Sustainable Materials Management (SMM) Web Academy Webinar: Construction and Demolition Materials Markets - Identifying Opportunities Regionally and Locally
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Webinar Description
July 31, 2019
Construction and demolition (C&D) material comprise a significant portion of the national waste stream, and reuse and recycling of this material can generate economic opportunity when recovered and returned to the local economy. A better understanding of materials available regionally and locally may help businesses create better long-term plans and goals for utilizing this material. Local governments and the communities they serve can also benefit from this information when there is a growing interest in enacting policies that prioritize material reuse and recycling over landfilling.
Delta Institute has been exploring the potential volume, value, and end markets for building materials available for recycling and reuse in the Midwest, and opportunities on a local scale in St. Louis, MO where the city and other organizations have shown a growing interest in deconstruction as an option for blight removal.
In partnership with Delta Institute and the St. Louis Development Corporation, Eric Schwarz, deconstruction practitioner and director of the St. Louis based materials warehouse Refab, has been working to grow deconstruction and building material reuse efforts in St. Louis. In winter 2019, Refab was awarded the first publicly funded deconstruction to occur in the St. Louis, a 30,000 sq. ft. warehouse built prior to 1890.
Participants on this webinar will come away with a better understanding of the available construction and demolition materials recycling and reuse end use markets, methodologies and strategies for planning and implementing deconstruction and building material reuse programs, and more information about the exciting work taking place in St. Louis.
Video: Construction and Demolition Materials Markets - Identifying Opportunities Regionally and Locally
Speakers
Martin Brown (Delta Institute - Specialist, Programs) has experience managing and supporting deconstruction, waste reduction and community projects. Martin recently oversaw the Cook County Solid Waste Management Plan Update where he was responsible for conducting research on trends in waste management in Cook County and providing recommendations for improving waste diversion in the future. Martin has worked on building materials reuse projects in St. Louis and Gary, Indiana. In addition, he provides technical and programmatic support and GIS expertise for Delta’s projects. Martin holds a B.A in Environmental Studies from Ithaca College.
Megan Walton (Delta Institute - Associate, Programs) works in Delta’s Waste Reduction and Community Resiliency portfolios with experience in facilitation, research, writing, and stakeholder outreach. Megan holds a M.S in Public Service Management from DePaul University and a B.A. in Art History from Trinity University in San Antonio. Megan has developed several waste publications the Cook County Solid Waste Management Plan Update, Deconstruction and Building Material Reuse: A Tool for Local Government and Economic Development Practitioners, and the St. Louis Deconstruction Market Assessment.
Eric Schwarz (ReFab Director)- Refab creates training and employment opportunities through the sustainable practices of deconstruction, refabrication, and resale. Rather than use machines to demolish buildings and landfill perfectly good materials, they use people power to quickly and carefully disassemble structures and make quality, affordable materials available to their customers.