Transcript:
Three years ago, an office building and jail in Martinez, Calif., were demolished to make way for a new county building and plaza that opened last year. But remnants of the old buildings remain.
The contractor recycled marble for the new lobby. They repurposed granite blocks as outdoor benches. They used demolition rubble as backfill material around the new building.
The goal is to reuse materials wherever possible to reduce construction waste.
Rosa: “Construction is one of the industries that generates the most waste today.”
Gabriele Rosa works for the consulting firm All About Waste, which advised on the project.
Making concrete, steel and other building materials creates large amounts of carbon pollution that contributes to climate warming, she said.
Therefore, the reuse of materials reduces the pollution caused by new construction.
Project Martinez workers also separate and sort wood, metal and drywall so they can be recycled and reused in other projects and products.
Rosa: “We are able to divert 95% of construction waste.”
The project is therefore an example of how the construction industry can reduce its climate impact.
Report source: Sarah Kennedy/ChavoBart Digital Media
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