An imaginative Vancouver company is revolutionizing the way houses are being torn down by collecting every last piece of reclaimable building material. So far, it has proven to benefit both the environment and the bottom line.
Just over a month ago, Unbuilders tore down a West Vancouver home built in the 1930's, which was comprised of very mature Douglas Fir.
"For us, that's a really precious material. It's part of Canadian history, really, what that material is. We want to make sure that material goes back in the supply chain as opposed to into the landfill." explained Adam Corneil, the company's founder and CEO.
In a conventional demolition, the house would usually be knocked down with an excavator and the building materials would get shipped off to a garbage lot or get crushed then incinerated.
Unbuilders will take its time, tearing the house down by hand and will salvage and recycle every usable scrap. This process usually takes 3 weeks compared to the single day span seen in a traditional demolition.
The windows, doors, appliances and the majority of the reclaimable wood will get sent to a Habitat for Humanity Restore - where it will be sold and the proceeds used in the construction of more homes.
The desirable larger pieces of mature wood are often obtained by custom furniture makers. "There is a need for the material and there is a need for us to save it from the landfill," explained Stephani Baker, Habitat for Humanity's VP of Construction.
"The sheer volume of product that comes out of just one home - it's immeasurable really, both in terms of the environment and our ability
Homeowners who donate salvaged materials can be eligible for charitable tax receipts.