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Local Groups Honored for Building Materials Reuse Efforts

Release Date: 10/30/2008
Contact Information: EPA Region 7, Chris Whitley, 913-551-7394, whitley.christopher@epa.gov; Planet Reuse Project, Bradley Hardin, 816-298-7947, bhardin@planetreuse.com; KU Studio 804, Dan Rockhill, 785-393-0747, rockhill@sunflower.com

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Environmental News

FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE

(Kansas City, Kan., Oct. 30, 2008) - The Planet Reuse Project in Kansas City, Mo., and the Greensburg, Kan., Arts Center, designed by the University of Kansas Studio 804, have been recognized for Lifestyle Building Challenge 2 (LBC2) Awards.

LBC2 is a partnership of EPA, the Building Materials Reuse Association, the American Institute of Architects, Southface, West Coast Green, and StopWaste.Org. The partnership invited professionals and students nationwide to submit designs that support cost-effective disassembly and reuse of building materials.

The Planet Reuse Project received the top award in the Professional Built category for their Material Reuse Tool. The tool is an on-line resource that provides homeowners, architects, deconstruction professionals and local municipalities with an industry solution to find, sustainably deconstruct and reclaim building materials. Planet Reuse has supported the reuse of more than 20,100 tons of building materials to reduce more than 2,000 tons of greenhouse gas emissions. The concept removes common barriers associated with material reuse.

Kansas University Studio 804 received honorable mention in the Student Building category for exceptional integration of reclaimed materials, modular design, zero energy and overall sustainability for The Sustainable Prototype that serves as an Arts Center in Greensburg, Kan. The construction and delivery of The Sustainable Prototype was completed on the first anniversary of the tornado that devastated Greensburg. Although the building was developed for long term use as an Arts Center, its immediate use was to serve as the first completed public facility in community’s ambitious green rebuilding efforts. Studio 804, Inc., is a not-for-profit, design/build program at the University of Kansas School of Architecture.

EPA acknowledges award winners for their innovative green building ideas that will help to reduce environmental and energy impacts of buildings. The Agency honors programs that assist the building industry in the reuse of more than 100 million tons of building-related construction and demolition debris that otherwise would be sent each year to landfills in the United States. Reusing building materials also reduces the energy and greenhouse gas emissions associated with extraction, production, and transportation of new materials.