Reuse is community-driven. This session looks at the inner workings of creating a durable goods salvage operation and the wider implications on existing material supply systems, and how reuse is an often missed opportunity. While the first impulse when building, rebuilding, or renovating homes is to go to big box home improvement stores, the circular economy invites an opportunity to consider the value of existing materials that are around us. This session will highlight case studies of systems are already working in Gainesville, Savannah, and San Antonio.

Panelists:

• Stacy Savage, President, Zero Waste Strategies, LLC (moderator)

• Amanda Rice Waddle, Director of Zero Waste, The Repurpose Project

• Stephanie Phillips, Senior Manager, Deconstruction & Circular Economy, City of San Antonio Office of Historic Preservation

• Katie Fitzhugh, Interim Executive Director & Director of Deconstruction, Re:Purpose Savannah

This session is part of the National Zero Waste Conference. Learn more here.

The Restoration, Salvation and Climate Adaptation Symposium will take place in the Museum of Boulder and is part of the collaborative activities between CU Boulder, Program in Environmental Design, the City of Boulder, and the Boulder-Dushanbe Sister City. More details to come!

Maryland Recycling Network/Solid Waste Association of North America (SWANA) Mid-Atlantic Conference offers a day of learning for professionals in the recycling and solid waste community. Conference presentations will focus on ways to minimize the use of virgin materials, reuse/recycle materials more materials that are currently destined for the landfill and promote strong demand for buying products made with recycled content.

The session “Education & Outreach: Behavior Change Programs That Work” will focus on consumer education programs that are advancing reuse and recycling goals across the country.

Presenters:

• Stephanie Phillips, Senior Program Manager, Deconstruction & Circular Economy, City of San Antonio

• Sam Schultz, Mid-Atlantic Environmental Sales Rep, Rehrig Pacific Company

• Jeff Galad, President, Recycle Coach

View full conference agenda here

Join USGBC Texas for a power-packed hour-long webinar that delves into preservation initiatives in two vibrant cities, Austin and San Antonio. Explore the critical role of building preservation in contributing to sustainable decarbonization. This insightful session will bring together experts, city planners, architects, and sustainability advocates to discuss innovative strategies, challenges, and success stories in preserving older and historic buildings while advancing towards a low-carbon future.

Speakers:

• Ashley Besic, Senior Associate of Market Transformation, Building Decarbonization Coalition (BDC)

• Cara Bertron, Program Manager, Austin Planning Department

• Stephanie Phillips, Senior Program Manager, Deconstruction & Circular Economy, City of San Antonio Office of Historic Preservation

Register here

Students in UTSA’s Innovation & Entrepreneurship course have focused their Spring 2024 semester on developing business ideas related to the circular economy (i.e., how do we reduce/reuse waste of various forms). Join their final pitch event, where 20+ teams will pitch their circular business ideas to a panel of local expert judges and compete for prizes.

Judges:

• Stephanie Phillips, Circular San Antonio / City of San Antonio

• Christopher Moken, Circular San Antonio / ReMat Enterprises

• Jon Garcia, Geekdom

• Cristy Lime, Geekdom

The Zero Net Carbon Collaborative (ZNCC) is a strategic alliance committed to championing the responsible reuse of existing and historic places towards a Zero Net Carbon (ZNC) future. This bi-monthly all members meeting presentation will focus on circular heritage.

In September 2022, San Antonio became the largest city in the US to adopt a deconstruction ordinance, and the first major city to develop one administered by a Historic Preservation office. The City's Deconstruction and Circular Economy Program is spearheading how preservation and deconstruction can work hand-in-hand to create a more sustainable and environmentally just world.

Zoom link available here

Join Circular San Antonio, AIA San Antonio, and the City of San Antonio Office of Historic Preservation in welcoming BLOXHUB, the Nordic hub for sustainable urbanization. Learn about the work this Copenhagen-based organization is doing to advance circularity in the built environment from Martine Reinhold Kildeby, Director of Global Partnerships. Martine’s presentation will be followed by an engaging discussion on how BLOXHUB’s collaborative model can contribute to reuse efforts in San Antonio, moderated by Stephanie Phillips and Laura Wills of Circular San Antonio.

