New York state is poised to revolutionize its construction industry by embracing a circular economy approach that prioritizes building deconstruction and material reuse. This shift could unlock significant economic opportunities, create thousands of green jobs, and advance ambitious climate goals. Experts from Cornell University have outlined a strategic roadmap to guide policymakers and local governments in this transition, which could have far-reaching impacts on the state’s environmental and economic landscape. Circular economy principles offer a compelling solution to the challenges posed by the construction and demolition (C&D) waste crisis in New York.
A Blueprint for Circular Building
With further analysis by the experts this would be the direct economic impact of converting only half to three-quarters of residential building demolitions in New York State to deconstructions: $872 million to $1.4 billion, 8,130 to 12,630 jobs created and 270,000 to 420,000 tons of material reclaimed for reuse. Not only could a switch from the current “take-make-waste” linear economy to an circular construction economy save the environment, it could reshape an entire sector of California’s economy.
That’s why the new white paper, “Constructing a Circular Economy in New York State: Deconstruction and Building Material Reuse,” contains an extensive list of policy reforms that policymakers, state agencies, and local governments can adopt to help nudge residential buildings construction towards circularity. Examples include building the material data infrastructure, creating a thriving market for secondary materials, using state purchasing power as an economic driver and innovator for environmental change, adopting local policies, and pilot projects that will lead to targeted workforce development.
Solving the C&D Waste Crisis
Presently, New York manufactures more than 18 million tons of C&D waste every year, which is practically half of the state’s whole waste stream. Almost 60% of this building-related waste ends up in a landfill or burned or exported; and that is keeping the state from reaching its environmental goals. Easily the two large C&D landfills by volume in the state will close or be set to stop accepting C&D by 2025, which compounds this issueaddAction=createViewByExample&objectId=963 endeavour.
It is estimated by the experts that 90% ereusable hate of building materials, while it is as high as 80% for what is landfilled and buried to remain economically useful. That is a huge area where we could take advantage to reduce the amount of waste going into landfills, reduce greenhouse gas emissions and just help construct a more sustainable construction industry. Through deconstruction and reuse of materials, New York state can help solve the crisis but also obtain major economic and environmental opportunities as a co-benefit.
Catalyzing circular construction economy
The white paper lays out recommendations designed to help New York state build a strong circular construction economy. Improving how we gather data to capture the full scope of the C&D waste stream, develop a robust market for reclaimed materials and utilize California’s purchasing power to influence demand.
They also recommend local deconstruction ordinances or resolutions and specialized workforce development programs to prepare the deconstruction/ material reuse workforce. By enacting these steps together, we can build the institutional architecture and market and workforce capabilities needed to transition New York’s construction economy in this direction.
The state has been filling its rapidly dwindling landfills and preparing for extended supply chain faults that remain imminent, says Assembly member Anna Kelles. If New York does this correctly, it can become a vanguard of the circular construction economy and serve as an example for other states.
