Recyclable Materials

Using recycled and recyclable materials reduces the environmental impacts or avoids the burden associated with virgin materials. More recycling means less demand for new materials, less embodied energy, less embodied carbon, healthier planet. When selecting recycled material it is important to be aware of the energy expended to recycle the material into a new project.

Related Components

Component-Specific Considerations

  • Structural components that use reused/recycled/ recyclable materials.

Related Materials

Material-Specific Considerations

  • Recyclability of metals;.

  • Component materials that can be recycled (steel) and down-cycled (masonry components).

  • Ability to recycle/down-cycle glass and glass products.

  • Ability to remove masonry and reuse in other buildings;
  • Ability to use recycled and waste masonry, down-cycled in composite materials, and gravels and aggregates.

  • Recycled/waste wood materials, which can be used to create wood products such as oriented-strand board, laminated veneer lumber.