The Evolution of Contemporary Deconstruction

In my distant days as a partner within Creative Business Strategies, I focused on raising money for entrepreneurs and developing new technical and scientific breakthroughs, including silicon chip manufacturing, machine learning software and robotics. Today, technology...

Building for Deconstruction: Three Things to Avoid

While preparing to write January’s Velvet Crowbar, I decided to do some internet research. When I conducted a Google search on Design for Disassembly, the first full page of references included the titles, “Design for Disassembly and the Environment,” “Design for...

Michigan Boosts TRP Footprint in the Midwest

Several years ago TRP made an invited foray into Chicago, establishing The ReUse People of Illinois. Within a few years that office became a leader among our 12 regional locations, thanks largely to Illinois Regional Manager Ken Ortiz, who also currently serves as TRP...

The Promise of Commercial Deconstruction Revisited

Six months have passed since I wrote about the importance of commercial deconstruction and materials salvage, in an earlier e-letter. Since then, developments in this arena have been explosive. February and March: At the request of StopWaste.org and the San Francisco...

More on Deconstruction Ordinances and Bylaws

Earlier this month I was invited to the historic town of Victoria to give two workshops for a range of people tasked with implementing the city’s newly passed Deconstruction Bylaw. Audiences included building, demolition and deconstruction contractors, house movers,...

Saving 100 Years of History

November and December 2021 we had up to 5 crews working on salvaging as much building materials as we could from our biggest project in the Dallas Texas area yet. The house was built in 1922 so was just short of being 100 years old. It had been extensively remodeled...