Nathan Benjamin
Planet Reuse
PlanetReuse expertly matches materials with designers, builders and owners to save projects money, serve LEED efforts and sustain the planet. They take all the hard work out of incorporating…
What is the role of your materials and products in the development of today’s leading architectural ideas?
PlanetReuse is predicated on a simple but revolutionary idea: make it easy for people to use reclaimed materials and they’ll do more of it, keeping those materials out of landfills.
As a nationwide reclaimed construction material broker and consultant company, PlanetReuse makes using reused building materials effortless. That’s important when estimates show that nearly 40 percent of landfill material comes from construction projects.
PlanetReuse expertly matches materials with designers, builders and owners to save projects money, serve LEED efforts and sustain the planet. They take all the hard work out of incorporating reclaimed building material into projects, guiding clients through every step of the process. A project’s schedule and budget benefit, and – crucially – so does the planet.
As a supporting player to the company’s consulting expertise, their website creates a great conduit to identify what people have and need. The PlanetReuse team builds on this information, coordinating with clients to get the right materials to commercial and residential projects.
For more info: http://planetreuse.com/
What are the latest innovative developments that you are working on?
Revolutionizing the reused material industry, PlanetReuse will be unveiling its handheld inventory management tool and point-of-sale management tool that will allow access to reclaimed materials throughout North America – PlanetRestore. At Greenbuild 2010, Nathan Benjamin, Founder and Principal of PlanetReuse, will announce details and timeline for the public launch of the hand-held device and tracking system. In addition to a brief demonstration of the tools and capabilities, dates, timeframe, and reuse industry partners from around the North America that are modeling and beta testing will be discussed.
The on-line presence that PlanetReuse is creating through this mobile uploading technology will drastically change the industry presence across the nation, offering a platform to effectively communicate to the general public available materials, and simplifying the process to locate and purchase materials. This innovation will spark a dramatic increase landfill diversion.
This innovative platform will allow on-line, real-time flow of inventories for all non-profit and for-profit reuse organizations, demolition companies, and contractors to expedite the news of available materials to the general public and to the design community at large. It will allow non-profits to have direct access to developed technology for their industry for limited cost.
How can vendors and material developers push the boundaries of what is possible in advancing innovative design and architecture?
Vendors and material developers, as well as designers, can push the boundaries of what is possible by looking at materials and options using materials that have already been created. There are materials coming out of buildings and homes everyday. In lieu of looking for the next new product that can be fabricated, thinking more about reuse as a first thought and utilizing existing material-stock as well as designing for deconstruction are great ways to advance innovative design and architecture.
Approaching projects with an understanding that buildings and spaces are not going to remain static forever and will likely be renovated within the average 3-5 year timeframe, we need to innovate by designing and building with materials that can be removed and reused at a later time.
Explain how your product or material was used in and contributed to the success of a particular project?
PlanetReuse helped in two of the first three Living Building Challenge-Certified projects in the world (the Omega Center for Sustainable Living in Rhinebeck, NY and the Tyson Living Learning Center in St. Louis, MO) and also worked on two of the fifteen featured projects in the Reuse Primer published by Public Architecture. By working with teams early in the design process to help incorporate and source reclaimed material options, PlanetReuse was able to assist the project teams as they worked through design and construction.
PlanetReuse sourced reclaimed wood ceiling paneling, doors, door hardware, trim work, plywood, rigid board insulation, fire extinguisher cabinets, structural wood framing, toilet partitions, reclaimed dimensional lumber and even plywood from Obama’s Inaugural stage platform on these projects.