Green jobs in Deconstruction. How to use federal stimulus dollars in your town.

  • Jul 1, 2009
  • ILSR
    •
  • Article
  • Composting for Community
  • Deconstruction
  • Job Creation
  • Zero Waste
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    Green jobs that pay well too! How to use federal stimulus dollars in your town.

    Can you take down a building in a way that is

    • Cost Friendly
    • Carbon Friendly, and
    • Forest Friendly?

    The answer is yes. The method is called deconstruction, and it is spreading rapidly throughout the US.

    (See The Evolution of Deconstruction, Biocycle Magazine, June 2009)

    Deconstruction recovers valuable building materials that are immediately ready for re-use or re-sale. Deconstruction trains workers for deconstruction and construction jobs paying $14 and higher.

    There are several sources of federal economic stimulus dollars to start and/or expand deconstruction.

    The Neighborhood Stabilization program provides funds for cities to take down abandoned buildings. This will allow cities to put vacant land back to productive use as green space, urban agricultural enterprises and/or new construction. It is also a strategy to reduce the footprint of the city and reduce infrastructure costs for fire, police, health, education and sewer services. This strategy is being applied in Flint, Atlanta and Youngstown.

    Workforce Development funds are also available for training under and unemployed residents.

    The Energy Efficiency Conservation Block Grants are also available for deconstruction projects as materials and energy are conserved, preserving virgin natural resources and wilderness areas.

    In addition, federal agencies have specific programs that can support deconstruction enterprise development and expansion. These include project funds from HHS (Office of Community Services), Department of Justice, Department of Labor, and US EPA.

    ILSR specializes in facilitating the right technologies, the right community development approach, the best recruitment and training practices, and how community groups, city agencies and private demolition and development companies can pool resources for public and private benefit.

    ILSR has been facilitating deconstruction projects since 1999, when under an HHS grant, ILSR researched the potential for deconstruction as a community development tool and pathway out of poverty for many urban residents.

    Call: Neil Seldman (202) 898-1610 X 210 or Linda Knapp (215) 843-7364

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