Register via AIA San Antonio here.

The Valley of the Sun Deconstruction/Reuse Work Group is hosting a webinar on deconstruction education on Monday, December 11, at 2pm CT.

This panel discussion will explore key questions for advancing community and workforce education efforts, like: what are our focus areas, drivers, and partner models? What has provided greatest benefit so far, and what do we anticipate happening next?

Register for free here.

The Northeast Recycling Council (NERC) organizes a series of free, quarterly Deep Dive Forums.  These virtual discussions focus on the role of material reuse organizations, policymakers, and other stakeholders in working with and building the resiliency of local communities.  Featured presenters present in-depth about the programs they’ve developed to provide resources and serve the needs of residents, work toward policy solutions, and create economically viable systems. 

This quarterly reuse forum will focus on creating policies that support reuse systems. Representatives from the City of Portland and City of San Antonio will discuss their respective deconstruction ordinances and related efforts to advance circularity and reuse in the built environment in their cities.

Presented annually by the board of Preservation Erie to those who are exceptional stewards of our physical and cultural landscape and featuring a keynote presentation from a regional or national figure in historic preservation, the 2023 Greater Erie Awards will be held on Thursday, September 14.

The event will include the presentation of the Greater Erie Awards and a keynote address by Stephanie Phillips, Deconstruction and Circular Economy Program Manager for the City of San Antonio, Texas. Stephanie administers the largest deconstruction ordinance in the United States and the first administered by an Office of Historic Preservation. She will discuss how dismantling and reclaiming what we can’t save - instead of losing everything, including intangible and often underrepresented histories, to bulldozers and landfills - is not only an issue of cultural importance, but an urgent, undeniable climate change, waste, public health, and equity issue. Through her work, Stephanie is shining a light on the intersection of heritage conservation and the circular economy, and aims to inspire widespread action in policy, instruction, intersectional partnerships, and practice for a more just, resilient future.

Join Build San Antonio Green & the City of San Antonio Office of Historic Preservation for a special training on the City’s deconstruction ordinance. This workshop, specifically curated for architects, designers, contractors, and students, will provide a deep-dive on ordinance requirements and the City’s related efforts to save and reuse valuable building materials and support others in their own reuse efforts. The workshop will also outline various ways to get involved, from volunteering opportunities to action-oriented workgroups.

This workshop is in-person only. RVSP via email

The Washington Council of Governments Recycling Committee’s July meeting will focus on the rapidly changing construction & demolition recycling capacity in Washington, DC and beyond.

Speakers:

• Becky Caldwell, Executive Director, Construction and Demolition Recycling Association

• Andrew Aman, Principal, Broad Run Constrution Waste Recycling

• Stephanie Phillips, Deconstruction and Circular Economy Program Manager, City of San Antonio; and Board Member, Build Reuse

For most of Nantucket’s history, salvage was a way of life. Materials were scarce, buildings were moved and reused, and even shipwrecks were scavenged for reusable materials. Today, Nantucket sends more than 17,000 tons of building material waste to off-island landfills.

Communities across the country are exploring deconstruction as an alternative to mechanical demolition, salvaging what can’t be saved. Deconstruction diverts framing materials, fixtures, windows, doors and cabinets, and other building materials from the landfill and creates a circular economy.

Nantucket Preservation Trust is to present a speaker series highlighting practitioners and planners across the country whose work looks to past traditions and innovative solutions to create a more sustainable future.

The first featured speaker will be Stephanie Phillips, Deconstruction and Circular Economy Program Manager for the City of San Antonio. Join us in the Great Hall at the Nantucket Atheneum at 5:30 PM on Monday, June 26 to hear Stephanie discuss her experiences in planning and implementing San Antonio’s deconstruction ordinance and the lessons learned along the way.

