By Rich Larson, KYMN News
A growing movement in the construction industry is changing how buildings come down—and Rice County wants local contractors to be part of it. Instead of demolishing structures and sending tons of debris to landfills, deconstruction carefully dismantles buildings so materials like cabinets, bricks, doors, and light fixtures can be reused.
Rice County Environmental Services is encouraging construction companies and independent contractors to learn more about this sustainable approach. With that goal in mind, the county has secured funding to train contractors and property owners who want to incorporate deconstruction or material reuse into their projects.
A statement issued by Rice County Environmental Services acknowledged that deconstruction takes more time and can add costs. But the benefits are significant, the statement said, because it reduces waste, saves on disposal fees, and gives valuable materials a second life.”
An informational meeting will be held this Thursday, January 29th, at 2:00pm in the training room of the Rice County Government Services Building in Faribault. A virtual option via Zoom will also be available. The session will cover how deconstruction works, available tax incentives, and mini-grant opportunities for local projects.
Funding for this initiative comes from a Minnesota Greater Minnesota Waste Reduction Grant. Rice County plans to roll out free training and financial assistance to offset costs for property owners who choose to extract and reuse building materials.
Environmental Services is seeking input from contractors to ensure the program meets local needs. “We want this to work for everyone,” one official said in the statement. “Together, we can make deconstruction a common practice in Rice County.”
The Zoom meeting can be found at www.zoomgov.com/j/1602893621?pwd=QB9wT5eeYYsBgNaPuEOwWzryowc0uj.1
The Meeting ID is 160 289 3621. The passcode is 264238
For more details, visit Rice County Environmental Services online at https://www.ricecountymn.gov/157/Environmental-Services.
Rich Larson is the owner and General Manager of KYMN Radio. Contact him at kymnradio.net
