, Washington to attend the Cascadia Region Green Building Council Living Future Conference. Keynote speakers included Jason F. McLennan and Dr. John Francis, PhD. CEO of Cascadia GBC, McLennan annnounced during his presentation an interesting challenge to sustainability called the Living City Design Competition. To the most inspiring, informative entries, $125,000 in cash prizes awaits. Dr. Francis then shared with the audience many experiences which helped inspire his book Planetwalker. Dr. Francis helped with the 1971 oil spill in the San Francisco Bay scrubbing petroleum-covered beaches and creatures. Afterwards, he began a pact of no longer using any form of transportation that required petroleum and began traveling the country on-foot which later initiated a vow of silence. A fascinating presentation from an exceptionally interesting person. Many Living Building Challenge projects were reviewed and discussed in a very collaborative format throughout the conference. The Tyson Living Learning Future Project in St. Louis, MO, striving to be one of the first Living Building Challenge-certified projects, shared their successes as well as their struggles in a panel discussion with project Architect Dan Hellmuth with Hellmuth + Bicknese, Neil Myers with Williams Creek Consulting and Nathan Benjamin with PlanetReuse.
Next up was the USGBC Federal Summit which was held in Washington D.C. Among many others, speaking at the conference was the U.S. General Services Administration's Martha N. Johnson who announced the zero environmental footprint target for the U.S. GSA in her presentation. Nathan also got the opportunity to moderate a great panel in a session titled "Building Material Reuse - Successful Models and Future Tools" with Darin Headrick of Greensburg School, Liz Ogbu of Public Architecture, and Ted Huang with Webor Builders. To view their entire Federal Summit presentation, click here. It was great to see the excitement in the over 750 attendees from offices in DC and around the country that can really make change in Federal sustainable policies and procedures.
Then there was Greening the Heartland which took place in Minneapolis, MN. Perfect weather coupled with a great line-up of speakers and activities, this was a great conference. While there, Nathan spread the word about reclaimed materials reuse in his session "Reclaimed Material Reuse: Bridging the Gap Between Want and Need", met many great forward-thinking sustainable firms and companies, and heard a great presentation by keynote speaker Cameron Sinclair of Architecture for Humanity.
During the month of May, there was no shortage of beneficial sustainability conferences occurring around the nation. Despite the recession and budget cuts, it is great to see that sustainability is pushing forward with interest, support, and valuable conversation from coast to coast.
Steel Reuse in New Commercial Construction?? Never seen it before? Don't think it's possible? You're going to see it more and more as designers look beyond the easy recycling option of structural steel.
In the May 2010 issue of Modern Steel Construction you can read "Reclaimed Structural Steel and LEED Credit MR 3 - Materials Reuse", a great progressive article by Erika Winters-Downey with the AISC. Erika examines associated costs, testing, carbon footprint information, and the open communication between the steel fabricator and the Engineer of Record. She also discusses how, "reclaiming and reusing steel products provides a strong environmental option not available with many other construction materials." Great research and data to support a change in thought that needs to happen more and more. PlanetReuse was happy to help with research and provide information to help push the reuse industry further forward with materials that are commonly overlooked.
To read the article in it's entirety, click on the images or go here and flip to page 64.
This past weekend, the Kansas City Star featured the local sustainable furniture designers of Edwin Blue on the front page of the House and Home section. This environmentally-conscious company was able to turn their designs into a reality with a little help from PlanetReuse. We supplied Edwin Blue with enough sinker cypress to complete their entire first collection, 'Rise' which will be released in New York City at the 2011 International Contemporary Furniture Fair. Two other local outdoor furniture companies mentioned in the article are Acronym Designs and Studiobuild which both share a work-space in Overland Park. Founders Jared Foster of Studiobuild and Andrew Dickson of Acronym explain more about their re-purposed materials of choice in the article which you can find in it's entirety here. Enjoy!