Learn more

How can thoughtful deconstruction policies and programs advance circularity? What are the community benefits, and what factors can drive similar programs across the US? 

A flurry of deconstruction policies and initiatives have cropped up in US cities over the past decade, promoting a more circular economy by reducing waste and the demand for virgin materials, creating jobs and preserving cultural and historic heritage. But to successfully unlock local benefits of deconstruction programs requires a blend of innovative private sector players, supportive policymakers and community engagement.

Join this session to learn about the factors driving the adoption of intentional deconstruction policies, innovations, and partnerships and how deconstruction can promote economic growth and social equity across communities.

Speakers:

• Garry Cooper, CEO, Rheaply

• Dave Bennink, Director, Building Deconstruction Institute

• Zosia Brown, Vice President, Sustainability, Nexii Building Solutions

• Stephanie Phillips, Deconstruction & Circular Economy Program Manager, City of San Antonio

• Moderator: Sarah Golden, VP, Energy, Greenbiz Group

View full program

The increased urgency of our climate crisis and global health emergencies demand responses that recognize decarbonization is directly correlated to health equity and community resilience.

Through examining 1) indoor air quality and the right to positive health outcomes; 2) adaptive reuse strategies, the circular economy, and electrification; and 3) case studies demonstrating what “good” looks like through responsible building in projects and practice, this year’s thought leadership summit will take a systems-approach to explore high-impact decarbonization strategies that nurture our communities and ecosystems. 

• How do we redefine “standard of care” to ensure climate-smart solutions?

• What does it look like to co-create with community to achieve our goals?

• How do we design resilient and adaptable buildings that can evolve?

• Ultimately, how do we leverage our shared responsibility to support a sustainable future? 

Session 3: Community Assets: Existing Buildings & Equitable Infrastructure

Register here

In September 2022, San Antonio became the largest city in the US to adopt a deconstruction ordinance, and the first major city to develop one administered by a Historic Preservation office. The City's Deconstruction and Circular Economy Program is spearheading how preservation and deconstruction can work hand-in-hand to create a more sustainable and environmentally just world. This presentation will highlight how aligning stakeholders in climate action, affordable housing, historic preservation, real estate and development, innovation, workforce training, and public health can affect transformative, place-based policy change.

This event will kick off the Utah State Historic Preservation Office’s 2023 Brown Bag Lecture Series. The series is the flagship event of Archaeology and Preservation Month because it features the most up-to-date research and programs in historic preservation and archaeology.

Register here

Join AIA San Antonio’s Committee on the Environment (COTE) for an exciting event at the Material Innovation Center at Port San Antonio, where innovative research and sustainable building practices come together. This event will begin with presentations from local experts on integrating material reuse into the architecture practice, including Stephanie Phillips, the City of San Antonio’s Deconstruction and Circular Economy Program Manager, who will describe the City’s policies and partnerships to increase building material reuse and the history and future of the Material Innovation Center .

After the presentations, we will embark on a tour of the historic structures including the bungalows, nurses’ quarters, warehouse, and toolshed. Originally constructed to house military officers, the structures now serve as labs for future craftspeople, material innovators, and community members alike. One of the main features is a visit to the large bungalows that are undergoing restoration to serve as a learning lab for training programs by the city’s Office of Historic Preservation.

Following the tour, we will return for a group discussion where attendees can ask questions, share their thoughts, and explore ideas about sustainable building practices and innovative research in the building materials industry. This event is ideal for architects, builders, designers, and anyone interested in sustainable building practices. Join us for this unique opportunity to gain insight and inspiration on how to create beautiful and environmentally responsible buildings.

Register here

In 2020, the San Antonio Office of Historic Preservation commissioned a study to analyze the potential impact of a proposed deconstruction ordinance by measuring the economic and environmental cost of demolition. Using 10 years of demolition data, the study calculated the volume and value of materials that could have been diverted from landfills and the retail impact of increased material supply.

