Even the most efficient construction produces a lot of wood waste. After raw lumber is shaped into a beautiful new home or remodel, board ends and random scraps are typically sent straight to the dump.
So how are we tackling this big challenge in the construction industry?
At our historic Loom House job site on Bainbridge Island, we are finding a better way – a kinder, environmentally conscious method of dealing with construction waste. At this Living Building Challenge remodel, our team is taking the time to separate out untreated waste pieces – those without coating, paint or preservative – and divert them to recyclers, who will turn these scraps into useful biomass or mulch.
We also salvage old siding and paneling via selective demolition, removing all nails and fasteners by hand. That way, these extra materials can be used for new siding on the home.
Other fixtures left over from the remodel – cabinets, windows and doors, vanities, hand railings – have gone to Habitat for Humanity for a second life in new affordable homes.
All told, we have sent waste and unwanted materials from the Loom House to more than a half-dozen vendors and contractors to be reused and recycled for other projects! Yes, this takes extra time and effort. But at Clark, we believe that keeping leftover wood products out of the disposal stream is just good policy — the kind of care and high standards our clients appreciate.
