SPRING 1999     Inside: • FAST, A New Approach to Pre-Purchase Site Assessments • New BC WCB Regulation Highlights • Building Material Diversion • Health & Safety Challenges in Argetina BUILDING MATERIAL DIVERSION By John Holland, P.Eng., C.Eng.     In line with the current trend towards recycling and reuse there has been a growing trend in many parts of the world towards building deconstruction. Deconstruction is a process that encourages the careful dismantling of a structure scheduled for demolition and re-uses its components in different structures. BC Environment, the Greater Vancouver Regional District and Capital Regional District have initiated several seminars over the last twelve months to encourage stakeholder involvement in this process. I have spoken on the environmental aspects of material diversion at two of the three seminars given. Minimize what's in this landfill.     The motivations and barriers to this process are many. There is a renewed interest in restoration type building components. A large network of used building material dealers has set up across North America encouraging pre-demolition sales. The systematic handling of hazardous materials is prioritized as the building dismantling has become more carefully planned. The deconstruction process normally costs the same as conventional demolition but it takes longer and consumes more labour and less demolition equipment, thus bringing enhanced employment benefits.     The deconstruction process is actively encouraged on some projects in Canada. The Department of National Defense requires a 3R Plan as part of the tender package. Several other public sector owners are following suit. However the vast majority of buildings are still demolished the conventional way.     In classic building demolition, however, the time that deconstruction consumes adds costs to a project where a development permit has been issued and every day lost is an interest cost and a delay in bringing the new building to market. Tax assessments are calculated on a higher scale when the structure is standing and can only be abated when the site is level. Landfill fees are generally as low for construction waste as for single source (i.e. household wood) waste.     Some currently proposed initiatives are listed below: Full cycle accounting ­ looking at the full cost of a recycled product versus a new one and applying tax credits to the recycled product. Enhancing the National Building Code to make recycled products easier to design in to a project. Educate building inspectors on these changes. Applying a lower permit fee to deconstruction vs demolition. Enforce hazardous material pre-deconstruction survey system. Enforce consistent disposal requirements on private landfills. Require bonds prior to demolition/deconstruction permits being issued. Fast track deconstruction permits. Allow deconstruction permit before demolition permit. Design buildings for ultimate deconstruction rather than demolition. Advertise portable products more widely using the World Wide Web providing free advice on construction to potential purchasers of deconstructed items. Modify municipal bylaws to allow on site sales.