This session will review policies, tools, and recommendations from the study that contributed to San Antonio’s 2022 adoption of a deconstruction ordinance, and will discuss the types of localized data that can help further your community’s reuse goals.

Panelists:

• Stephanie Phillips, Deconstruction & Circular Economy Program Manager at City of San Antonio Office of Historic Preservation

• Katlyn Cotton, Director of Marketing and Design at PlaceEconomics

• Alyssa Frystak, Director of Research and Data Analytics at PlaceEconomics

Hosted by the Valley of the Sun Deconstruction Workgroup / VOSWG welcomes participants regardless of geographic location and meets regularly to learn about Deconstruction/Reuse progress, plans & goals as models for local consideration & implementation. Participants may include municipalities, non-profits, or for-profit businesses.

Register here

Climate Action Plans act as comprehensive roadmaps that outline the specific activities an agency or community will undertake to reduce greenhouse gas emissions. Many communities that create these plans often incorporate building materials and the built environment actions to achieve emissions reductions. Actions such as deconstruction, life cycle planning, low embodied carbon building materials procurement, and ordinances and incentives that require or support reuse or historic preservation are some actions communities can take to reduce greenhouse gases through Climate Action Plans. Deconstruction and reuse can also advance health and equity by reducing demolition lead based paint health impacts, creating jobs and generating local, low-cost building materials.  

Get an overview of U.S. EPA’s new $5 billion Climate Pollution Reduction Grant Program for planning and implementing climate actions, including actions related to waste and materials management, and hear from experts sharing innovative, equitable Climate Plan Actions on deconstruction and reuse from Minnesota, Portland, Oakland, San Antonio, Evanston and Chicago. Hosted by U.S. EPA Regions 5 and 9. Webinar presenters:

• Erin Newman, Climate Change Mitigation Coordinator, U.S. EPA Region 5

• Melissa Wenzel, Built Environment Sustainability Administrator, Minnesota Pollution Control Agency

• Shawn Wood, EPA Implementation Fellow, U.S. EPA (formerly with City of Portland, OR)

• Stephanie Phillips, Deconstruction & Circular Economy Program Manager, City of San Antonio Office of Historic Preservation

• Meri Soll, Senior Program Manager, StopWaste (Alameda County, CA)

• Patrick Michael Hayes, Recycling Program Specialist II, City of Oakland

• Anne Nicklin, Director of Workforce Training and Deconstruction Services, Rebuilding Exchange, Chicago & Evanston

Register here

A dynamic combination of micro presentations and active collaboration to fast-track adoption of salvaged wood into mass timber, hosted by King County, Washington.

In the ongoing search for building materials with the lowest embodied carbon and highest carbon storage capacity (that can be managed in a circular economy), the use of salvaged wood in finger jointed products/feedstock and mass timber assemblies keeps rising to the surface.

This summit will:

• spotlight recent related innovations

• identify key components and status of each

• explore near-term opportunities for moving the effort forward

• connect partners and build new relationships

• identify next steps

Watch the recording

On September 8, 2022, San Antonio became the largest city in the US to adopt a deconstruction ordinance, and the first major city to develop one administered by a Historic Preservation office. This presentation will highlight how aligning stakeholders in climate action, affordable housing, historic preservation, real estate and development, innovation, workforce training, and public health can affect transformative, place-based policy change.

Watch the recording

Learn more about CR0WD Conversations

Build Reuse 2022 Deconstruction and Reuse Conference: Day 2 Keynote
Building a Policy Toolkit: San Antonio’s Deconstruction Ordinance
Shanon Miller and Stephanie Phillips (City of San Antonio Office of Historic Preservation)

On September 8, 2022, San Antonio became the largest city in the US to adopt a deconstruction ordinance. Presented through the lens of the conference theme - build your reuse toolkit - this keynote will highlight how aligning stakeholders in climate action, affordable housing, historic preservation, real estate and development, innovation, workforce training, and public health can affect transformative, place-based policy change.

Watch the recording