Build Reuse Selected for EPA Funding to Advance Material Reuse Industry
$6.6 Million Grant is Largest Investment in Our Organization’s 30-Year History
“We are hungry for better data on the carbon reduction and whole-system advantages of reused materials as compared with alternatives. Reused / refurbished / remanufactured products tend to have substantially lower embodied greenhouse gas emissions when compared to equivalent new products. Gaining EPD data on these important reuse options in procurement will help to increase their viability and competitiveness. The increasing reuse of building products will enable progress towards the US Federal government and local communities’ greenhouse gas emission reduction goals across the US and for many future generations.”
—Amanda Kaminsky, Director of Sustainable Construction at Lendlease Americas, New York
Reused and salvaged materials are generally understood to have the lowest carbon footprint among all construction materials, but a standardized approach to creating EPDs for reused and salvaged materials — akin to nutritional labels for building materials — doesn't exist. Lack of this formal/critical information has limited the widespread use of reused materials in the commercial construction marketplace.
With this EPA funding, Build Reuse will provide funding and support to material reuse operations to develop hundreds of EPDs for reused and salvaged materials. The resulting EPD collection will allow reused and salvaged materials to be evaluated and compete against newly manufactured materials, demonstrating the role reused materials can play in boosting local economies, workforces, and communities and the environment/climate resiliency/other wording as preferred.
"Reclaimed construction materials play a key role in decarbonization of the built environment while providing lasting benefits for communities," said Lindsay Baker, CEO of the International Living Future Institute. "The work that Build Reuse will be doing through this grant — quantifying impact and smoothing pathways to effective procurement — will help scale the adoption of reuse."
For 30 years, Build Reuse has served as the national nonprofit working to advance building material reuse in communities across the United States. This is the largest and most impactful grant awarded to Build Reuse, which will allow the organization to expand its capacity and build a stronger, more knowledgeable network of salvage and reuse professionals.
Build Reuse applauds the EPA for selecting numerous projects that focus on advancing material reuse, including several Build Reuse members.
For more information, read the full
EPA press release
Build Reuse is honored to be one of thirty-eight organizations selected to receive U.S. Environmental Protection Agency funding aimed at reducing greenhouse gas emissions for construction materials. Build Reuse is a national nonprofit established in 1994 that serves as the premier national organization encouraging the recovery, reuse, and recycling of building materials in the United States. Beginning in late 2024 and taking place over a 5-year period, Build Reuse will work with the building material reuse industry to gather data and develop Environmental Product Declarations (EPDs) for salvaged construction materials. An EPD provides at-a-glance information about a product’s carbon footprint.
While construction materials and products have numerous social and economic benefits, they currently have significant environmental costs. The U.S. industrial sector is linked to nearly a third of annual U.S. greenhouse (GHG) emissions, and the production of construction materials accounts for 15% of annual global GHG emissions. Reducing embodied carbon from construction materials is essential to effectively addressing climate change. Architects and designers are increasingly prioritizing low embodied carbon materials for projects, driven by initiatives like the Federal Buy Clean Initiative, building performance rating systems, and other institutional policies and guidelines.
US EPA’s nationwide undertaking to scale the development of EPDs will accelerate demand for construction products with lower greenhouse gas emissions and make it easier for federal, state and local governments and other institutional buyers to ensure the construction projects they fund use climate-friendly products and materials.
“The reuse industry will now be able to measure its carbon impact and show why reusing the materials we already have is a better choice for our planet and our communities,” said Shannon Goodman, Build Reuse President and Executive Director of Lifecycle Building Center in Atlanta. “Demonstrating the quantifiable value of reuse will generate additional investment to transform our reuse infrastructure so this practice can become the standard, not the anomaly.”
“As an early adopter of EPDs in North America, Interface has long supported transparency in building materials’ environmental impacts, and we are excited to see how EPDs for reused and salvaged materials drive design decisions." This research and partnership will allow the design community to better account for how reuse and circularity strategies support supply chain decarbonization, economic development, and community impact."
— Joey Shea, Manager, North American Sustainability at Interface
“As a long-term member of Build Reuse, we believe that this award, along with the awards that Rebuilding Exchange and other trail-blazing organizations have received, will drive transformative change in the national landscape of building materials and reuse. It's also a unique opportunity to provide workforce training to members of our community and support their aspirations to access careers in related fields, including construction. We are excited to collaborate with Build Reuse for significant environmental, economic, and social impact on this project."
Aina Gutierrez, Executive Director Rebuilding Exchange
Chicago
“The embodied (scope 3) emissions of our built environment are one of the greatest sources of GHG emissions in American cities. Any credible effort to reach the Paris Goals needs efforts like this one from Build Reuse. We are big fans of what BuildReuse does and are so happy to see that the EPA is putting resources into this important lever for decarbonizing our buildings.”
Andrew McCue, Strategic Initiatives, Office of the CEO
Metabolic
“For 30 years, members of Build Reuse have worked tirelessly to combat climate change by rescuing and repurposing building materials to benefit our communities. This grant acknowledges our dedicated efforts and will provide the critical data and funding needed to help the reuse industry expand its impact as a leading force in addressing the climate crisis and local resilience.”
Nicole Tai, CEO GreenLynx
Santa Rosa, California
"Build Reuse is a national treasure! THE authority, a critical lifeline, and crucial reservoir of knowledge for the building material reuse economy in the US. WasteCap is proud to serve as a Wisconsin connection for Build Reuse and keep useful material out of the landfill!"
Dan Hartsig, Executive Director WasteCap
Milwaukee, Wisconsin
“We’re thrilled that Build Reuse has earned EPA grant funding. Its deep connections and extensive network within the reuse industry make it the perfect organization to utilize these funds and continue to increase its impact on our industry.”
Anna Perks, Owner and Founder
Perks Deconstruction
Commerce City, Colorado
“I'm delighted to learn that the EPA sees value in the work of Build Reuse and is funding a new phase of these efforts. I think Build Reuse's circularity and material reuse efforts are important because they are holistic -- connecting building materials with local economies and people. This EPA support will help expand the positive impact of this work."
Kira Gould, Consultant
Kira Gould CONNECT
“Since its inception, Build Reuse has been the rally point for organizations promoting deconstruction and material reuse. I can’t wait to see the impact this new funding will have on expanding the reuse industry sector.”
Jeff Carroll, CEO
Urban Wood Economy
“The lack of transparent information about the environmental impacts of salvaged construction materials is one of the major barriers to create a more circular building sector in the U.S. Build Reuse’s project has the potential to change that by creating standards on how to document and disclose this information. This step is critical to help policymakers and building designers to make informed decisions and promote circular buildings and cities. I'm beyond excited to support this project!”
Fernanda Cruz Rios, Associate Professor
Drexel University
"Community Forklift celebrates the EPA grant award to Build Reuse. This award is an inflection point for the building material reuse industry. The data and outcomes generated through this project will inform, guide, and strengthen the work of reuse nonprofits and Build Reuse members like Community Forklift, and will ultimately have a measurable impact in reducing climate pollution while supporting local communities.”
Trey Davis, Executive Director Community Forklift
Hyattsville, Maryland
“As a sponsor of Build Reuse, we at Mannington Commercial recognize the potential for material reuse organizations to extend the life of durable building products and create social and economic capacity in local communities. Advancing the decarbonization potential of reused materials is vital to our nation’s decarbonization strategy.”
Shane Totten, VP of Sustainability Mannington Commercial