EPA - Example Government Climate Action Plans that Address Materials Management and Waste (2024)

• Description: "EPA maintains a list of Climate Action Plans from states, Tribes, and local governments with materials management and waste actions. The examples below are not comprehensive, but give you an idea of what you can replicate in your community."
  • Filter by "Built Environment: Deconstruction and Reducing Construction and Demolition Materials"

There is no such place as away: Residential deconstruction as a method for waste diversion in Canada’s built environment - Alex Velsink, Master of Natural Resources Management thesis (2024)

• Description: "This research explores the barriers for deconstruction programs and policies for large, Canadian municipalities, how to overcome those barriers, and establishes a framework for moving forward in a municipal setting, working with the City of Edmonton for a real-world application. The results show that deconstruction has a small foothold in Canada and the US, but there are some leading-edge and developing examples. My framework builds on these and offers a path for actioning residential building deconstruction that can have a significant impact on reducing CRD waste going to landfills.
• Links:
  • Velsink_Residential Decon in Canada_Thesis.pdf (2.38 MB)
  • Velsink_Residential Decon in Canada_Thesis Summary.pdf (7 MB)

Urban Sustainability Directors Network (USDN) - Encouraging and Mandating Building Deconstruction

• Description: Value proposition, potential city roles, challenges and potential solutions, evaluation/effectiveness, further resources.  

EPA - Large-Scale Residential Demolition - Reuse and Recycling Opportunities and Demolition

• Description: Deconstruction and reuse, recycling, markets, greening vacant lots

MPCA Deconstruction "Request for Proposal Template'' (2023)

• Developed by: Minnesota Pollution Control Agency (MPCA)
• Description: This template was created for Minnesota cities, counties, tribal organizations, businesses, and organizations to facilitate the Request for Proposal process for more sustainable building removal opportunities: partial or full deconstruction of a building or structure. It has been successfully used by Sherburne County, MN. 

Colorado Construction, Demolition & Deconstruction Policy Toolkit (2023)

• Description: "The toolkit can assist local government staff and policymakers in developing diversion programs for the built environment which significantly contributes to climate and zero waste planning efforts. The toolkit provides a step-by-step process to develop policies to manage C&D materials - from research through policy development, program implementation and ongoing management."

Which Buildings are “Worth” Disassembling? An Analysis of American Deconstruction Ordinances (Wyeth Augustine-Marceil, 2023)

• Description: "Through interviews with local representatives, analysis of ordinance language, and review of city progress reports, this research explores the origins of the ordinances, the thinking that shaped them, and their eventual outcomes. This work provides a survey of American ordinances, challenges prevailing assumptions, and provides recommendations for other municipalities considering deconstruction."

Ithaca CR0WD Deconstruction Local Policy Guide (2023)

• Description: Recommendations to support deconstruction; best practices in salvage, reuse, and deconstruction; draft sustainable deconstruction resolution; model deconstruction, salvage, and reuse ordinance.

Ithaca CR0WD Deconstruction Local Policy Guide (2022)

• Description: A guide for local government. Evaluating demolition versus deconstruction practices; policy lessons from municipalities around the US; first steps for your community.

Guidebook for U.S. Municipalities to create and Implement Deconstruction and Building Material Reuse Infrastructure (2022)

• Description: "Guidebook for small and medium sized municipalities in the U.S. to use to help create and implement their own deconstruction and building materials reuse infrastructure" based on a literature review, three conferences and nineteen interviews of industry professionals.
• Read the paper here

C40 Knowledge Implementation Guides - How to start deconstructing and stop demolishing your city’s buildings (2021)

• Description: C40 Cities Climate Leadership Group / C40 Knowledge Hub's article on how cities can support deconstruction and building material reuse.

US Green Building Council City Salvage and Reuse Policy Brief (2019)

• Description: Environmental, economic, social benefits of deconstruction; important considerations in developing deconstruction plans at a city level; case study of Portland.

Deconstruction and Building Material Reuse: A Tool for Local Governments & Economic Development Practitioners (2018)

• Description: Resource by the Delta Institute. Includes: Deconstruction 101, glossary of deconstruction terms, how to conduct a deconstruction assessment, how to design a pilot project, etc. all the way to how to create deconstruction policy support.