The ReUse People Of America
We reduce the solid waste stream and change the way the built environment is renewed by salvaging building materials and distributing them for reuse.
The ReUse People is a 501(c)3 nonprofit organization.
Help Safeguard The Environment!
About Us
Since 1993
Since 1993, architects, contractors, building owners and federal, state, and local governments have relied on TRP to keep reusable and recyclable building materials out of overburdened landfills. When a building is de-constructed (rather than demolished), up to 80 percent of the materials can be salvaged and channeled back into the marketplace through donations and sales at TRP’s network of retail outlets.
4,000+
Houses Deconstructed for Reusable Materials
Materials from over 4,000 houses and other buildings have been acquired and distributed by TRP to salvage reusable materials. This has prevented vast amounts of building materials from ending up in landfills.
400,000+
Tons of Waste Diverted From Landfills
TRP has diverted over 400,000 tons of reusable materials from landfills, helping to reduce our footprint on the planet as well as provide repurposed materials for construction.
500+
Workers and Contractors Trained
TRP has trained and certified over 500 unemployed, underemployed, and disadvantaged workers, as well as over 70 contractors who in turn create needed construction jobs.
Our Services
What We Do
TRP offers the following green services and products:
- Building materials donation and deconstruction options
- Building materials collection
- Building materials distribution
- Great deals on reclaimed building materials and lumber
- Project management
- Training
- Consulting services
- Reuse and recycling plans
Promote Deconstruction
Many contractors offer this environmentally friendly option over demolition, with benefits to the building owner, the community, and local landfills.
Retail Sales
TRP sells quality building materials, including lumber, cabinets, toilets, sinks, doors, windows, appliances and more at great prices while helping the environment.
Consulting & Training
TRP offers training programs designed to meet the needs of those interested in preserving resources and diverting reusable materials from the solid waste stream.
President’s Blog
Latest TRP News
The Evolution of Contemporary Deconstruction
In my distant days as a partner within Creative Business Strategies, I focused on raising money for entrepreneurs and developing new technical and...
Building for Deconstruction: Three Things to Avoid
While preparing to write January’s Velvet Crowbar, I decided to do some internet research. When I conducted a Google search on Design for...
Michigan Boosts TRP Footprint in the Midwest
Several years ago TRP made an invited foray into Chicago, establishing The ReUse People of Illinois. Within a few years that office became a leader...
The Promise of Commercial Deconstruction Revisited
Six months have passed since I wrote about the importance of commercial deconstruction and materials salvage, in an earlier e-letter. Since then,...
More on Deconstruction Ordinances and Bylaws
Earlier this month I was invited to the historic town of Victoria to give two workshops for a range of people tasked with implementing the city’s...
A Case for Destructive Testing, or What’s Behind That Wall?
A fascinating Google alert recently landed in my in-box. When I read the title, “235-Year-Old Home Deconstruction,” the first thought that jumped...
Oakland’s Community-Sized Adaptive Reuse Project
My journey from finance and investment banking, to deconstruction and building-materials salvage necessitated that I examine the historic,...
The Future Is in Commercial Building Materials
When TRP launched some 30 years ago, I didn’t give a thought to commercial building materials. Eleven years later, after deconstructing elaborate...