Incentives for Deconstruction By
Ted Reiff
Last year I wrote an article for San Jose Magazine comparing
demolition -- you know, big wrecking balls,
excavators and bulldozers -- with deconstruction.
I suggested that maybe there ought to be a mandatory waiting
period before the bulldozers arrive. Like the interlude
before a divorce is final, the waiting period would allow
time to think about saving the old relic (the house, not
the marriage).
However, since I don't want to encourage further
regulatory burdens in our already over-regulated society,
I have adjusted my thinking a little. Instead of more paperwork
and mandatory waiting periods, think about an incentive
program like this:
When a homeowner applies for a demolition permit, the application
could be automatically handled as a deconstruction request
-- as a first step. The permit would allow the
homeowner to obtain one or more bids to deconstruct and
salvage the components of the home, just as the owner (or
building contractor) would do for demolition.
If the bidding results demonstrated that deconstruction
was uneconomical, a demolition permit would be immediately
issued with no questions asked and no additional fees. However,
if deconstruction proved feasible and was chosen over demolition,
the homeowner would receive a discount on permits for the
new home based on the money saved by not throwing materials
in the landfill.
For example, if the materials from the house weighed 25
tons and, through deconstruction, 20 tons were to be kept
out of the landfill, the building permit would be reduced
by 20 times the local landfill per-ton fee.
Typically landfill fees range from $35/ton to $70/ton.
Using a median price of $52 per ton, the homeowner would
receive a discount of $1,040.00. As an extra bonus for doing
the right thing, the local building department would put
the homeowner's plans on the fast-track, ahead of those
who don't deconstruct.
How's that for an idea?
The next time you hear or read about municipal officials
fretting over state-mandated diversion guidelines and the
fines they'll face for not meeting them, tell them about
my incentive plan.
Throwing away good stuff simply does not make sense when
useable building materials have a greater value than the
cost of disposal. Practically everything in today's buildings
is gaining value. TRP salvages lumber, cabinets, doors,
windows, appliances, carpeting, sinks, toilets, lights,
bath tubs, wood siding, plywood, OSB, and a whole bunch
of other great stuff.
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