The ReUse People

The ReUse People of America reduces the solid waste stream and changes the way the built environment is renewed by salvaging building materials and distributing them for reuse. - Learn More …

The Gillette Castle: A Salvager's Dream

Submitted by Ted Reiff on Tue, 07/13/2010 - 14:42

I was in New Haven recently, conducting a modified version of the TRP 14-day training workshop, "An Introduction to Deconstruction." On the weekend I discovered the salvager's ultimate residential treasure trove -- the Gillette Castle, named for its creator, William Gillette (1853-1937), the famous American actor, director and producer who brought Sherlock Holmes to life on the world stages.

 

This Old House Will Help Build New Ones

From the outside, it might looks merely like a rundown house is coming down in New Haven's Fair Haven section, but to Ted Reiff, it’s promise for the future.

Nail by nail, the house is coming down with great care because someone will be turning parts of the old house into something new.

The Crucial Role of TRP Retail Partners

Submitted by Ted Reiff on Wed, 06/02/2010 - 00:00

Seventeen years ago, in June 1993, we began writing the business plan that launched The ReUse People. Part of our vision was a chain of salvage yards and warehouses from San Diego to Brownsville and then expanding north to the Canadian Border and east to the Atlantic. As most of you know, our expansion hasn't that systematic -- at least not geographically. However, the fact that it has happened at all is a tribute to our partner retail-warehouses, some of which I would like to recognize today.

How to Get Long-Term Results Using NSP Funds

Submitted by Ted Reiff on Mon, 05/10/2010 - 15:27

With the second round of Neighborhood Stabilization Program (NSP) funds now being distributed, cities have an opportunity to capitalize on both the long- and short-term benefits of the program. In addition to the rehabilitation of low-income housing, the funds can be used for demolition or, preferably, deconstruction.

Using NSP money for deconstruction has several immediate benefits:

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The ReUse People in Action.

Since 1993, architects, contractors and building owners have relied on TRP to keep reusable and recyclable building materials out of overburdened landfills. By de-constructing (instead of demolishing) a building, TRP is able to salvage up to 80 percent of the materials and channel them back into the marketplace through donations and sales at its network of retail outlets. These services are among the first steps in the green building process. Furthermore, tax-deductible donations of reusable materials to TRP, a nonprofit 501(c)3 corporation, provide a faster payback and better return-on-investment than any other product or service offered by the green building industry.

In addition to deconstruction and building-materials salvage and sales, TRP offers deconstruction training programs and "best practices" consulting through The ReUse Institute. Together, these products and services combine exemplary environmental practices with sound economic policies, to the benefit of communities and individuals everywhere.