Renovating with a Conscience

Are you about to renovate and want to donate your building materials but don’t know if that’s possible? Well it is and there are companies that will welcome your donation and provide financial incentive to do so. Donating your building materials is (generally) tax-deductible, saves you disposal fees, helps NYC reduce the amount of waste going to landfills, and helps folks build a green industry! We’ll be talking about reusing and recycling building materials at the August 19 “Reduce, Reuse, Recycle, Retrofit” session of the Green Building Monthly Forum! Read on for a list of places that will take your donation of building materials! In New York City, you can donate to (or buy from): ReBuilders Source: Accepts donations of used and surplus construction materials and appliances. ReBuilders Source is the first worker-owned, building materials and reuse center in the country. Your donations are tax-deductible. Build It Green! NYC: You can donate building materials in good condition at the store (check the accepted materials list first!) or, for your “high-value” items (hate the custom colonial kitchen?), ask for a pick-up! NY Wa$teMatch: If you’re not in a hurry to dispose of your items, consider listing them on NY Wa$teMatch’s Materials Exchange, a free online marketplace where you can post all sorts of surplus goods and used equipment. The service is free, but your stuff doesn’t have to be — you can post a fixed or negotiable price. The Demolition Depot: Before you chuck period hardware and detailing, chat with the folks at The Demolition Depot at 216 East 125th Street, an architectural salvage operation. Elsewhere: Habitat for Humanity: Accepts material donations from households to large companies. For building materials, appliances, and furniture it’s best to contact your local Habitat for Humanity affiliate. For large quantities, contact Habitat for Humanity’s Gifts in Kind department at [email protected]. Green Demolition (CT): Has a very simple donation program offering donors financial incentives. They offer to pick up your materials for free and give you a tax deduction! If you are aware of any other companies that provide a similar service, please let me know. GreenHomeNYC does not receive fees from the purveyors of products or services mentioned in its blog posts.