Policy/Program Name

Zero Waste Boston Deconstruction

Boston, MA

Link: https://www.boston.gov/environment-and-energy/zero-waste-boston

Sustainability goals, preserve historical and architectural character, growth of secondary material markets (alongside Massachusetts waste bans)

Boston has a growing secondary materials market, including reuse stores such as Boston Building Resources. The city is facing increasingly limited landfill and recycling process capacity.

The City of Boston, driven largely through the efforts of Zero Waste Boston, is currently in the process of developing a deconstruction ordinance (along with the City of Cambridge, MA). 

In addition, Boston's Zoning code was amended in 1995 to include Article 85, a demolition delay policy to encourage other end-of-life options and public comment. Buildings subject to review include:

• All buildings located in either Downtown or Harborpark
• All buildings at least 50 years of age
• All buildings located in a Neighbourhood Design Overlay District
• Note that designated (landmarked) buildings are evaluated through a different process.

Boston, Cambridge, Newton, and other cities are rapidly developing whole building life-cycle assessment and embodied carbon regulations (such as Cambridge's recent Green New Deal).

Potentially shorter timeline to receive deconstruction permit.

Baltimore, MD

Link to ordinance draft:

• https://rebuildbmore.org/about/
• https://onedrive.live.com/view.aspx?resid=F2688A3565DBD1AE!1314&ithint=file%2cdocx&authkey=!APv5BVqxQReEPcU

• Motives for developing ordinance: Job opportunities, waste reduction, reduction of greenhouse gas emissions, reducing blight, social equity, economic growth, human health (ex. lead poisoning), reduction in crime and recidivism
• Entity drafting/proposing ordinance: Energy Justice Network, Clean Air Baltimore Coalition
• As of January 2023, the bill is waiting to be heard by City Council
• Looking to set minimum requirement of recovered materials for new buildings

• Building type: Ordinance applies to homes and government buildings
• Building age: Applies to buildings built 1970 or prior
• Applicability to renovation: [Please post additional information.]
• Exceptions/exemptions: 
  • Structures slated to be relocated
  • Structures that have been determined by the Department of Housing and community Development to be dangerous and requiring abatement by demolition
  • Any primary dwelling or business structure that the Director has determined is unsuitable for deconstruction because: a. The structure is structurally unsafe and not capable of stabilization, or is otherwise hazardous to human life; or b. At least 61% of the material in the structure is not suitable for reuse, as determined

Link to assessment: [Please post additional information.]

Looking to develop a salvage-to-ADU (Accessory Dwelling Unit) program

• Looking to establish a temporary deconstruction fund
• Looking to establish small business fund for salvaged materials

• Baltimore has a 30 year history in deconstruction, thanks to several deconstruction/reuse organizations.
• The city has already invested in several deconstruction projects
  • Refer to the Baltimore City Deconstruction Project under the Deconstruction Projects page of the Wiki

• Looking to develop a deconstruction certification program
• Looking to create an app that maps out decon contractors, abatement companies, businesses that accept reclaimed materials, and where deconstruction is happening
• U.S. Forest Service: Urban Wood Disposition Pay-for-Success Feasibility Report (2018)
  • http://baltimorewoodproject.org/pdf/FeasibilityReport_Dconstruct_BaltimoreUrbanWood_042618.pdf

[Please post additional information.]

Ithaca, NY

Link to ordinance draft: [Please post additional information.]

• Motives for developing ordinance: Reduction of greenhouse gas emissions, social equity, waste reduction, conservation of natural resources, worker health and safety, public health and safety (air quality, heavy metal soil leaching), job creation, lowering cost of waste management, historical preservation, sense of community
• Entity drafting/proposing ordinance: CR0WD (Circularity, Reuse, Zero Waste Development) network

• Building type: [Please post additional information.]
• Building age: [Please post additional information.]
• Applicability to renovation: [Please post additional information.]
• Exceptions/exemptions: [Please post additional information.]

Link to assessment: [Please post additional information.]

• Related policy/commitments/targets: Ithaca Green New Deal
  • The Ithaca Green New Deal aims for community-wide carbon neutraility by 2030, reduction in historical social and economic inequinitis, green building code for both new and existing buildings
• Links: [Please post additional information.]

[Additional information to be posted]

San Francisco construction and demolition debris recovery law

Link: https://www.sfenvironment.org/construction-demolition-requirements

San Francisco, CA

"San Francisco Ordinance No. 144-21 and Public Works Code Section 725 add new construction and demolition (C&D) debris recovery requirements for C&D transporters, processing facilities, and projects. Under the ordinance, C&D debris material removed from a project in San Francisco must be recycled or reused. No C&D debris can be transported to or disposed of in a landfill or incinerator or put in a designated trash bin."

San Francisco Surplus Building Products Reduction and Redistribution Study (2021): https://drive.google.com/file/d/1MnASDfOUaemAdG2EBUQNSF1cZeWvZaWt/view

[Additional information to be posted]

Hennepin County, MN

[Additional information to be posted]

 Athena Institute - Minnesota Demolition Survey (2004):

https://www.athenasmi.org/wp-content/uploads/2012/01/Demolition_Survey.pdf