In April 2021, a survey was sent to Build Reuse members asking for input on what they hoped the Build Reuse Data & Policy Committee would accomplish in the coming years. Some of the most popular responses reflected a desire for resources and tools to support the following efforts:

• Convincing policymakers to explore or adopt deconstruction policies, such as ordinances, diversion targets, etc.
• Advancing deconstruction as a climate resilience tool
• Advancing deconstruction as a waste reduction tool
• Advancing deconstruction as a preservation tool
• Advancing deconstruction as a workforce development tool
• Advancing deconstruction as a disaster mitigation tool
• Quantifying the embodied carbon benefits of deconstruction and reuse
• Collecting reuse center information: locations, sales volume, tonnage, square footage, resources, etc.
• Tracking reuse sales data
• Quantifying building reuse potential
• Evaluating the efficacy and outcomes of workforce development programs

Many such resources already exist in pieces across the internet. This Build Reuse Wiki aims to bring all of the above and more information to one centralized platform to facilitate the sharing of information and collaboration among the many groups and individuals advocating for building material reuse in the US, in Canada, and beyond.

This Wiki is for anyone who is advocating for policy change (salvage assessments, deconstruction ordinances, tax incentives, etc.) and gathering case studies and research to support their advocacy and anyone who is new to building material reuse and interested in learning about the work currently being done in this space, the key challenges, and how they can support (university students and professors, general contractors, designers, sustainability consultants, and building owners).