Deconstruction:

A Local Government
Model
Wayne Fenton
Orange County Public Works,
Hillsborough, NC

What is Deconstruction?
Deconstruction is the
process of selectively
and systematically
disassembling buildings
that would otherwise be
demolished to generate
a supply of materials
suitable for reuse in the
construction or
rehabilitation of other
structures.

Deconstruction differs
from recycling in that
recycling does not seek
to capture building
materials in a reusable
form (i.e., whole bricks,
blocks, clean, unbroken
pieces of lumber, etc.)

A Brief History
Orange County owns 34 buildings
Buildings range in age from preRevolutionary war to modern
structures

The Building

Approximately 3,000 square feet

The Experiment
A 1920s/1950s mixed construction
structure housing a sheltered
workshop
Building located in heart of historic
district
Sat vacant for several years after
suffering severe storm damage
Options considered

The Process
Project approved by BOCC
Purchasing Dept persuaded
Bid-process tailored
Seasoned local deconstruction
specialists hired
Process documented

Desired Project Outcomes

Removal of unsafe
structure
Capture of valuable
materials, especially
for use in other
similar vintage
structures
Demonstrate
feasibility of process

Provide skills
enhancement
opportunities
Document the
process:
To develop
promotional video
To develop basic
how-to video

Materials Recovered
39+ tons of building materials
recovered for reuse through
deconstruction

Recovered Materials
BRICK

CONCRETE
BLOCKS

DIMENSIONA
L FRAMING
LUMBER

OAK TONGUE
& GROOVE
FLOORING

PINE
TONGUE &
GROOVE
FLOORING

WINDOWS

DOORS

WOOD
SIDING

PINE WALL
PANELING

Materials Recycled
6 tons of metal
1 ton of white goods
140 tons of concrete

Waste Generated
Less than 100 tons of waste
generated by deconstruction
required disposal
Primarily rotted wood, mixed
composition items, sheetrock,
shingles

Benefits of Deconstruction

Economic
Cost of deconstruction can be less
than cost of demolition
Salvaged materials have a value
Cost avoidance in tipping fees
Preservation of landfill space
Job-skills training

Environmental
Preservation of landfill space
Resource conservation
Deconstruction a cleaner
technology than demolition less
noise, air pollution

Educational
Governments should lead by
example
Act as a catalyst to contractors,
facility owners/managers
Be a model for other governments

Cost Benefit Analysis

Demolition Costs
Estimate:
$50,000

Deconstruction Costs
Actual Expenditures:
$37,929
Savings
Salvaged Materials
Value: $37,130*
Landfill Fees Avoided:
$1,600

* Based on local vendor estimate

Measuring Success
Structure
successfully and
safely removed
Some materials
have been reused
in other projects
Demonstrated
feasibility of
deconstruction
option

Provided
temporary workers
with enhanced
skills two hired
by County, one
still employed
Promotional video
complete & limited
distribution

The Video
High quality, low
budget
16 minutes
running time