The 7th annual Greening the Heartland conference will be held in Minneapolis on May 19-21. This years' theme will be "Bridging" since it is now being held by both the USGBC of Minnesota and Minnesota Green Communities. Keynote for the conference will be the executive director and co-founder of Architecture for Humanity, Cameron Sinclair. Other than offering the opportunity to hear esteemed speakers, there will also be a USGBC-Heartland Regional Council meeting, workshops, sessions and tours of notable downtown Minneapolis architecture. Nathan Benjamin will be speaking on the topic of, 'Reclaimed Material Reuse: Bridging the Gap Between Have and Need' as part of the 'Holistic Green Track' sessions offered on Friday, the 21st.
The varying events scheduled at this conference will help to create an experience for attendees that will enrich their knowledge of sustainability, environmental protection, green building, social justice, LEED and Green Communities criteria. Check out more information on this must-attend event here.
Traditionally, material reuse in commercial construction has been subject to mis-perceptions that limited the practice. But as the movement progresses, times change. And as many sustainably-minded professionals have demonstrated over the years, when you perpetuate beneficial adjustments to the system, the system responds.
This same approach is revolutionizing the way people view material reuse. By overcoming and solving reuse material concerns, people are changing these processes—not only for good, but for the greater good.
The old-school design process is familiar: Schematic Design, Design Development and Construction Documents. But is something missing? Bayne Dickinson of Concordia Architects asks, “With no cost to projects, possible savings and LEED points, why wouldn't I run every project through your company? It's a great idea to open all projects up to more reuse opportunities.”
PlanetReuse is on a mission to encourage Reuse Development as a part of the process on every project, regardless of whether LEED certification is planned. Material reuse saves clients money, helps divert materials from landfills and provides great stories of reuse—without complicating the design process.
Reuse Development is a cost-free way to evaluate reclaimed material opportunities. By considering reuse opportunities earlier in the process, the scope of potential materials grows exponentially. And because the efforts happen in parallel with design work, there is no impact to the schedule.
In the new model, the design process becomes: Schematic Design, Reuse Development, Design Development and Construction Documents.
Here’s how it works: send PlanetReuse project drawings as PDFs—the earlier the better—with a project description or material lists if available. PlanetReuse assembles a summary of reclaimed materials for use on your project, including options like structural steel, access flooring, office furniture, carpet tile and many other items. Once identified and reviewed, the company coordinates photos, samples, purchase orders and shipping.
PlanetReuse is working with designers to reframe the typical process to include reuse development. “Sustainable designers want to do the right thing. Architects ask me to send them reminders about our services all the time, since it isn’t part of the traditional process—yet,” said PlanetReuse Principal + Founder Nathan Benjamin. “Material reuse doesn’t have to require additional budget or time, and it’s within the realm of possibility for all projects. We’re here to show people that it’s easy too.”
The official holiday is also a good time to consider your personal and professional goals for aiding the planet throughout the year. The Earth Day mindset can certainly apply to the professional world, specifically in how projects are conceived and constructed. A major way to think sustainably in the building process is to source and specify local and regional materials. This cuts down on the fuel consumption and pollution necessary to truck materials long distances.
The USGBC’s LEED requirements have successfully promoted this practice by establishing criteria that encourages sourcing materials within a 500-mile radius. Cascadia’s Living Building Challenge Project requirements raise the bar by requiring all materials to be sourced from within a more restricted radii based on material weight (250, 500 and maximum of 1,000 miles from origin/source and project site). But even projects that aren’t pursuing certification can benefit from local and regional sourcing.
PlanetReuse works with clients to source materials as close to the project site as possible, both for sustainable and financial reasons. “Not only is it good for the environment, it also cuts down on the transportation costs,” said Tim Bensman, PlanetReuse Operations Manager. “Reduced shipping costs, a smaller carbon footprint and landfill diversion all in one makes sourcing local reclaimed materials an attractive choice.”
The company helped source and coordinate many reclaimed materials for the first two projects slated for Living Building Challenge certification in the Omega Center for Spiritual Living and the Tyson Research Center at Washington University. “Providing regional, reclaimed material options can go a long way in helping design teams hit their goals,” said Nathan Benjamin, PlanetReuse’s Principal + Founder.
Sourcing materials locally reduces your projects carbon footprint, an admirable goal whether or not you plan to pursue certification. Committing to this practice keeps the purpose of Earth Day—to promote a more sustainable world—active year round.