Filed under: Design, etc, Architecture
Wait, don't swing! Photo: ptkphoto, Getty RF.
Eco-lingo is being tossed around left and right these days. We're demystifying common terms to help you figure out which words are the real deal... and which are just green jargon.
Today's word: Deconstruction
Definition: Also known as "green demolition", deconstruction means taking a soon-to-be demolished house apart, piece by piece, and saving the remains, from the ceiling fans to the floorboards. Those items are then saved from a fate in a landfill and can instead be donated or sold to someone who really digs those stained glass windows, or is in desperate need of some cabinets.
Think of it as refusing to throw out the baby with the bathwater when it comes to bulldozing a house. Instead of knocking it down in a few hits and trashing all the remains, you're saving resources that have the potential to provide use (and joy!) to others. All while shrinking your footprint.
So what's the downside here? Well, if you've gone through the process -- or can imagine it -- it's pretty obvious that time is an issue. This Old House reminds us that deconstruction can take up to two or three times longer than regular demolition. Wow! But consider the good you'll be doing by taking that extra time: According to the Deconstruction Institute US companies generate 136 million tons of building related construction and demolition waste per year.
Verdict: The Real Deal. Anything that involved reusing -- or upcycling -- old materials is a safe bet.