Articles about green building techniques and projects. Reused materials, insulation, natural materials, green & living roofs and walls, that kind of thing.
The removal of construction materials from both commercial and residential buildings is called deconstruction or more simply salvage. Both terms describe the careful removal of quality materials with the explicit purpose of reuse. The use of reclaimed materials has become quite popular in commercial redevelopment. Examples of reclaimed materials used in new designs can be seen in WNY at Canalside, Five Points Bakery on the West Side; the new Thin Man Brewery in the Elmwood Village; and Aroma Cafe on North Forest in Amherst, to name just a few. Almost every new project is hoping to achieve a unique and … Read more
From NET+POSITIVE Education, a hands-on opportunity to learn how to make a GREEN ROOF!
From our About page: Question: People ask us . . . Why Do You Do What You Do? (WDYDWYD?) Answer 1: Jobs! We’re committed to creating local and green jobs for the Buffalo community. More importantly, we feel these jobs should leverage the waste in our society to create opportunity. We’re interested in a critical analysis of our economy to identify wasteful business practices that damage our communities and our environment, and opportunities that exist for new ventures. We’re determined to find solutions and to implement alternatives that put people to work. Answer 2: Innovation! As we look at the … Read more
ReUse Action’s Restoration crew began a project to save this “Country Club”, built in the 80’s and greatly in danger of being lost. The building boasts huge timbers and locally milled hemlock lumber. Unfortunately, years of neglect has resulted in severe deterioration to the southwest wall. It’s our hope the new owner will be able to provide the necessary push to get this building to the point where it can be utilized and appreciated for years to come. Here are some initial photos of the building it was found Friday. The top photo shows the building, completely finished with locally … Read more
Between Christmas and New Years ReUse Action took on a kitchen demolition for the Phillips Family on Lafayette in the City of Buffalo. Kitchens are one of the most specialized and individualized rooms in a house. Often the kitchen is the first room to be renovated by new home owners, because of the diverse tastes of folks and because they’re such high use areas. So, lots of cabinets get removed and many end up on the curb and in the waste stream. Brandon and I, with the determined support of the homeowner, took on the task! We carefully removed all … Read more
ReUse Action is now repairing and rebuilding wooden sash windows. We offer services from re-glazing, glass replacement to full reconstruction from scratch. Give us a call if you’d like to know more. Why not simply replace with vinyl windows? Most energy research shows that leaky windows are responsible for most of the heat loss in our houses. This is a difficult subject to find objective facts about because the replacement window industry overwhelmingly dominates the discussion. A typical vinyl window advertisement highlights the following: 1. Low-U (or high-R) value of the gas-filled double pane glass 2. Low-E glass 3. Maintenance-free, … Read more
With this article, we’re announcing the latest ReUse Action service: Wood Window Rehabilitation. We can give free estimates and do whole house restoration of wood windows. Before you buy new, give ReUse Action a try. Call us today for an evaluation of your project. Stay tuned for more articles on energy-saving renovations. ReUse Action can help you make your home warmer this winter, while still retaining all the character of the “old-fashioned” double hung sashes that came with your house when it was built. Most Buffalo homes were equipped with wooden (usually pine) double hung sash windows. These can be … Read more
Update: Here are the doors, installed.
The style in our friend Dennis’s house is, let’s say . . . anti-drywall. Old dresser drawers cover one wall of his house and act as both the finished wall and shelving units. Another wall is covered with old, wooden organ pieces. No wall is the same, and none use drywall. We think it’s pretty cool stuff. So when Dennis came to us to help with his newest idea of doors serving the place of drywall, we said ummmm . . . . YES! Hollow core doors were purchased for roughly $10/door and were screwed in with joints alternating for … Read more